The Demonisation Of Russia Risks Paving The Way For War

By Seumas Milne

Politicians and the media are using Vladimir Putin and Ukraine to justify military expansionism. It’s dangerous folly. Coninue

Putin Predicted Washington Would Employ Assassination Tactic Against Russia

By Paul Craig Roberts

Part of the circumstantial evidence that Nemtsov’s murder was a CIA tactic to destabilize Russia is the orchestrated US media. Continue

What The BRICS Plus Germany Are Really Up To?

By Pepe Escobar

German exports are changing their recipient address. Only 40 percent - and going down – now goes to the EU; the real growth is in Asia. Continue

U.S., Qatar Plan To Rebrand AlQaeda Into "Moderate" Rebels

By Moon Of Alabama

"Moderates", Clapper used gestural scare-quotes, is anyone who is not part of the Islamic State. That would, it seems, include Jabhat al-Nusra who three years ago parted from IS and kept their allegiance to AlQaeda. Continue
‘Christian US’ Overseeing End of Christianity in Mideast

By Finian Cunningham

As ancient Christianity gets wiped off the map in the Middle East – the birthplace of the religion – the ultimate author of its demise is the self-righteous United States. Continue

Benjamin Netanyahu Speech to Congress - March 03, 2015

Video and Transcript

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel warn against what he called a “bad deal” being negotiated with Iran to freeze its nuclear program. Continue

Netanyahu, 'Censored Voices,' and the False Narrative of Self-Defense

By Marjorie Cohn

Netanyahu failed to mention that Israel has an arsenal of 100 or 200 nuclear weapons. Continue

Noam Chomsky: Opposing Iran Nuclear Deal, Israel’s Goal Isn’t Survival — It’s Regional Dominance

Video and Transcript

"They have a common interest in ensuring there is no regional force that can serve as any kind of deterrent to Israeli and U.S. violence, the major violence in the region." Continue

Archbishop Tutu: The West Committed The Holocaust While Palestinians Pay Historic Price”

By IMEMC News

Tutu also denounced Israel’s persistence to force the Palestinians to recognize it as a Jewish State. Continue

The “Snowden is Ready to Come Home!” Story: a Case Study in Typical Media Deceit

By Glenn Greenwald

What rational person would ever willingly submit themselves to a penal state that imprisons more of its citizens than any other in the world, run by people with this mentality? Continue
Dissecting the Media -
The Words They Use, The Minds They Sway

By Dennis Bortko

How the mainstream media is used to push specific agendas, to deny any alternative storylines, and to maintain a specific worldview, which is considered acceptable and to demonize any alternative explanations. Continue

Tony Blair's Save the Children Award: An Inadequate Apology

By Felicity Arbuthnot

If State Honours, Knighthoods etc., can be withdrawn from those subsequently deemed unworthy of their bestowal, surely so can Save the Children's woefully misplaced Global Award. Continue

US and Venezuela: Decades of Defeats and Destabilization

By James Petras

Introduction: US policy toward Venezuela is a microcosm of its larger strategy toward Latin America. Continue

India's Daughter
Banned Delhi Nirbhaya Documentary

Video

Powerful film by Leslee Udwin about the rape & murder of Jyoti Singh that set India alight. Banned in India ahead of its planned broadcast. Continue

Iraqi Forces Kill 38 Daesh Militants In Anbar: Iraqi security forces, backed by the US-led international coalition and tribal fighters, killed 38 Daesh militants Wednesday in Anbar province in western Iraq, security sources said.

Seven people killed in Baghdad explosions: Seven people lost their lives and 23 others were injured, including two soldiers, on Thursday in multiple explosions that rocked Baghdad, police said.

Thousands flee Iraqi advance on Tikrit: The operation to retake Tikrit, involving some 30,000 soldiers and Shia militiamen, is now in its fourth day. They are trying to encircle the IS fighters, but their advance has been slow due to the roadside bombs and booby traps planted since the city was overrun last June, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.

Video shows Iraq soldiers, militia execute child: A video posted on the internet on Wednesday showed Iraqi soldiers shooting to death at close range a captured child suspected to have fought with militants in the Diyala Province.

From eastern flank, Iran-backed force advances on Tikrit: Wearing military fatigues and a white turban, the Shi'ite cleric gave an eve-of-battle address to Iran-backed fighters preparing to attack Islamic State militants in Tikrit, praising them for defending their faith and urging them to fight honorably.

Saudi FM urges coalition to face IS challenge 'on the ground': Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal called Thursday on the US-led coalition conducting air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq to fight the jihadists on the ground.

Syria: Blast at intelligence HQ kills 50 government troops: "For the past three months, rebel groups have been digging a tunnel under the headquarters in the western district of Jamiat al-Zahra," local activist Abu Firas al-Halebi told The Anadolu Agency. Halebi said that the rebel groups included, among others, the Nusra Front, Muhajireen Army, Levant Front, and the 1st Artillery Regiment.

At least 18 killed by barrel bomb in Syria: At least 18 civilians have been killed in a single regime barrel bomb attack in Syria's northern city of Aleppo, a pro-rebel, monitoring group says.

Top al Qaeda Commander in Syria Killed in Airstrike: Sources: A blast targeting senior members of al Qaeda's official Syrian wing, the Nusra Front, killed the group's General Military CommanderAbu Humam al-Shami on Thursday, two insurgent sources told Reuters.

Syria’s Nusra Front may cut al-Qaida ties, get regional backing against Islamic State, Assad; Leaders of Syria’s Nusra Front are considering cutting their links with al-Qaida to form a new entity backed by some Persian Gulf states trying to topple President Bashar Assad, sources said.

Palestinian leaders cut security coordination with Israel: PLO; Leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by President Mahmoud Abbas, decided on Thursday to stop all forms of security coordination with Israel, Palestinian officials said.

Netanyahu Speech Flops As Democratic Senators Withdraw Their Support For Iran Bill: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress continues to backfire, as key Democratic senators have withdrawn their support for a Senate bill that would have reviewed any nuclear agreement with Iran.

Rouhani: people are too clever to listen to 'war-mongering' Netanyahu: Politicians in Iran, including the president, express their disgust at the Israeli prime minister’s address to the US Congress

Iran has saved Jews three times in its history and threatens nobody: Iranian foreign minister: Zarif accused Netanyahu of “seeing peace as an existential threat.”

Time to boycott Israel?: Author and activist Norman Finkelstein discusses whether the two-state solution can solve the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Iranian special forces rescue kidnapped diplomat in Yemen: An Iranian diplomat held hostage in Yemen for nearly two years was rescued in a military operation and returned to Tehran on Thursday.

‘68 killed, kids among them’: Boko Haram attacks, burns Nigeria village: At least 68 people have been killed by Boko Haram militants in north-eastern Nigeria close to Maiduguri, the capital of the Borno state, witnesses said. Many kids are reported to be among those killed, as a village was stormed and then put on fire.

Libya says 11 oil fields shut down after ISIS attacks: Libya's state-run oil corporation has declared 11 oil fields in the country non-operational after attacks by suspected Islamic State militants, opting for a force majeure clause that exempts the state from contractual obligations.

Morocco hosts Libya peace talks; UN-backed talks start in Rabat, hours after airplanes bomb airport in Tripoli amid continuing conflict.

29 Insurgents Killed in Afghan Military Operations: At least 29 insurgents were killed and 18 others were wounded during an Afghan security forces clearing operation in past 24 hours around the country, according to the Ministry of Interior (MoI) statement.

Two Afghan cops, two militants killed in Balochistan; The Afghan cops, who belonged to Helmand province of Afghanistan, were en route to Quetta for medical treatment when the attack took place.

Irate Indian mob lynches rape accused; Man dragged out of prison in Nagaland state before being beaten to death and strung up a tower.

India threatens BBC over rapist interview: India's home minister has threatened action against the BBC, after it aired a film in the UK featuring an interview with an Indian rapist on death row.

South Korea US envoy Lippert 'well' after knife attack; A militant Korean nationalist has slashed the face of the US ambassador to South Korea at a breakfast meeting in Seoul, but the envoy narrowly survived serious injury.

Ukraine military says one soldier killed in past 24 hours in east: - One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another wounded fighting pro-Russian separatists in the east, a military spokesman said

Top U.S. General Says Washington Should Consider Arming Ukraine: The U.S. military’s leading general says Washington should now consider providing Ukrainian forces with lethal aid to help combat the nation’s pro-Kremlin insurgency.

NATO is using Ukraine crisis to advance towards Russian borders - Defense Ministry: "We've noticed that NATO member states are using the situation in southeastern Ukraine as a pretext to discard all diplomatic conventions, tricks and slogans and push forward, closer to the Russian border."

US Army Official: Atlantic Resolve May Expand: The US military's plans to send troops into Romania and Bulgaria as a deterrence to Russian aggression could expand to include Hungary, the Czech Republic and Russia's southern neighbor, Georgia, according to a US Army official spearheading the effort.

Despite Russian Warnings, US Will Deploy A Battalion To Ukraine By The End Of The Week: "Before this week is up, we’ll be deploying a battalion... to the Ukraine to train Ukrainian forces for the fight that's taking place," stated US 173rd Airborne Brigade Commander Colonel Michael Foster said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC on Monday

NATO maritime group enters Black Sea as Ukraine crisis continues: Six ships make up the current group,one of two immediate-reaction forces under the alliance’s maritime arm. The group is commanded by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Brad Williamson, who is embarked with his staff on the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg.

Syriza Offers Free Food and Electricity in First Legislation: As the left-wing government seeks to eradicate the “humanitarian crisis,” 300,000 of the poorest Greeks will receive food vouchers.

New Zealand spying on Pacific islands, Snowden leaks say: New Zealand is conducting mass surveillance over its Pacific neighbours, reports citing documents leaked by US whistleblower Edward Snowden say. Calls, emails and social media messages were being collected from Pacific nations, the New Zealand Herald said.

Snowden GCSB revelations / Russel Norman says GCSB 'breaking the law': GCSB collects phone calls, emails and internet data from NZ's closest and most vulnerable neighbours, secret papers reveal

Air Force Captain Admits Maduro's Resignation Was to Be Demanded: A Venezuelan Air Force captain implicated in the coup attempt against the government of President Nicolas Maduro admitted Tuesday that the video revealed by Speaker of the National Assembly Diosdado Cabello is authentic.

UK Backs Mexican President on Human Rights: U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron “welcomed [Enrique Peña Nieto's] approach [on human rights] and supported U.K.-Mexico cooperation on policing and justice,” stated a joint-communique released by the prime

UK Deputy Prime Minister Slams Mexico During Peña Nieto Visit: “We should remember the estimated 100,000 people killed in Mexico … since 2006,” Clegg wrote in a joint article with Richard Branson.

Discrimination in Ferguson: full extent of police bias laid bare in damning report: The full extent of the racial persecution of black residents in Ferguson, Missouri, by the city’s overwhelmingly white law enforcement authorities was disclosed on Wednesday in a damning report by the US Department of Justice.

Homeless man shot and killed by Los Angeles police in skid row – video: A video posted to Facebook appears to show the moment a homeless man is shot dead by Los Angeles police officers. In the video a group of officers can be seen scuffling with two people. One man is held on the floor and repeatedly punched, while apparently being shocked with a stun gun.

February 27, 2015

Nemtsov Murder: Putin Warned About Exactly This Type of “False Flag”

By The Saker

Two years ago, Putin was warning Russians about exactly the kind of false flag which we just saw happening with the murder of Nemtsov. See for yourself: Continue

Fascism is Coming Alive Again

By Eric Margolis

Purging the media of free-thinking journalists is a basic step. This has happened in the US and Canada. Continue

10 Reasons to Pray for AIPAC’s Decline

By Medea Benjamin

When a small group like this has disproportionate power, it hurts everyone—including Israelis and American Jews. Continue

Varoufakis vs. the Troika
Showdown in Athens

By Mike Whitney

Varoufakis will either have to get with the program or face the consequences. That’s the way it works in Mafia-land; you either pay the piper or you find yourself in the East River in cement booties. Continue

===

Why the Rise of Fascism is Again the Issue

By John Pilger

If we remain silent, victory over us is assured, and a holocaust beckons. Continue

The Neoconservative Threat To International Relations

By Paul Craig Roberts

Why is this threat to all of humanity supported by the majority of the US Congress, by the entirety of the presstitute media, and by academics and think-tank inhabitants in the US? Continue

NATO Finds Arab Backdoor to Arm Kiev

By Finian Cunningham

The tiny UAE with its $13 billion military budget is a NATO arsenal par excellence. Continue

GOP Platform: War Without End

By Patrick J. Buchanan

"Nearly three-quarters of Republicans now favor sending ground troops into combat against the Islamic State," says a CBS News poll. Continue

Washington’s Destruction of Trust Between Nuclear Powers is the Crime of the Century

By Paul Craig Roberts

Washington’s propaganda is driving the situation toward war. Continue

American Sniper vs. Baghdad Sniper

By Pepe Escobar

"Juba" was the nickname given by the invading/occupying US forces to an Iraqi pop phenomenon; a sniper who became legendary for his kills in southern Baghdad. Continue

Israel is Galloping to the Next War in Gaza

By Gideon Levy

The next war will break out in the summer. Israel will give it another childish name and it will take place in Gaza. There’s already a plan to evacuate the communities along the Gaza Strip border. Continue

Shut Down AIPAC!

By CodePink

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee and affiliated organizations have long been bending politicians’ ears and filling their pockets, supporting the brutal occupation of Palestine and trying to push the US into war with Iran. Continue

If Terrorism and ISIS Are Such Grave Threats?
Why Does the FBI Have to Manufacture its Own Plots

By Glenn Greenwald

The FBI’s terrorism strategy — keep fear alive — and it drives everything they do. Continue

The National-Security State’s ISIS Racket

By Jacob G. Hornberger

What a racket. It’s amazing that so many Americans continue to fall for it. Continue

Postcard from the End of America: Center City, Philadelphia

By Linh Dinh

Totalitarianism makes the stupid even more imbecilic, the wise cynical and the brave dead. The next chapter of our history has already been written by our masters. Continue

Is the U.S. Mainstream Media’s Climate Coverage Criminal?

By David Ray Griffin

Besides being guilty of betraying the public trust, the U.S. mainstream media’s climate coverage is guilty of facilitating the move toward the ultimate crime, terracide. Continue

Syria’s Kurds kill 175 IS militants: The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) killed 175 IS militants and captured a contested Syrian town in the al-Hasaka province after week-long battles with the Islamic State terrorists, a monitoring group reported Friday.

Car bomb kills 11 outside Damascus: activists: Eleven people were killed on Friday in a car bomb blast in a rebel-held area outside the Syrian capital, while seven people died in regime air raids, an activist group monitoring the war said.

Human Rights Watch Accuses Syria Of "Barrel Bomb" Damage Created By U.S. Attacks:" It is interesting, and non-credible, that Human Rights Watch feels the need to use a picture of "good" U.S. created destruction to demonstrate destruction created by the "bad" Syrian army in its fight against U.S. supported Jihadis.

Nusra Front, FSA group at war again in Idlib province; The Nusra Front has declared all-out war against an American-backed Syrian rebel group in the north of the country, accusing it of kidnapping and killing several of its fighters.

Turkey, US to begin training Syria "rebels" Sunday: The United States and Turkey will begin training and equipping thousands of moderate Syrian rebel forces on Sunday as part of a deal the two NATO allies signed last week, an official said.

Iraq: 20 civilians killed by U.S.-led airstrikes: Reuters reports at least 17 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed along with nine civilians when aircraft from an unspecified coalition nation—more than 80 percent of airstrikes are carried out by US warplanes—bombed al-Qaim, a town on the Euphrates River on the Syrian border some 330 km (200 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

20 killed as ISIL seizes strategic bridge in Iraq's Anbar: Reports say fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group have seized a strategic bridge between the cities of Baghdadi and Haditha in the western Anbar province, killing more than 20 Iraqi soldiers.

Bombings, mortar fire kill 10 people in Baghdad and near Iraqi capital, officials say: A series of bombings and mortar strikes in and near the Iraqi capital killed 10 people on Friday as Baghdad police discovered six bodies with gunshot wounds, officials said. In the capital's southern district of Dora, mortar shells killed two people inside their homes early in the morning, and wounded four others.

ISIS Kidnapped 100 Tribesmen: ISIS fighters have abducted 100 Sunni Muslim tribesmen near the city of Tikrit, local tribal leaders said on Wednesday, apparently to neutralize suspected opponents before a widely expected army offensive.

Mission to retake Mosul from Islamic State doomed, general says: Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero said Mosul is booby-trapped with explosives and controlled by thousands of suicidal fighters. Evicting them will take a coordinated ground and air campaign with precise intelligence on enemy locations

ISIS killer Jihadi John ‘radicalized by UK govt,’ claims charity: “Like Michael Adebolajo, suffocating domestic policies aimed at turning a person into an informant but which prevent a person from fulfilling their basic life needs would have left a lasting impression on Emwazi. He desperately wanted to use the system to change his situation, but the system ultimately rejected him.”

Iraqi Kurdistan's Texas oil tanker unloads in Israel: An oil tanker from Iraqi Kurdistan that was blocked for months from unloading in Texas by a Baghdad legal challenge has sailed back to the Mediterranean and delivered its cargo to Israel, according to trading sources and ship-tracking data.

Why Iran Believes ISIS is a U.S. Creation: First to engage Muslims against each other, to waste their energy and in this way Israel’s security would be guaranteed or at least enhanced,” says Ganji. “Secondly, an ugly, violent and homicidal face of Islam is presented to the world. And third, to create an inconvenience for Iran.”

Gunmen kill 4 soldiers in southern Yemen: Gunmen ambushed a military truck during a night-time attack in a southern province, officials said, killing all four soldiers in the vehicle in a raid claimed by Yemen’s Al Qaeda branch.

Netanyahu pledges to do ‘everything’ to prevent nuclear deal: PM says planned speech before Congress next week ‘the final brake’ before an agreement

Former Mossad chief slams Netanyahu on Iran: Ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu's contentious speech to Congress, Meir Dagan says "the person who has caused the greatest strategic damage to Israel on the Iranian issue is the prime minister."

AIPAC Mobilizing Members To Pressure Democrats To Attend Netanyahu Speech: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is asking its members to urge members of Congress to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial speech in Washington next week.

Rebuilding Gaza could take a century if Israel keeps blockade - Oxfam: The rebuilding of homes, schools and hospitals in Gaza could take more than a century to complete unless an Israeli blockade restricting imports of construction materials into the Gaza Strip is lifted, aid agency Oxfam said on Thursday.

At least 32 killed in Nigeria bomb attacks amid Boko Haram violence; A suicide bomber killed at least 17 people at a bus station in Biu, witnesses say, while a second bomber was caught by a crowd and reportedly beaten to death. In Jos, three bombs thrown from a car killed 15 people at a bus station and the university.

Policeman killed in drive-by shooting in Egypt's Fayoum: A policeman was killed and two police conscripts injured during five separate attacks on police targets in the governorate of Fayoum early on Friday, state news agency MENA reported.

Russian participation in Libya’s naval blockade is welcome: Egypt FM: Cairo welcomes a possible participation of Russian warships in a potential naval blockade of Libya to prevent arm supplies for terrorists, Russian News Agency TASS quoted Foreign Minister Sameh Shokry Friday.

All-Out War in Libya Predicted without Further Peace Talks: Analysis - “The most likely medium-term prospect is not one side’s triumph, but that rival local warlords and radical groups will proliferate, what remains of state institutions will collapse… and hardship for ordinary Libyans will increase exponentially,” the ICG said in a report, ‘Libya: Getting Gevena Right.’

Report: General known as 'Libya's Sisi' set to meet Israeli officials in Amman : Former Libyan army general Khalifa Haftar, who has set himself up as a warrior against Islamist terrorism and who some see as their savior, has plans to meet with Israeli officials on a visit in Amman, an Arab newspaper reported.

2 Taliban insurgents killed : At least two Taliban insurgents were killed in a failed rocket attack on Afghan national security forces in eastern Paktika province. The provincial governor spokesan Nabiullah Pir Khel said the incident took place in Bermal district late on Thursday night.

US-Bangladesh blogger Avijit Roy hacked to death: Attackers in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka have hacked to death a US-Bangladeshi blogger whose writings on religion angered Islamist hardliners

Fresh soldier deaths rattle Ukraine truce: Ukraine said on Friday three soldiers had been killed, the first fatalities in several days in the war-torn east, as a shaky truce with pro-Russian rebels appeared to gain some traction with an apparent weapons pull-back.

Ukraine military has begun heavy weapons withdrawal – military spokesman: The movement of artillery pieces is already underway and should take about a day, a Ukrainian military spokesperson said. The hardware will be pulled back 25km from the disengagement line.

U.S. military vehicles paraded 300 yards from the Russian border: U.S. military combat vehicles paraded Wednesday through an Estonian city that juts into Russia, a symbolic act that highlighted the stakes for both sides amid the worst tensions between the West and Russia since the Cold War.

Top U.S. intelligence official backs arming Ukraine forces against Russia: The administration is under growing pressure from some lawmakers to provide lethal weaponry to Ukraine. President Obama has said he is considering doing so, and some members of his Cabinet are said to favor sending arms.

West unwilling to facilitate peace in Ukraine: Russian FM: “Behind these calls [for sanctions] lies the unwillingness of these figures, these relevant countries, the United States, the European Union, to seek the implementation of what was agreed in Minsk on February 12,” Lavrov said on Thursday in reference to a peace deal reached earlier in the Belarusian capital.

Anti-government protest in downtown Kiev escalates: An anti-government demonstration in downtown Kiev escalated in scuffles on Wednesday afternoon, with 1,000 people already taking part in the event, TASS reported.

Police beating people protesting currency collapse in Kiev: Video -

Guardian Corrects Anti-Russian Story Based on 'Research' of Own Reporter: The Guardian was forced to correct an article by Eliot Higgins, a self-styled "citizen journalist", who claimed Russian military units fired on the Ukrainian Army from inside the Russian border on the basis of his jointly authored research with the Guardian's Diplomatic Editor.

West's offer to rebuild Ukraine faces reality check: Donors say the former Soviet republic, crippled by war and corruption, is unable or unwilling even to identify how many roads, power plants and schools its 45 million people need, let alone meet new European standards for farms and factories.

In Midst of War, Ukraine Becomes Gateway for Jihad: In Ukraine, you can buy a passport and a new identity. For $15,000, a fighter receives a new name and a legal document attesting to Ukrainian citizenship. Ukraine doesn’t belong to the European Union, but it’s an easy pathway for immigration to the West.

New US Sanctions Against Russia May Meet Painful Response – Deputy FM: Another round of US sanctions against Russia, if imposed, may provoke "painful countermeasures" in return, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday.

Chinese diplomat tells West to consider Russia's security concerns over Ukraine: - Western powers should take into consideration Russia's legitimate security concerns over Ukraine, a top Chinese diplomat has said in an unusually frank and open display of support for Moscow's position in the crisis.

Russia may accept Chinese control of oil and gas fields: Russia has overcome a "psychological barrier" and is ready to deepen its economic ties with China, Deputy Prime MinisterArkady Dvorkovich said

German MPs back Greek bailout extension.: Dozens of activists hurled petrol bombs and stones at police and set cars alight after a march involving hundreds of protesters. Some carried banners calling for Greece to leave the EU and for its debt to be cancelled.

Greek debt crisis: Violence in Athens: Police and protesters have clashed in Athens after the first anti-government demonstration since Greece's leftist Syriza party took power last month. Dozens of activists hurled petrol bombs and stones at police and set cars alight after the march.

China outpaces America in sub numbers – US admiral: “They may not be the same quality, but their submarine forces are growing at a tremendous rate. They now have more diesel and nuclear attack submarines than we have,” the admiral told the lawmakers. “They are producing some fairly amazing submarines and they are actually deploying them.”

FBI investigating ISIS suspects in all 50 states: FBI Director James Comey revealed Wednesday that his agency is investigating suspected supporters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in every state across the U.S.

Confidential Informant Played Key Role in FBI Foiling Its Own Terror Plot; Left unmentioned in the FBI statement, however, is the integral role a paid informant appears to have played in generating the charges against the men, and helping turn a fantastical “plot” into something even remotely tangible. It appears that none of the three men was in any condition to travel or support the Islamic State, without help from the FBI informant.

Did the FBI tamper with a witness in OKC bombing evidence case?: A federal judge has indicated he wants more investigation into allegations the FBI tampered with a witness in a trial over evidence and the Oklahoma City bombing.

Feds raid Texas political meeting; fingerprint and photograph all attendees, seize phones: Federal and local police forces raided a political meeting, taking unusual measures to document every attendee by taking fingerprints and photographs, and seizing every cell phone and all recording equipment in the meeting hall.

'Gestapo' tactics at US police 'black site' ring alarm from Chicago to Washington: The US Department of Justice and embattled mayor Rahm Emanuel are under mounting pressure to investigate allegations of what one politician called “CIA or Gestapo tactics” at a secretive Chicago police facility exposed by the Guardian.

Man shot dead by police in Washington State after throwing rocks (VIDEO): Video shows the victim, fleeing on foot from three Pasco police officers across a busy intersection with arms akimbo. The man then turns and faces the cops with his arms in front of him when a barrage of gunfire — as many as 13 shots, according to some accounts — is fired from their guns, fatally wounding him.

Morgan Stanley strikes $2.6bn deal to settle mortgage bubble case: The investment bank said late on Wednesday the $2.6bn will go to “resolve certain claims” the Justice Department intended to bring against Morgan Stanley. The settlement was disclosed in regulatory filing.

Scott Walker Says He Can Take On ISIS Because He Took On Labor Unions: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Thursday said his experience undermining labor unions in Wisconsin has prepared him to take on the threat of the Islamic State in the Middle East.

Shameful American Democracy Ranks 45th In The World In Electoral Integrity : A new report places America’s “electoral integrity” on par with Colombia and Bulgaria at 45th among the world’s democracies. Those nations are arguably not shining examples of democratic Utopias, so America’s being in their company is not a very encouraging statistic to anyone except Koch-Republicans.

February 25, 2015

The Amherst Cauldron

By Albert Bates

In the Ukraine the nightmare is real, ongoing and will not end well for anyone—not even for the oligarchs who started it. Continue

Ready for Nuclear War over Ukraine?

By Robert Parry

That the Nazis are now being depicted as defenders of Western ideals has to be the ultimate man-bites-dog story. Continue

US Backing for 'Moderate' Syrian Rebels: Long Reported, Continually Forgotten

By Adam Johnson

That the US is arming and training Syrian rebels has been well-documented for over two years, yet Western media have historically suffered from a strange collective amnesia when reporting this fact. Continue

ISIS Is Proof Of The Failed “War On Terror”

By Patrick Cockburn

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Jordan may now be frightened by the Frankenstein’s monster they have helped to create, but there is little they can do to restrain it. Continue

Domestic Fear Is the Price of Empire

By Sheldon Richman

We don’t have to live this way. The empire is just not worth it. Continue

The Grand Illusion

By John Chuckman

The truth is that the risk of an American being killed by terrorism is close to zero, having been calculated at 1:20,000,000. Continue

Obama’s Admission Not Enough: US Spin on Middle East Violence Must Change

By Ramzy Baroud

America’s mainstream intellectuals and journalists refuse to accept the most prevalent truth about the roots of the current crisis. Continue

Netanyahu Goes Nuclear… Now Wait For The Fallout

By Jonathan Cook

The contents of a secret report by Israel’s Mossad spy agency on Iran’s nuclear programme leaked to the media this week are shocking and predictable in equal measure. Continue

Mike Huckabee: There’s No Such Thing As The Palestinians

By Luke Brinker

GOP presidential contender makes inflammatory claim -- again. Continue

Year of the Sheep, Century of the Dragon?

By Pepe Escobar

Geopolitically, Russia, India, and China have just sent a powerful message westward. Continue

European Banks vs. Greek Labour

Video

Michael Hudson says Greece's Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis is proposing austerity on the banking class, rather than the working class, to balance the budget. Continue

More Than 130 Islamic State Fighters Killed In Syria Clashes, Airstrikes: Monitor: The Kurdish YPG forces which drove Islamic State from Kobani last month with the help of U.S.-led air strikes had seized 70 villages in the offensive, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported overnight.

Syrian Kurds cut ISIS supply line near Iraq: Kurdish militia pressed a big offensive against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in northeast Syria on Wednesday, cutting one of its supply lines from Iraq, as fears mounted for dozens of Christians abducted by the hardline group that recently beheaded 21 Egyptian Copts.

Fears grow for Christians held by IS: There are fears that more Assyrian Christians were abducted by Islamic State in north-east Syria than at first thought, as fighting in the area rages.

ISIS 'planning to murder 150 Christian hostages if the US does not stop its air strikes' : Islamic State militants are planning to murder 150 Christian hostages they kidnapped after sweeping through villages in Syria if the U.S. does not stop air strikes, it has been reported.

68 terrorists killed and wounded in Iraqi aerial bombardment targeted their hideouts western Baghdad: According Operations Command “ the Iraqi Air Force and the Army Aviation carried out an operation on dens of the terrorists within Abu Ghraib Sector that killed 50 terrorists and wounded (18), as well as the destruction of (nine) hideouts of terrorists and four vehicles

US arms flow to Iraq ahead of planned Mosul offensive: Some 10,000 US M-16 rifles and other military supplies worth about $17.9 million arrived in Iraq this week as US troops pushed ahead with training and supplying Iraqi security forces battling Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) fighters, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

10 killed as Yemen Houthis take over US-trained special forces base: The clashes, which lasted around six hours, started late on Tuesday when Houthis shelled the camp with heavy weapons.

Autopsy Reveals Israeli Forces Shot Palestinian Teen at “Close Range”: The killing was "similar to an execution" because he was shot from a very close range, Aloul said.

Saudis ‘would let Israeli jets use their air space to attack Iran’: Kingdom merely wants ‘some sign of progress’ on Palestinian issue, according to unnamed senior European source in TV report

'Ex-Israeli agents' threatened cyber attack on S Africa: Leaked secret report describes cyber threat from 'former Mossad spies' demanding an end to Boycott Israel campaign.

31 killed as suicide bombers hit Potiskum, Kano: Thirty-one persons died yesterday in two separate suicide bomb attacks in Potiskum, Yobe State, and Kano with several others injured.

8 alleged militants killed in Egypt’s North Sinai: At least eight militants were killed and 12 others injured in army raids in Egypt's volatile North Sinai over the past 24 hours, the military said on Wednesday.

In leaked recording, Egyptian minister calls for machine-gunning protesters: “Do not wait for 100 to swell into 1,000 or 2,000 or 3,000, then we are all helpless before them,” he said. He also advised the CSF on how to murder protesters without turning them into martyrs.

Libya: mounting evidence of war crimes in the wake of Egypt's airstrikes: New eyewitness testimonies gathered by Amnesty International indicate that the Egyptian Air Force failed to take the necessary precautions in carrying out an attack which killed seven civilians in a residential neighbourhood in the Libyan city of Derna last week.

Afghanistan: Three ANA Soldiers Killed in Khost Blast: At least three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were killed and another soldier wounded in a mine blast Wednesday in eastern Khost province, local officials said.

UN report: Torture in Afghan prisons is 'widespread': It identified 14 methods of torture and ill-treatment practices, including beatings, a threat of execution and sexual abuse. Some were given electric shocks to extract confessions or obtain information.

Kiev says no troops killed in past day for first time since truce: There were also no reports of any civilian deaths from around the conflict zone as Kiev said clashes with pro-Russian rebels had dropped off considerably for the second day running.

Ukraine Rebels Show Withdrawal of Weapons; Kiev Doubtful:m Journalists in rebel-held territory watched 10 trucks carrying howitzers roll through Makiivka, near rebel-held Donetsk. Rebels said the guns were on their way from Donetsk towards Amvrosiyvka, a town far from the front and close to the Russian frontier.

Propaganda alert: Russia's roadmap for annexing eastern Ukraine 'leaked from Vladimir Putin's office': One of Russia's leading independent newspapers says it has received a bombshell document showing Putin's office put together a 'step-by-step' guide to taking Crimea and other eastern Ukrainian provinces more than a year ago

Putin: Gas supplies to Europe could suffer in 3-4 days if Kiev doesn't pay: Russia will cut off gas supplies to Ukraine if Kiev fails to pay in “three or four days,” President Vladimir Putin said, adding that this "will create a problem" for gas transit to Europe.

No Time for Laughter: Gas Prices in Ukraine to Increase Fourfold on April 1: Starting April 1, gas prices in Ukraine will increase by four times, according to the country’s Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Volodymyr Demchyshyn

Kiev's Gas Cut Off in East Ukraine 'Smacks of Genocide': Russian President Vladimir Putin: "It's not enough that there's already hunger there, and the OSCE has reported a humanitarian catastrophe, but then to switch off their gas supplies too! What do you call that? That already smacks of genocide," Putin said in televised comments.

Ukraine Enters Hyperinflation: Currency Trading Halted: Exchange kiosks on the streets in Kiev were selling limited amounts of dollars for 39 hryvnias, around 20 percent worse than the rates advertised in the windows of commercial banks where dollars were not available.

Ukraine Signals It Needs Cash Fast as Capital Controls Tightened: Conditions are deteriorating so quickly that the International Monetary Fund’s $17.5 billion bailout, pledged less than two weeks ago, may no longer be sufficient.

Russia ratifies $100bn BRICS New Development Bank: The Russian State Duma has ratified the $100 billion BRICS bank that’ll serve as a pool of money for infrastructure projects in Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, and challenge the dominance of the Western-led World Bank and the IMF

Greece’s Syriza government proposes list of social cuts to European Union: The Syriza government confirms not only its complete submission to the hated diktat of the EU, it announces social cuts going well beyond those implemented by previous conservative and social-democratic governments.

Paris police arrest al-Jazeera journalists over drone: Three al-Jazeera journalists have been arrested for the alleged illegal flying of a drone in Paris, prosecutors say.

Assange Launches ‘Final’ Appeal to Throw Out Arrest Warrant: It is not currently known when the Supreme Court will reach its decision, but Assange’s lawyers have told the Swedish press that even if today’s appeal is not successful, they would be prepared to start legal proceedings all over again, by applying to the District Court of Stockholm, or appealing to the European Court of Human Rights.

Venezuelan teenager killed in San Cristobal protest: Local reports say the student was hit in the head by a rubber bullet during a clash between hooded protesters and the police. Home Affairs Minister Carmen Melendez confirmed the arrest of a policeman, who has been named as 23-year-old Javier Mora Ortiz.

Mexico: Extreme Police Violence in Guerrero State Strikes Again: Shocking pictures of injured protesters from the state of Guerrero occupying the Acapulco Airport to demand owed pay were published Tuesday night after police violently attacked the demonstration.

CSE monitors millions of Canadian emails to government: Canada’s electronic spy agency collects millions of emails from Canadians and stores them for “days to months” while trying to filter out malware and other attacks on government computer networks, CBC News has learned.

Sheldon Adelson signals he’ll bankroll effort to stop Rand Paul: Hawkish GOP megadonor determined to keep Kentucky senator from securing GOP nomination

Glenn Greenwald blasts Hillary Clinton: “The ultimate guardian of bipartisan status quo corruption”: Journalist says Clinton's glide path to Democratic nomination is "depressing"

February 24, 2015

U.S. Arms Kiev By Laundering Weapons Through Abu Dhabi

By Moon Of Alabama

If the Europeans do not succeed in pushing back against Washington the Ukraine with burn and Europe with it. Continue

Washington Has Resurrected The Threat Of Nuclear War

By Paul Craig Roberts

As Putin himself said some months ago, if the Russian military enters Ukraine, the news will not be the fate of Donetsk or Mauriupol, but the fall of Kiev and Lviv. Continue

A (not so) Brief History of Crimea

By Peter Hitchens

I have assembled this account because I had not seen a proper explanation of the history of the Crimean independence issue. Continue

The Destabilization Doctrine: ISIS, Proxies and Patsies

By Brandon Martinez

Israel has essentially used the United States as a cat’s paw in the Middle East, manipulating America’s Leviathan military to smash up her enemies. Continue

How the US Can Really Combat Radicalism

By As'ad AbuKhalil

When the US government speaks about radicalism, it ignores the radicalism that prevails in the US Congress or in the US churches. It has only one radicalism and one form of violence in mind. Continue

Israel Has Gone Berserk
The Martyrdom of Gaza and the Future of Palestine

Video

Dr Finklestein discusses the recent conflicts in the occupied territories and possible ways to resolve the conflict. Continue

The Real American Exceptionalism

By Alfred W. McCoy

From Torture to Drone Assassination, How Washington Gave Itself a Global Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card. Continue

The Greek Tragedy:

By William Blum

The fact that Syriza leaders, for some time, have made no secret of their affinity for Russia is reason enough to seal their fate. They should have known how the Cold War works. Continue

No, Syriza Has Not Surrendered

By Tom Walker

Tom Walker looks at what Greece's government has agreed – and argues that buying time is not the same thing as breaking promises. Continue

The Disappeared
Chicago Police Detain Americans At Abuse-laden 'Black Site'

By Spencer Ackerman

The Chicago police department operates an off-the-books interrogation compound, rendering Americans unable to be found by family or attorneys while locked inside what lawyers say is the domestic equivalent of a CIA black site. Continue

Bombs in Iraq, Including Twin Blasts in Busy Street, Kill 40: The deadliest of the day's attacks came shortly before sunset, when a bomb exploded in Baghdad's southeastern suburb of Jisr Diyala. Minutes later, a car bomb went off near the site of the first blast as people started gathering to help the victims of the initial explosion.

52 IS militants killed in clashes, airstrikes in Iraq: A total of 52 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Monday in separate clashes and U.S.-led coalition air strikes in Iraq, security sources said.

Iraqi Army Downs 2 UK Planes Carrying Weapons for ISIL? ; "The Iraqi Parliament's National Security and Defense Committee has access to the photos of both planes that are British and have crashed while they were carrying weapons for the ISIL," Head of the committee Hakem al-Zameli said, according to a Monday report of the Arabic-language information center of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.

New Zealand PM John Key announces troops bound for Iraq: Up to 143 New Zealand military personnel will be sent to Iraq to help train local forces as part of the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group, Prime Minister John Key says.

'Get some guts and join the right side' - John Key lashes out as he sends NZ troops to Iraq for Isis fight: Prime Minister John Key has launched an angry counter-attack over Labour leader Andrew Little's opposition to the deployment of troops to Iraq, saying Mr Little needs to "get some guts" and questioning whether he would make the right decisions for New Zealand.

Jordan: Border guards kill two infiltrators on Syria borders: Border guards, on Tuesday, killed two persons while they were trying to illegally cross into the Kingdom from Syria, a Jordan Armed Forces official said.

Islamic State in Syria abducts at least 150 Christians: A Syrian Christian group representing several NGO's inside and outside the country said it had verified at least 150 people missing, including women and elderly, who had been kidnapped by the militants.

ISIS preparing to declare Islamic emirate in Lebanon: sources: ISIS is preparing military plans to declare an Islamic emirate in Lebanon very soon to serve as a geographical extension of the so-called “Islamic State” announced by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Iraq last year, security sources said.

Abbas and Israel ally against 2009 UN probe: Analysis: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas colluded with Israel to prevent war crimes charges, according to new leaks.

Occupied West Bank: 40% rise in illegal settlement homes in 2014: NGO: "All these figures prove that Benjamin Netanyahu is doing everything to increase faits accomplis on the ground and make a two-state solution impossible," Peace Now's Hagit Ofran said.

US jury finds Palestinian groups liable for terror attacks: Palestinian Authority Deputy Minister of Information Dr. Mahmoud Khalifa called the verdict "a tragic disservice" to Palestinians and to the international community in working toward a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "The charges that were made against us are baseless," he said.

It was another difficult week for Israel.: In Britain, 700 artists, including many household names, pledged a cultural boycott of Israel, and a leader of the Board of Deputies, the representative body of UK Jews, quit, saying he could no longer abide by its ban on criticising Israel.

Netanyahu’s Iran bomb claim contradicted by Mossad, leaked spy cables show : In September 2012, the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, told the UN general assembly that an Iranian nuclear bomb was imminent. But leaked intelligence documents obtained by al-Jazeera and the Guardian reveal that Israeli intelligence thought differently at the time

Spy Cables expose 'desperate' US approach to Hamas: Leaked documents also show Mossad lobbying South Africa against Goldstone Report, claiming Abbas shared their stance.

Israeli cable reveals S Africa missile theft cover-up: Leaked Mossad cable shows Israel obtained stolen missile plans, and South Africa asked for their return.

Houthis say Yemen's Hadi has lost legitimacy, after president flees south: "The higher revolutionary committee is following the suspicious moves by Hadi, who lost his legitimacy to act as president of the Republic of Yemen, and whose reckless acts harmed the Yemeni people," the Houthis said in a statement.

Chadian Soldiers Killed 207 Boko Haram Fighters in Nigeria: Army: Soldiers from Chad killed 207 Boko Haram militants in fighting on Tuesday near a Nigerian town close to the border with Cameroon, Chad's army announced in a statement.

Teenage girl bomber kills 15 at northeast Nigeria bus station: A teenage girl blew herself up at a crowded bus station in a northeastern Nigerian town on Tuesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 53 in the second such attack there this week.

7 killed in Egyptian air strikes on Libyan city: Seven civilians were killed when Egyptian jets attacked suspected Islamist militant targets in the eastern Libyan city of Derna last week, Amnesty International said on Monday, citing eyewitnesses.

15,000 Egyptians flee from Libya: Almost 15,000 Egyptians have flocked home from war-torn Libya via the border crossing at Sallum, state media reported Monday, after the IS group murdered 21 Coptic Christians.

Egypt minister 'recorded discussing protest crackdown': Leaked audio appears to show interior minister advising in 2014 on how to shoot protesters without creating "martyrs".

Afghanistan: 24 insurgents killed in raids: At least 24 armed Taliban were killed and 40 others wounded in different crackdowns within past 24 hours, said Ministry of Interior.

Afghanistan kidnapping: Gunmen seize 30 Hazara men, officials say: Gunmen in southern Afghanistan kidnapped 30 members of the Hazara ethnic community, authorities said Tuesday, in what appeared to be the latest in a series of attacks on Shiites in the predominantly Sunni country.

Pakistanis face a deadline: Surrender fingerprints or give up cellphone: Pakistan has ordered cellphone users to verify their identities through fingerprints for a national database being compiled to curb terrorism. If they don’t, their service will be shut off, an unthinkable option for many after a dozen years of explosive growth in cellphone usage here.

Putin says Russia-Ukraine war unlikely: Asked in an interview with Russian state television if he thought the current situation could lead to war, Putin said on Monday: "I think that such an apocalyptic scenario is unlikely and I hope that it will never happen".

Ukraine rebels show withdrawal of weapons; Kiev doubtful: Pro-Russia separatists brought reporters on Tuesday to witness the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line in east Ukraine under a ceasefire deal, but Ukraine said the rebels were using the cover of the truce to reinforce for another advance

"Ukraine will go to war in late March"--Zakharchenko; The head of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic Aleksandr Zakharchenko announced that Ukraine is bringing up heavy equipment to the conflict zone and, in his opinion, might resume combat operations in late March or early April.

Poroshenko buys UAE weapons: While the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine were meeting in Paris to talk about the Eastern Ukraine peace settlement, it was revealed that the Ukrainian president has struck a deal on arms supplies from the UAE.

Ukraine reaches arms deal with UAE - official: Ukraine, which has repeatedly pleaded for the west to supply advanced weaponry to help it defend against Russian-backed separatists in breakaway eastern regions, claims to have reached an arms sale agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

US arming Kiev would ‘explode’ situation in E. Ukraine – Russian Foreign Ministry: If the US were to supply Ukraine with ammunition and weapons, it would “explode the whole situation” in eastern Ukraine and Russia would be forced to respond “appropriately,” Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

Britain to send military advisers to Ukraine, announces Cameron: Prime minister says service personnel to provide infantry training as well as advice on logistics, medical care and tactical intelligence.

Vladimir Putin : NATO legions are already fighting in Ukraine: Video - Vladimir Putin : Meeting with students at the Mining University - January 26, 2015, - St Petersburg - (English subtitles)

Ukraine preparing for 'full-scale war,' says former envoy to Canada: Ukraine's deputy foreign minister says he is preparing for "full-scale war" against Russia and wants Canada to help by supplying lethal weapons and the training to use them

Abbott says 'there was talk' of sending Australian troops into Ukraine: The prime minister has confirmed there were talks about sending troops into Ukraine to protect the bodies of victims of the MH17 disaster. The Australian newspaper at the weekend reported Mr Abbott raised the idea of sending 3500 troops to Iraq to fight Islamic State at a meeting in November.

Lithuania to reintroduce conscription over security concerns: Lithuania is to reintroduce conscription over concerns about "the current geopolitical environment" in the Baltic states, President Dalia Grybauskaite said. Ms Grybauskaite did not specifically refer to the situation in Ukraine, but neighbouring states have expressed worries about Russian aggression.

NATO-Russia jet scrambling hysteria: Who is the real threat?: Op-Ed: It is difficult to avoid the impression of NATO persistently increasing its military capabilities in its eastern member states. Allegations of a “Russian threat” are a convenient pretext for these activities.

20% of Germans want revolution, majority say democracy 'isn't real' - study: Twenty percent of Germans believe that their current living conditions won't be improved by reforms and only a revolution can reshape society. That's according to a study released by the Free University of Berlin.

Eurozone backs Greece bailout extension: Eurozone finance ministers announced Tuesday they have approved a list of reforms submitted by Greece in exchange for a four-month extension to its international bailout.

Unidentified drones seen flying over Paris landmarks: At least five unidentified drones have flown over the Eiffel Tower, the US Embassy and other Paris landmarks overnight, authorities have said.

Smoking marijuana is 114 times safer than drinking alcohol – study: In fact, alcohol was found to be the deadliest drug on an individual level, at least when it comes to the likelihood of a person dying due to consuming a lethal dose. Heroin and cocaine were the next most deadly substances, followed by tobacco, ecstasy, and meth. Trailing up the rear was marijuana.