STRATFOR E-Mail #3: DOW Confidential 11/23/11

On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.

DOW CONFIDENTIAL: Bhopal Monitoring Report (no Friday report) Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Email-ID        403291

Date    2011-11-23 23:49:03

From    [email protected]

To      [email protected]

Contact AIM for more Information

Significant Activist Activity

11/22 Early Day Motion: 2 new signers, 19 total

Commission on Sustainable London 2012: Interim statement regarding Dow's sponsorship

Blog: T Jeory on political opposition to Dow sponsorship

11/21 PANNA press release on PPT: videos and updates wil be available from sessions

Media

11/21 C&EN: Dow Olympic sponsorship; GoI sees Liveris as "too controversial" for India-US CEO Forum

11/22 Labour Party: T. Jowell asks Sustainability Commission to release documents, decisions on Dow and Bhopal

11/20 Economic Times: ICJB sees opportunity to "get Dow on record as an interested party"; UK MPs playing politics with sponsorship

11/19 Asian Age: Open letter to London mayoral candidate claims Boris Johnson will loose Asian votes over Dow sponsorship

11/22 Guardian blog: Discussion on Asian Age letter and Livingstone's response

11/23 Guardian: Report on T. Jowell press release asking for Dow documents from Sustainability Commission

11/23 Guardian: Coe again defended LOCOG decision on Dow as a sponsor

11/23 PTI, IANS: MP CM Chouhan to GoI Sports Min: protest Dow sponsorship or boycott Olympics

11/23 IBNS: T. Jowell Labour party press release

11/21 Hackney Gazette: MP Diane Abbott slammed Olympic corporate sponsorships; credited Bhopal deaths to Dow

11/22 Around The Rings: Reported on MP Abbott's criticisms of coporate sponsorships for Olympics

11/20 Express on Sunday: Fabric stadium wrap panels tested; Coe and Gardiner quoted

11/21 Daily Star: Columnist Sally Bercow - LOCOG should not have accepted Dow sponsorship

Activist Activity

Petition: 1080 signatures

Bhopali film screenings: Univ. of Pittsburgh; Frontline Club in London; IDFA

Website updates: ICJB: Rail Roko instructions; SfB - change.org petition

11/28 UW-Madison "Slow Food for Bhopal" fundraiser

Blogs: Sporting News - Olympics activism; Jarvis - final post from Bhopal; Antinuclear blog from Australia

Activist email: R. Dhingra - C&EN article; anti-Bayer activists - PPT case on bee deaths from Bayer pesticides

Message boards: PAN press releases; Asian Age open letter

Social media: BMA; anti-Dow Facebook page; Jeory; Jowell; Gardiner; Labour Party

Yes Men: OSW drum circle for Bloomberg

 

11/22 Early Day Motion: 2 new signers, 19 total

 

11/22 Two new signers, for a total of 19, have been added to Keith Vaz' Early Day Motion calling for Dow's sponsorship to be "reconsidered":

- Fabian Hamilton, Labour Party Leeds North East

- Anas Sarwar, Labour Party Glasgow Central

 

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Commission on Sustainable London 2012: Interim statement regarding Dow's sponsorship

 

On 11/17 the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 posted an "interim statement" regarding "concerns" about the stadium wrap sponsorship. The statement

acknowledged "a number of stakeholders, including Amnesty International and Labour Friends of India," expressed concern, and said the commission is "speaking to key

parties to fully understand the origins of these concerns." A further statement may be issued "in due course" if it is deemed appropriate and necessary.

- Several activist resources posted links to the statement. The Games Monitor watchdog blog posted the entire statement with the subject: "2012 Sustainability

notices problem with Dow!"

http://www.cslondon.org/2011/01/commissions-official-statement-on-olympic-stadium-bid-process/

 

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Blog: T Jeory on political opposition to Dow sponsorship

 

11/23 Ted Jeory, Express on Sunday's Whitehall editor, posted on his blog (attached) the stadium wrap sponsorship issue "is starting to enter pretty serious political

territory" and listed three new developments:

"1. Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes has today signed up to the cross-[arty [sic] campaign to force Locog to reconsider its decision. he has added his name to a

letter that has been sent to Lord Coe, which I'll detail below. Tory MP Priti Patel is also on board.

"2. Shadow Olympics Minister (& Olympics Board member) Tessa Jowell has stepped up her own rhetoric, a) by writing to the Chair of the Commission for a Sustainable

London 2012 to demand disclosure of important tender documents around the deal; and b) asking for a meeting with Dow themselves.

"3. Locally, Olympic host borough Tower Hamlets Council is expected to lodge a formal objection with Locog about the deal after a vote next week."

- Hughes and Patel signed on to the BMA/Amnesty/Friends of Labour letter, not Keith Vaz' Early Day Motion. Jeory included the text of the letter and the lists of MPs

and Indian Olympians who have signed it.

- Jeory provided the text of the Tower Hamlets Council's resolution to "lodge a formal objection with Locog" about the Dow sponsorship, and to join and assist the

campaign calling for LOCOG to "reverse its decision" about the sponsorship. The council plans to write to Lord Coe, Secretary of State for Culture, Jeremy Hunt MP and

LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton.

- Jeory promised "There will be further political developments by the end of this week, watch this space."

- Jeory also included the text of Tessa Jowell's press release reported below.

 

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11/21 PANNA press release on PPT: videos and updates wil be available from sessions

 

A press release from PANNA about the Permanent People's Tribunal quoted PANNA co-director Kathryn Gilje, cited the allegations of "widespread and egregious human

rights violations" to be heard against the six agrichemical companies, and promised updates on and YouTube videos from the proceedings would be made available through

the PAN website.

http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/science-a-environmental/28937-prosecutors-issue-summons-to-the-six-largest-pesticide-manufacturers-for-human-rights-violations.html

 

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11/21 C&EN: Dow Olympic sponsorship; GoI sees Liveris as "too controversial" for India-US CEO Forum

 

Chemical & Engineering News reporter Jean-Francios Tremblay posted a short article on the Olympic stadium controversy, saying "Union Carbide acquisitions [sic]

shadows Dow at Olympics."

In addition to briefly relating the past week's events, the piece ends with a paragraph on the Indo-US CEO Forum, reporting from an unidentified Indian source the GoI

"is exerting pressure" for Liveris to be "removed" from the forum because the GoI "considers Liveris' membership in the forum "too controversial." Dow was said to

have denied that is the situation.

http://cen.acs.org/articles/89/i47/Bhopals-Legacy.html

 

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11/22 Labour Party: T. Jowell asks Sustainability Commission to release documents, decisions on Dow and Bhopal

 

The UK Labour party's website posted a report that MP Tessa Jowell wrote to Shaun McCarthy, the Chair of the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, inquiring

whether the commission will release for public consumption:

- Information it received "to determine Dow's commitment to sustainability" for the London Games

- Whether it received any information countering "the information provided by Dow about their commitment to sustainability"

- And whether the commission discussed the Bhopal issue, its relationship to Dow, "and whether any decision was taken in relation to that."

The article reported Jowell asked requested a meeting with Dow, reiterated the three questions Jowell says must be answered:

- Is Dow's conduct since the 2001 UCC acquisition "consistent with the Olympics sustainability goals?

- Did LOCOG seek other input on Dow and the Bhopal issue?

- Is there a reputational risk to the 2012 Games in relation to the wrap sponsorship, even if Dow should win Bhopal-issue legal battles.

Jowell said: "It's better that we have an unwrapped stadium, rather than a stadium wrapped in the continuing controversy of Dow Chemical's sponsorship."

http://www.labour.org.uk/process-of-arriving-at-decisions-transparent,2011-11-22

 

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11/20 Economic Times: ICJB sees opportunity to "get Dow on record as an interested party"; UK MPs playing politics with sponsorship

 

Economic Times published a report on the past week's events regarding Dow's Olympics sponsorship.

- Rachna Dhingra was cited to support the activist case. The article said: "For Bhopal activists, it's not just an opportunity to embarass Dow, but also a chance to

get Dow on record as an interested party." IIT Madras not allowing Dow to recruit is mentioned. Amnesty Int'l spokesperson Aloys Ligault indicated the activists want

to meet with both Dow and LOCOG, but have not received a response to requests.

- Scot Wheeler was quoted on Dow's position on Bhopal, its Olympic sponsorship and responsibilities, and UCC "managing its own liabilities."

- According to unidentified UK politicians, Dow officials are expected in London next week to meet with MPs, LOCOG and activists. A LOCOG official said "it is too

late" for the wrap deal to be cancelled.

- The article suggested some of the UK MPs support of the call for LOCOG to drop Dow is political, with Tessa Jowell possibly aiming to embarass London mayor Boris

Johnson during an election year, and Louise Mensch seeking to advance her career. Anti-US sentiment stemming from "harsh treatment" of BP for the Gulf of Mexico oil

spill is also thought to play a factor in the opposition to Dow.

Economic Times' Sunday print edition included on the article on p10.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/bhopal-stretches-dow-chemicals-london-curtain/articleshow/10795100.cms

 

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11/19 Asian Age: Open letter to London mayoral candidate claims Boris Johnson will loose Asian votes over Dow sponsorship

 

Asian Age published an open letter from Farrukh Dhondy to Ken Livingstone, a candidate for Mayor of London. Dhondy ridiculed the Olympic stadium wrap, criticized as

"hypocritical" Dow's "sustainable" characterization of the wrap, and mentioned the Indian athletes' petition to LOCOG objecting to Dow's sponsorship. He suggested

Livingstone has some leverage in the election, as current mayor Boris Johnson has lost popularity due to decisions regarding the Games. Dhondi suggested since

the Games will open 60 days after the election, "A new mayor could tear down the 'wrap' or allow us Londoners to non-violently demonstrate against it."

Dhondy is a British novelist and playwright of Parsi descent.

http://www.asianage.com/columnists/something-s-rotten-city-london-041

 

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11/22 Guardian blog: Discussion on Asian Age letter and Livingstone's response

 

A Guardian blog by Dave Hill discussed Farrukh Dhondy's open letter in Asian Age to London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone. Hill described the Olympic stadium

sponsorship "controversy" and statements by Sebastian Coe, Barry Gardiner, and Amnesty Int'l on the topic. He noted Tessa "Jowell's concern has particular

significance in that she sits on the Olympic Board alongside Coe, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and one Boris Johnson."

Hill asked Livingstone's office for a reaction to the open letter, and wrote:

"Ken's concern is that we do not have a them-and-us Games where corporate interests override other considerations. There are concerns about Dow and the Olympic

stadium and people will want to be reassured that Locog's clear ethical, sustainable and environmental criteria are being met so that we have a Games for everyone.

"I'm not sure how much of a "yes" that is, but it does seem to send a broader message about principles and inclusiveness - one I sense Ken might be delivering more

frequently as next year's mayoral election draws nearer."

Two readers commented on the blog post - one asked "What was Tessa Jowell doing on the Olympic board when the deal was approved, then?"

The other comment, from Rosalind Hardie, mentioned Dow's production of Napalm and Latin American banana workers seeking compensation for pesticide exposure as

additional issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/davehillblog/2011/nov/22/olympic-stadium-wrap-controversy-ken-livingstone?newsfeed=true

 

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11/23 Guardian: Report on T. Jowell press release asking for Dow documents from Sustainability Commission

 

The Guardian reported on Tessa Jowell's open letter to the Sustainability commission wanting documents on the Dow sponsorship decision process. The article included

comments from MP Barry Gardiner that Hughes and Khan supporting the campaign "shows that momentum is building against Locog's decision," and "Locog must reverse its

decision now, before the London 2012 reputation is irrevcoverably [sic] damaged."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/nov/22/tessa-jowell-olympic-sponsorship-dow?CMP=twt_gu

 

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11/23 Guardian: Coe again defended LOCOG decision on Dow as a sponsor

 

The Guardian reported Lord Coe has again defended LOCOG's choice of Dow as the sponsor for the stadium wrap. This was in an article on football (soccer) as an

appropriate sport for the Olympics, after a runner had alleged "most athletes" did not believe football should be included.

On LOCOG's sponsorship decision, Coe said the committee is not "out of step with public opinion on the issue: "We always have a good feel for public opinion. We're a

good listening organisation. Nobody would remotely suggest that the Bhopal disaster in 1984 was anything other than a human tragedy on an extraordinary scale."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/nov/23/football-london-2012-lord-coe?newsfeed=true

 

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11/23 PTI, IANS: MP CM Chouhan to GoI Sports Min: protest Dow sponsorship or boycott Olympics

 

PTI and IANS reported MP CM Chouhan has written to India's Sports Minister Ajay Maken calling for the GoI to "lodge a strong protest" against Dow's sponsorship of the

Olympic stadium wrap or to consider boycotting the Games. Chouhan called the sponsorship "inappropriate" and suggested the money for the wrap "would be far better

spent in alleviating to some extent the misery suffered by the people of Bhopal."

PTI http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/consider-olympics-boycott-due-to-dow-link-mp-cm-to-govt/912845.html

IANS http://zeenews.india.com/sports/others/protest-dow-s-sponsorship-of-london-olympics-chouhan-urges-maken_732797.html

 

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11/23 IBNS: T. Jowell Labour party press release

 

India Blooms News Service (IBNS) picked up the Tessa Jowell press release from the UK Labour Party website and noted, "in India on the other hand there is a situation

where neither the Sports Minister or any MP in the Congress or the opposition has raised any objections to the issue of Dow sponsoring the Olympics."

The article cited Rachna Dhingra describing the ICJB petition opposing the sponsorship that was signed by the 22 former Olympians from India, and the several

officials to whom it was addressed. The remainder of the article quoted from Jowell's press release.

http://www.newkerala.com/news/2011/worldnews-112293.html

 

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11/21 Hackney Gazette: MP Diane Abbott slammed Olympic corporate sponsorships; credited Bhopal deaths to Dow

 

Hackney Gazette reporter Emma Bartholomew quoted MP Diane Abbott complaining about the "[Olympic] sponsors associated with ill health and death," i.e. Coca-Cola,

McDonald's and Dow. Of Dow, Abbot is reported to have said it "was once responsible for killing 15,000 people" from the Bhopal gas accident.

http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/hackney_mp_diane_abbott_slams_dow_s_sponsorship_of_olympic_stadium_1_1131872

 

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11/22 Around The Rings: Reported on MP Abbott's criticisms of coporate sponsorships for Olympics

 

Around The Rings posted a brief article about MP Diane Abbott's railing against corporate sponsorships, as reported by the Hackney Gazette.

http://www.aroundtherings.com/articles/view.aspx?id=38580

 

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11/20 Express on Sunday: Fabric stadium wrap panels tested; Coe and Gardiner quoted

 

Express on Sunday published another short item by Whitehall editor Ted Jeory, who said some test panels of the fabric stadium wrap were put on the venue last week. He

quoted both MP Barry Gardiner and Lord Coe on their respective stances about the wrap and Dow's sponsorship.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/284808/Fury-grows-over-2012-deal

 

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11/21 Daily Star: Columnist Sally Bercow - LOCOG should not have accepted Dow sponsorship

 

UK tabloid media Daily Star published a commentary by columnist Sally Bercow discussing the broad issue of corporate sponsorship of the London Games. While admitting

sponsorships are necessary to produce the Games, Bercow exclaimed "the Olympic organisers should never have agreed to jump into bed with [Dow]. Some sponsorship deals

just shouldn't be done."

Bercow is the wife of House of Commons Speaker John Bercow.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/starsays/view/221641/A-word-from-our-sponsor/

 

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Petition: 1080 signatures

 

The Change.org petition currently has about 1080 signatures.

 

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Bhopali film screenings: Univ. of Pittsburgh; Frontline Club in London; IDFA

 

Bhopali film screenings

- The Bhopali documentary was shown Saturday, 11/19 at the University of Pennsylvania, sponsored by AID and the South Asia Center

- A Jan. 30, 2012 screening is scheduled at the Frontline Club in London, a supporter of independent media, with Indra Sinha and Tim Edwards to hold a Q&A. The

Bhopali film Facebook page had previously listed a Nov. 30 screening at the Frontline Club. There is no mention of that date on the club website.

http://www.frontlineclub.com/events/

 

The Bhopali film was scheduled for four screenings at the IDFA (Independent Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) from 11/19 through 11/23. The film's page on the

festival website shows it has received no votes and no updates during its run. IDFA is one of the major global markets for documentary sales and distribution.

 

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Website updates: ICJB: Rail Roko instructions; SfB - change.org petition

 

11/20 Bhopal.net added 2 new pages: one with instructions for participants of the Rail Roko protest on 12/3, and the other titled "We are all being poisoned," with

lists of pesticide residues said to have been found on fruits and vegetables in India.

- The Rail Roko instructions were given in a drawing, which is attached. Participants are to gather groups of 15-20 adults and children, march on cue to railroad

tracks and lie down in groups on the tracks.

The protest will be cancelled if the response from the GoI that was promised from the activists' meeting with the Chemical and Fertilizers ministry secretary is

received before 12/3. A response to the NGOs' demands regarding the death and injury figures used in the compensation curative petition was promised in 10 days from

the Nov. 3 meeting. No reports have been seen about the response.

- The Bhopal.net front page also shows a new image of Olympic rings with the label "Bhopal olympics." The intent of the image is not clear. Excerpted images and

texts are attached.

 

11/19 The Students for Bhopal/ICJB North America website was updated with an image and short description of Lorraine Close's change.org petition and "why it is

important" to sign.

 

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11/28 UW-Madison "Slow Food for Bhopal" fundraiser

 

UWisconsin - Madison's Physcians for Social Responsibility chapter is holding a "Slow Food for Bhopal" dinner and Bhangra dance performance on Monday, Nov. 28. The

event was spearheaded by Jasmine Wiley, a med student who spent a month "working in medical clinics in Bhopal." Drs. Ann Behrmann, a pediatrician, and Lalita du

Perron, PhD organized the trip. The dinner event description discusses the Chingari Trust as the beneficiary of funds raised.

 

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Blogs: Sporting News - Olympics activism; Jarvis - final post from Bhopal; Antinuclear blog from Australia

 

UK Sporting News blogger/reporter Linus Fernandes posted an update on the Dow Olympic sponsorship and the Bhopal issue. Fernandes had written on the topic in August

soon after the wrap sponsorship was announced. The current assessment called the Amnesty International letter to Lord Coe "the only progress on the matter.

Prefacing excerpts from the Amnesty communication, Fernandes introduced the wrap sponsorship topic, saying "Dow fail [sic] to recognize their liability towards the

victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy." He also noted "a letter" to PM Singh "has yet to be responded to. Inertia reigns."

Fernandes mentioned Amnesty had previously protested Dow's Live Earth Run for Water sponsorship, and brought up groundwater contamination in the Bhopal factory

vicinity.

He ended by bringing up BMA volunteer Lorraine Close's change.org petition and asking "Can any good come from the above petition? More importantly, can any bad?"

 

Sambhavna volunteer therapist Ian Jarvis wrote a final diary installment on his blog as he prepared to leave. Among other topics, Jarvis mentioned preparations for

the Rail Roko protest on 12/3. He seemed somewhat incredulous at the lengths to which the activists are willing to go, but complimented their enthusiasm for the

event.

 

An Australian blog titled "Antinuclear" posted an open letter from Fr. Xavier Pinto in Goa to Australian PM Julia Gillard asking, "Please don't sell uranium to

India." The post's introduction cited the Bhopal gas tragedy, saying "India has enough trouble on this front."

 

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Activist email: R. Dhingra - C&EN article; anti-Bayer activists - PPT case on bee deaths from Bayer pesticides

 

Rachna Dhingra emailed the Chemical & Engineering News article titled "Bhopal's legacy" from the magazine's current issue to the Remember-bhopal distribution list.

 

German-based anti-Bayer activists CBGnetwork emailed a document on Bayer pesticides causing bee deaths. This is part of the "case" against Bayer to be presented at

the Permanent People's Tribunal in Bangalore.

 

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Message boards: PAN press releases; Asian Age open letter

 

The Chennai environmental groups' message boards have posts by Rahul Muraldiharan of the PAN UK press release about the people's tribunal, and Nity Jayaraman posted

the Asian Age open letter to Ken Livingstone.

 

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Social media: BMA; anti-Dow Facebook page; Jeory; Jowell; Gardiner; Labour Party

 

In addition to the usual BMA Twitter and Facebook accounts having multiple new posts of links to media and activist posts,

- Ted Jeory, Tessa Jowell, Barry Gardiner and the UK Labour Party have all posted tweets about Jowell's press release and/or the Guardian report on it.

- One BMA link of note is to the Parliament video archive of the Culture, Media and Sport committee hearing on 11/15. The activist comment is "watch Coe squirm."

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=9440&player=silverlight

 

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Yes Men: OSW drum circle for Bloomberg

 

The Yes Men have been busy at Occupy Wall Street activities this week, including a 24-hour drum circle session that began Sunday afternoon near Mayor Bloomberg's

home, and designating the area near the mayor's house as a "no First Amendment zone" when protesters were kept at a distance from the residence.

The Yes Men and several other social media accounts posted on Twitter and Facebook about the drum circle announcement.

The Yes Men's social media accounts and Yes Lab website had three blog posts reporting on the drum circle and one result of a woman being fired from her day job for

taking part and describing Bloomberg as a "warlord." Full text available on request.

 

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