NEWS YOU WON'T FIND ON CNN

 


 

Gulf Shenanigans: No Laughing Matter

By Ray McGovern

When the Tonkin Gulf incident took place in early August 1964, I was a journeyman CIA analyst in what Condoleezza Rice refers to as “the bowels of the agency.” As current intelligence referent for Russian policy toward Southeast Asia and China, I worked very closely with those responsible for analysis of Vietnam and China.
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Is a Palestinian State a Real Threat To The Israel?

4 Minute Video - Norman Finkelstein & Wolf Blitzer

Israel: Is The Fourth Largest Military In the World - What Does It Have To Fear From A Palestinian State? Continue


Bernanke Finds his Voice     
      
By Mike Whitney

On Thursday, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke gave the keynote address on the state of the economy and financial markets at a luncheon in Washington, DC. The tone of the speech was decidedly somber and could have easily been accompanied by a funereal dirge and 8 black-suited pall bearers. Continue


Consuming Our Way to Unhappiness

By Terrence McNally

Everywhere we turn lately, ads -- holiday, post-holiday, and year-end -- have been encouraging us to shop in a concerted and somewhat desperate effort to salvage the economy. But where does all the stuff we're buying actually come from? Continue


A Slave Government

Don't miss this 4 Minute Video

George Galloway telling it like it is to Richard Perle. Continue


Iraq: Sunday: At least 8 killed as US occupation grinds on: Two bodies were found in different parts of the northern city of Mosul, the U.S. military said.

Iraq: Saturday: 30 Killed in another bloody day of US occupation: Four people were killed in an attack on a home in the suburbs near Dhuluiya. A man and his son, both members of an Awakening Council were thought to be the targets; two other teenaged sons were killed.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in secret Iraq talks with US: Iraqi government sources say that Major-General Mohammed Ali Jafari, 50, travelled secretly from Tehran. Jafari appears to have passed through checkpoints on his way into the fortified enclave that contains the American embassy and Iraqi ministries, even though he is on Washington’s “most wanted” list.

Iran agrees to clear up nuclear questions: The UN atomic watchdog has said that Iran has agreed to clear up remaining questions on its nuclear programme, including any military activity, in four weeks.

Confront Iran danger early - Bush : Mr Bush said Iran threatened the security of all nations and should be confronted "before it's too late".

US, Israel on 'same page' on Iran: Israel and the US are "on the same page" regarding the gravity of the Iranian nuclear threat and their commitment to thwart it, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said Saturday night.

Bush Disowns U.S. Intel, Tells Israelis Iran NIE ‘Doesn’t Reflect My Own Views’

Iranian diplomats released from U.S. captivity in Iraq talk about ordeal : The U.S. which claims democracy and human rights has violated these rights and the immunity of diplomats and intensified Iranians hatred towards itself, he stated.

Some 7,200 register to run in Iran parliament vote: Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi said on Saturday that 7,200 people -- including 590 women -- had registered to run by Friday's deadline. Candidates will compete for 290 seats in parliament.

Sarkozy to sign UAE nuclear deal : Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, is to sign a deal that could pave the way for France to build nuclear reactors

Report: Israel planning to assassinate Haniyeh: Israel is planning to assassinate exiled Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal, deposed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, and former PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, but is waiting to give the green light on the operation until after US President George W. Bush leaves the region, the London-based newspaper, Al-Hayat reported on Sunday.

Shin Bet chief says 1,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since 2005: Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin noted Sunday that “in the last two years roughly 1,000 "terrorists" were killed in IOF and Shin Bet operations in Gaza over the past two years.”

Uri Avnery: George Bush lends Israel “110 per cent support during visit: Uri Avnery argues that, amid the outpouring of flatulence by Bush and Olmert during the US president’s recent visit, what Bush is offering the Palestinians is “much less than Bill Clinton's 2000 ‘parameters’” and “amounts to 110 per cent support for the official Israeli government line”.

Israeli pianist Barenboim takes Palestinian citizenship : Daniel Barenboim, the world renowned Israeli pianist and conductor, has taken Palestinian citizenship and said he believed his rare new status could serve a model for peace between the two peoples.

Taliban kill 10 policemen in Afghan attack: Taliban guerrillas killed 10 policemen on Sunday in a raid in southern Afghanistan, provincial officials said.

Afghan troops kill 3 Taliban militants, arrest 36 others in E Afghanistan : Afghan troops had killed three Taliban fighters and arrested 36 others in a two-week operations launched late December in eastern Afghanistan, Defense Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi said Sunday.

2 Dutch occupation force soldiers killed in Afghanistan : Two Dutch soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan Saturday during an attack from "opposing militant forces," the Dutch Defense Ministry said early Sunday.

Suicide bombing kills Afghan police: A suicide bomber blew himself up in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province Sunday, killing one police officer and wounding eight others, police said.

Kabul gets only 3 hours of electricity a day: Despite millions in U.S. and global aid

Musharraf: U.S. May 'Regret' Covert Ops: President Pervez Musharraf said the United States would "regret the day" its forces entered the Pakistani mountains in search of Osama bin Laden.

Soldiers withdrawn from key posts in North Waziristan: : The army has withdrawn soldiers from key checkposts in North Waziristan and a tribal jirga is negotiating a peace deal between pro-Taliban militants and the government, official sources and military spokesman said on Saturday.

Scotland Yard believes Al-Qaeda assassinated Benazir Bhutto: BRITISH officials have revealed that evidence amassed by Scotland Yard detectives points towards Al-Qaeda militants being responsible for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Angry Pakistanis turn against army: From the wailing rice-pickers at Bhutto’s grave in the dusty village of Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in the southern province of Sindh to the western-educated elite sipping whisky and soda in the drawing rooms of Lahore, the message is the same: General Pervez Musharraf, the president, must go and the army must return to its barracks.

Musharraf sets terms for resignation: President Pervez Musharraf has told a German news magazine in an interview made public yesterday that he would resign if a majority of Pakistan's people no longer wanted him.

George Monbiot: The Turks haven't learned the British way of denying past atrocities: It is not illegal to discuss the millions who were killed under our empire. So why do so few people know about them?

Report: 121 Iraq, Afghanistan veterans kill after return to US: At least 121 US veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have either committed homicide or are suspects in homicide cases upon their return to life in their own country, the New York Times reported Sunday.

Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles : A series of articles and multimedia about veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have committed killings, or been charged with them, after coming home.

Spy chief: Waterboarding 'torture' : The US national intelligence chief has said he believes the US interrogation practice known as "waterboarding" could be described as torture.

Kucinich says he'd pull out of Iraq in 3 months: A wildly cheering crowd of several hundred Thursday night heard Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich promise that if he is elected president, he will eliminate the Patriot Act. "I'm the only one in Congress who voted against it," he said, pausing, "because I read it."

Prisoners 'to be chipped like dogs' : Hi-tech 'satellite' tagging planned in order to create more space in jails Civil rights groups and probation officers furious at 'degrading' scheme

U.S. Issues National ID Standards, Setting Stage for a Showdown : The federal government issued national standards on Friday that states would have to meet in order for driver’s licenses they issue to qualify as identification at airports and federal buildings, setting the stage for a confrontation with states that have voted not to cooperate.

Are You Ready for a Recession? [VIDEO]: The Dow Jones Index has suffered its worst start to a new year since 1904 and there are more looming signs of recession are on their way.


12/01/08

Pakistan kills over 50 "militants" near Afghan border: Pakistani troops killed more than 50 Taleban militants after fighting off an attack on a military fort in a troubled tribal region bordering Afghanistan, security officials said Saturday.

Any action in Pak territory could be taken as attack: Musharraf : : President Musharraf has warned US coalition forces that any unilateral action taken against militants along the Pak-Afghan border will be regarded as an invasion.

U.S. Senate leader asks Bush to cut military aid for Pakistan: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid urged President George W. Bush on Thursday to cut military aid to the Pakistani government unless President Pervez Musharraf does more to combat terrorism, restore democratic freedoms and investigate the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

NATO occupation force soldier killed in Afghanistan : A soldier of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was killed and another sustained injuries when a mine struck their vehicle in south Afghanistan Saturday, a statement of the alliance released here said.

Iraq: Aat least 31 Iraqis Killed in another bloody day of US occupation: :: In Baghdad, four people were killed and eight were wounded during a bombing outside a bakery in in al-Ghadeer

Iraq to Reinstate Saddam Party Followers: Iraq's parliament passed a benchmark law Saturday allowing lower-ranking former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to reclaim government jobs, the first major piece of U.S.-backed legislation it has adopted.

Iran's Larijani: White House finished : "After Israel's humiliating defeat against Lebanon's Hezbollah which was in fact the defeat of Washington and its policies in Iraq, the US has reached the end of the line," Fars News Agency quoted Ali Larijani, the former top nuclear negotiator, as telling an Arab daily.

Israeli air strike kills two armed Hamas resistance members in Gaza: An Israeli air strike killed at least two Hamas gunmen and critically wounded another in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, local medical workers and officials said.

Bush-Israel to destroy Hamas, Jihad : American President George W. Bush called for the annihilation of the two Palestinian Resistance Movements of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Hamas: IDF attack carried out because Bush gave green light during visit: : "The attack is Israeli implementation of the green light that President (George W.) Bush gave Israel during his recent visit that enables the opening of an attack on the Gaza

US admits Mideast peace deal hangs on fate of Gaza: A senior US official acknowledged on Saturday that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal would depend on the fate of Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

Gaza food supplies 'getting worse by the day': Food is running short for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the impoverished Gaza Strip, and more aid is urgently needed to prevent a humanitarian crisis, the United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) said on Friday.

Palestinian negotiator rules out establishment of statehood in 2008 : "The success to reach such a deal is subject to the Israeli government's capability to stop the settlement buildings, remove checkpoints, stop the offensive and engage in serious negotiations," Erekat said.

Nasrallah: Israel to give crumbs to Palestinians: Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday. "Israel plans to give only crumbs to the Palestinians during negotiations and [US] President [George] Bush plans to force the Palestinians to give up on the right of return and settle the refugees in Arab states [instead,]"

A deal for a deal: If George Bush persuades Israel to stop settlements and end occupation of the West Bank, what kind of quid pro quo will Olmert have won on Iran?

Israel stressed to Bush Iran is nuclear ‘threat’: ‘From a professional point of view the situation is clear: there is an Iranian nuclear threat,’ Gilad said

Bush visiting Bahrain to garner support : Following a stop in Kuwait, Bush moved on to Bahrain where he is scheduled to meet with the country's king, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, to discuss Iran's influence in the Middle East, the Voice of America reported.

Saudi cannot be launchpad for Iran attack: report: A leading Saudi newspaper on Saturday ruled out any attempt by the United States to use the oil-rich Gulf kingdom as a launchpad for a possible war on Iran over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.

US Navy fired warning at Iranian craft: It was the first official confirmation that the United States had fired warning shots in any recent confrontation with Iran in the Gulf.

US warns of Iran Gulf aggression: Clashes between Iranian and US Navy forces in the Persian Gulf reflect Iran's new strategy to use Revolutionary Guard fast boats more aggressively, the US military said

See it for yourself: Iranian Video of Navy Incident : Iranian state TV aired video Thursday purporting to show a weekend standoff between small Iranian boats and U.S. naval ships in the Persian Gulf.

Who's the voice on radio in Iran standoff?: The threatening radio transmission heard at the end of a video showing apparently harassing maneuvers by Iranian patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz last weekend may have come not from the Iranian crews, but from a locally famous heckler known among ship drivers as the "Filipino Monkey."

Khamenei: Iran will not bow to US : Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has said that the United States will not be able to bring Iran "to its knees" in a row over its nuclear programme.

Iran's top leader demands end to UN Security Council nuclear oversight: Iran's top leader demanded an end to U.N. Security Council oversight of the country's nuclear program during a meeting Saturday with the chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, state-run television reported.

Syria Rebuilds on Site Destroyed by Israeli Bombs : The puzzling site in Syria that Israeli jets bombed in September grew more curious on Friday with the release of a satellite photograph showing new construction there that resembles the site’s former main building.

Chavez defends Colombia rebels : Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, has urged the international community to stop labelling Colombia's left-wing rebels as terrorists, a day after mediating the release of two of their hostages.

Fraud and abuse levels stun UN : Fraud and abuse have reached unexpected levels at the UN, an internal investigative unit has said.

GAO Questions Program Helping Russians: A U.S. economic aid program to keep Russian scientists from selling weapons information to terrorists apparently funneled much of the money to scientists who never claimed to have a background in nuclear, chemical or biological programs, a congressional report said Friday

Appeals court rules against ex-detainees: A federal appeals court ruled Friday against four British men who contend they were systematically tortured and their religious rights abused throughout their two-year detention at Guantanamo Bay.

Computer hackers 'may be behind Hillary Clinton's shock New Hampshire victory': Dennis Kucinich, an outsider in the battle for the Democratic nomination, cited "serious and credible reports, allegations and rumours" about the integrity of the surprise result.

Kucinich asks for NH recount, but he'll have to pay for it: The New Hampshire Secretary of State's office said Kucinich can have a recount but he will have to pay for it. Under state law if a candidate loses by less than 3 percent they can pay a flat $2,000 for the recount. If they lose by more than 3 percent they have to pay the entire cost.

Asian voters in US 'got raw deal' : Many Asian American voters faced discrimination from voting officials during 2006 mid-term elections in the US, a civil rights group has alleged.

US Federal Reserve chairman warns of recession danger, promises more rate cuts: US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Wednesday that the US economy is slowing dramatically and broadly hinted that the Fed would aggressively cut interest rates in response, perhaps before its next scheduled policy meeting at the end of January.

Precious metals sparkle as US dollar continues slide: GOLD rose to a record and silver matched its highest level since 1980 as a weakening American dollar increased demand for alternative investments.

Greenspan's Reputation at Risk as Recession Odds Grow : The next bubble to deflate may be Alan Greenspan's reputation.


11/01/08

Bin Laden Turns Heat on Saudi Arabia

By Michael Scheuer

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's latest message is one of the richest, most comprehensive and starkly realistic he has issued since the start of the Iraq war. This essay considers al-Qaeda's dour recognition of its inability to control post-occupation events in Iraq as a small vanguard organization and a non-Iraqi presence in the country.
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CIA Reveals:

We Said In 1974 That Israel Had Nuclear Weapons

By Amir Oren

Israel was also suspected of providing nuclear materials, equipment or technology to Iran, South Africa and other then-friendly countries. Continue


Official Version of U.S.-Iranian Naval Incident Starts to Unravel

Democracy Now! Audio & Transcript

New information reveals that the alleged Iranian threat to American naval vessels may have been blown out of proportion. We speak to investigative historian Gareth Porter. Continue


Welcome To The Persian Gulf

By Daniel M Pourkesali

According to a report published in the New York Times, unnamed Pentagon officials are saying that the threatening voice heard in the audio clip which was recorded separately from the video images and merged together later by the Navy, "is not traceable to the Iranian military". Continue


Welcome, Mr President, To The Misery You've Created

By Jonathan Steele

In eight years Palestinians have seen the bald eagle of enlightened US power degenerate into a phoney, biased, cynical lame duck. Continue


Why Don't You Bomb Yourself And Save Us All

By Gilad Atzmon

"President Bush had tears in his eyes during an hour-long tour of Israel's Holocaust Memorial on Friday and told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the U.S. should have bombed Auschwitz to halt the killing" Continue


A Lasting Settlement?

By Karma Nabulsi

While George Bush talks up the prospects for peace, in reality he backs Israel's assault on Palestinians' legitimate national aspirations. Continue


"What Is The Lesson To Be Learned From The Holocaust?"

By Silvia Cattori

Hedy Epstein, is a German Jewish Holocaust survivor, born in 1924, whose parents were sent to Auschwitz in 1942, where they perished. In 1948, Hedy Epstein went to live in United States. In 2003, she decided to make a trip to Palestine. Shocked by the oppression that the Israeli government is imposing on the Palestinians, she is, since then, devoting herself to make it known to the world. Continue


Religion-Politics Mix Gives Rise to Fear
 
 By Naomi Schalit

I’m a Jew and I’m scared.It’s not just that Mike Huckabee, an Evangelical and self-described “Christian Leader,” won the GOP Iowa presidential caucus last week. It’s the photos of his supporters praying and holding American flags. Continue


The Winning Ticket: Hillary and Diebold in 2008

By Mike Whitney

Something doesn't ring true about Hillary's “upset” victory in the New Hampshire primary. It just doesn't pass the smell test. Continue


"You Can't Do Anything Unless You Try!"

By Mary Pitt

The progressive movement turned out in force in 2006, defeated many of the hard-core Bushites and installed "liberal" Democrats in their stead. It didn't help. They were stymied at every turn by their business-as-usual senior colleagues of both parties who really understood "how the game is played". Continued


Ron Paul Forcefully Responds To Racism Charges

Video

Ron Paul explain his dislike for collectivist racist views. Continue


"For America to Live, Europe Must Die"

By Russell Means

The following speech was given by Russell Means in July 1980, before several thousand people who had assembled from all over the world for the Black Hills International Survival Gathering, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is Russell Means' most famous speech. Continue


21 "Qaeda fighters" killed in US air blitz’: A massive US air blitz on Al Qaeda" targets south of Baghdad killed a local leader and at least 20 other militants, the head of an anti-Qaeda front said on Friday."

Iraq: At least 17 killed as US occupation grinds on: Iraqi soldiers killed nine "gunmen" and arrested 59 others during the past 24 hours

Civilian Deaths Massive by Any Measure: How many Iraqi civilians have lost their lives as a result of gunshots and bombings since the U.S. military invaded that oil-rich Arab nation nearly five years ago?

Turkey shells northern Iraq : Turkish artillery shelled northern Iraq on Friday morning, but there were no immediate reports of any casualties or material damage, a Kurdish government official said.

Blackwater dropped blinding tear gas on Iraqis, US soldiers: Use of CS gas in war is prohibited by the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention (signed in 1993)

Bush: We Could "Easily" Be In Iraq For Another 10 Years: U.S. President George W. Bush said on Friday the United States would have a long-term presence in Iraq that could "easily" last a decade, but that it would be at the invitation of the Iraqi government.

26 killed in Pakistan suicide blast : At least 22 police and four civilians were killed in a suicide bomb attack Thursday outside the high court in the commercial heart of Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city.

US Military 'Extremely' Concerned About Al-Qaida Safe Havens in Pakistan : During a news conference at the Pentagon Friday, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen said al-Qaida militants are not only launching attacks in neighboring Afghanistan, but also inside Pakistan.

US would 'regret' Pakistan operation: President Pervez Musharraf said in an interview published Friday that U.S. troops would be regarded as invaders if they crossed into Pakistan to hunt al-Qaida militants.

Shots at Benazir fired from a .30 gun: report : Possibility of a second gunman

1 NATO Occupation Force Soldier Killed in Afghan Blast: A NATO vehicle struck a mine in southern Afghanistan, killing one soldier and wounding another, while a militant attack in the east left a policeman dead, officials said Thursday.

US Admiral Says Iran Risks Gulf Conflict : The top U.S. military commander in the Mideast said Friday that Iran runs the risk of triggering an unintended conflict if its boats continue to harass U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf.

US Navy threat may not have been Iranian: THE US navy says there is "no way to know" if a threat radioed to US warships in the Strait of Hormuz came from Iranian speedboats, casting doubt on the earlier US version of Sunday's confrontation.

Occupation of Palestinian land must end, Bush tells Israel : President George Bush last night called for Israel to end what he unequivocally called its "occupation" of territory seized in 1967 and proposed "compensation" as a means of solving the issue of Palestinian refugees

Gilad Atzmon - The Primacy of the Ear : An alternative take on the Israeli Palestinian conflict and peace activism

Blair accused of taking blood money : Gets over £1m job with US bank profiting from Iraq war

Did Hillary Really Win New Hampshire?: More Questions About Diebold Voting Machines

Will Your Vote Be Counted in 2008? : Every vote counts. But will every vote actually be counted? One-by-one, states across the country are finding critical flaws in the accuracy and security of electronic voting machines.

Paulson Sees `No Evidence' Housing Decline Is Ending: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the housing decline will continue, and a program aimed at heading off a wave of foreclosures may need to be expanded beyond subprime borrowers.

BofA's awesome Countrywide tax break: Brace yourselves, taxpayers of America. You're going to help Bank of America finance its $4 billion buyout of Countrywide.

Write-down at Merrill Lynch may hit $15 billion: Merrill Lynch is expected to suffer $15 billion in losses stemming from soured mortgage investments, almost double its original estimate, prompting the firm to raise additional capital from an outside investor.

China's trade surplus hits record $262bn: Surplus cutting drives have left the banking system swamped with cash as China faces EU and US pressure to boost the yuan

US's triple-A credit rating 'under threat': The US is at risk of losing its top-notch triple-A credit rating within a decade unless it takes radical action to curb soaring healthcare and social security spending, Moody's, the credit rating agency, said yesterday.

10/01/08

The "Good Good War" Is A Bad War

By John Pilger

John Pilger describes how the invasion of Afghanistan, which was widely supported in the West as a 'good war' and justifiable response to 9/11, was actually planned months before 9/11 and is the latest instalment of 'a great game'. Continue


No Escape from War and Unemployment

By Paul Craig Roberts

New Hampshire voters have chosen warmonger clones of Bush/Cheney for their party’s presidential candidates.  The only candidates not in Israel’s pocket are Kucinich, Paul, and Gravel, who have no chance for their party’s nomination.  Continue


The Deflation Time-bomb

By Mike Whitney

We are to about see how much George Bush really believes the “supply side” mumbo-jumbo he's been spouting for the last 7 years. Last week's Labor Department report confirmed that unemployment is on the rise (5%) and that corrective action will be required to avoid a long and painful recession. Continue


The Century of the Self

Don't miss this must watch documentary by Adam Curtis

This episode explains how politicians on the left, in both Britain and America, turned to the techniques developed by business to read and fulfil the inner desires of the self. - T he aim of those who had originally created these techniques had not been to liberate the people but to develop a new way of controlling them. Continue


In case you missed it

Why Socialism?

By Albert Einstein

The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of the evil. We see before us a huge community of producers the members of which are unceasingly striving to deprive each other of the fruits of their collective labor—not by force, but on the whole in faithful compliance with legally established rules. Continue


It's Gross Hypocrisy

Mike Gravel rates Democrat opponents

Video & Transcript:

Congress could do a good job, theoretically, but it can't. Why? Its owned lock, stock, and barrel by corporate America. So you think you're going to become president and you're going to turn to the Congress and say, “Let's really straighten out corporate America.” This is foolishness. It's fantasy. Continue


Iraq: At Least 16 Killed in another bloody day of US occupation: - Iraqi security forces found the bodies of three people with gunshot wounds across Baghdad

9 US Occupation Force Soldiers Killed in New Iraq Attacks: Nine American occupation force soldiers were killed in the first two days of a new offensive to root out al-Qaida in Iraq fighters holed up in districts north of the capital, the U.S. military reported Wednesday.

US warplanes pound Baghdad outskirts: US warplanes launched their biggest air strike in Iraq since at least 2006, bombarding date palm groves on Baghdad's southern outskirts with more than 40,000 pounds of bombs in a matter of minutes.

Suicide attack leaves 7 dead, 12 wounded in southwestern Afghanistan: A suicide bomber attacked Indian road construction workers and their Afghan police escorts Thursday in southwestern Afghanistan, killing seven and wounding 12.

1 NATO occupation force soldier killed in Afghan blast: A NATO vehicle struck a mine in southern Afghanistan, killing one soldier and wounding another, while a militant attack in the east left a policeman dead, officials said Thursday.

US to Send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan : The Pentagon is preparing to send at least 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan in April to bolster efforts to hold off another expected Taliban offensive in the spring, military officials.

'A Heartbeat Away' From War With Iran and Pakistan : As the American people amuse themselves with the illusion that they have any say in the way they are presently governed, our rulers are moving toward war. Two recent incidents underscore the imminence of this prospect.

Iranian video counters Pentagon report: Iran released a video on Thursday which it said showed its boats did not threaten U.S. navy vessels in the Gulf, countering Washington’s account of the event which President George W. Bush called ”a provocative act”.

Fifth Fleet unsure threat to US warships was Iranian : The US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain said on Thursday there was "no way to know" if a threat radioed to US warships in the Strait of Hormuz came from Iranian speedboats

U.S.: Voices on Recording May Not Have Been From Iranian Speedboats: Chilling Threat Could Have Come From the Shore or Another Ship, Navy Says

Bush warns Iran of 'serious consequences,' Lays out challenges for Israel and the Palestinians

'All options on table' to stop nuclear Iran: Israel: Israel is keeping all options on the table if economic and diplomatic pressure fails to halt archfoe Iran's nuclear programme, Israel's ambassador to the United States said on Thursday.

Chief rabbi thanks Bush for 'war against Iraq': "I want to thank you for your support of Israel and in particular for waging a war against Iraq," Metzger told Bush, according to the chief rabbi's spokesman.

Gideon Levy : Bush: A hostile president : There are also few other countries where the lame duck from Washington would not be greeted with mass demonstrations; instead, Israel is making great efforts to welcome him graciously.

An American President and the outposts of Zion : Interwoven with the idea of a Jewish "return" and a denial of relevant international law is a deep anti-Arab racism

Bush's Mideast Pipe Dream: George W. Bush's visit to the Holy Land has only deepened the divide between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Bush: Hamas delivers nothing but misery in Gaza : Bush made the remarks at a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Olmert tells Bush construction in Jerusalem to continue: At end of meeting with US president in capital, prime minister makes it clear Israel will not halt building plan in east Jerusalem despite American objection.

Blair Takes Advisory Post With JP Morgan: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair took a job as an adviser to JPMorgan Chase & Co. on Thursday, a part-time post that will not affect his role as a Mideast peace envoy, his spokeswoman said. - Blair's income for his new job was not disclosed.

UK: Atomic body set for US control: The UK Atomic Weapons Establishment, which manages the Aldermaston weapons site on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, is set to come under the control of US companies.

U.S. to accept 10,000 Bhutanese refugees from Nepal : The United States will accept 10,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal under the first phase of refugee rehabilitation program, U.S. ambassador to Nepal Nancy J Powell said on Wednesday, according to local media houses' website THT online Thursday.

Japanese Stocks Tumble on Goldman U.S., Domestic Recession Call : Japanese stocks fell after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said the domestic economy and that of the U.S., the world's two largest, may be headed for recession, sparking concern company earnings will falter.

US could spark global fall - UN : THE apparent US economic slowdown could trigger global recession this year and stymie years of robust growth in Asia and Africa, the UN said.

Fed Is Ready to Cut Interest Rates Again: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pledged Thursday to slash interest rates yet again to prevent housing and credit problems from plunging the country into a recession.

Housing: A Fresh Jolt of Bad News: KB Home reports a huge loss and Countrywide fights off bankruptcy rumors. Looks like the U.S. housing sector is in for another tough

The Cuban Five: This month a series of billboards will start appearing in US cities informing pass- ers-by about five prisoners serving up to life sentences in US jails. While the Cuban Five, as they are known, are heroes in their home country and in parts of Latin America, they are virtually unknown in the land where they are incarcerated.

Pregnant woman held down, tasered: FOOTAGE of a pregnant woman being held down on her stomach while being Tasered by a police officer has emerged in the middle of a US federal investigation.

FBI Wiretaps Dropped Due to Unpaid Bills : Telephone companies cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time, according to a Justice Department audit released Thursday.

California Toll Agency Wants Power to Seize Cars: To get the most revenue possible, the Bay Area, California Toll Authority wants the power to seize cars and paychecks.


09/01/08

UN Says About 151,000 Iraqis Killed Since 2003

By Khaleej Times

The World Health Organization said Wednesday a large-scale household survey showed an estimated 151,000 Iraqis were violently killed since the US-led invasion of their country in March 2003 to the middle of 2006. Continue


The Myth Of Sectarianism

The policy is divide to rule

By DAHR JAMAIL

The snow job by the corporate media on the issue of sectarianism in Iraq has ensured that the public buys into the line that the Sunni and Shia will dice one another up into little pieces if the occupation ends. Continue


Straight Talk

By Layla Anwar

Americans still pretend they brought Democracy to Iraq. Keep on deluding yourselves folks. Had I been in charge of your Education, I would grant you free PHD’s in Deceit, Duplicity and Denial. Continue


On Rejecting "The System"

By Emily Spence

'The number of billionaires around the world rose by 102 to a record 793... and their combined wealth grew 18 percent to $2.6 trillion, according to "Forbes" magazine's 2006 rankings of the world's richest people [5].' In addition, their group has been expanding steadily. All the while they, also, command vast stores of resources (obtained through their purchasing power), manipulate their governments (through lobbies and other means) and control others (via military might and other kinds) to keep everything solidly behind their acts of racking in ever more dollars and possessions, including huge tracts of land and factories, for themselves. Continue


We LOST!

Thinking For Yourself Is Now A Crime!

Video
The bill will, in short, create massive terrorism in the United States. But the perpetrators of terrorism will not be Muslim terrorists; they will be government agents and fellow citizens. Continue


The Expanding Police State

Operation Falcon Raid

By Mike Whitney

There's only one way to make sure that the machinery of state-terror is operating at maximum efficiency; flip on the switch and let er rip. That was thinking behind the massive roundup of 10,000 American citizens in what was aptly-christened Operation Falcon. Continue


In Case You Missed it

The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis

By Bill Moyers

Host Bill Moyers exposes the inner workings of the secret government. Though originally broadcast in 1987, it is even more relevant today. Interviews with respected, top military, intelligence, and government insiders reveal both the history and secret objectives. Continue


France is Healthcare Leader, US Comes Dead Last: Study

By AFP

France is tops, and the United States dead last, in providing timely and effective healthcare to its citizens, according to a survey Tuesday of preventable deaths in 19 industrialized countries. Continue


This System’s Achilles’ Heel

By Malcolm Martin

The fact is that the story of the United States of America is bound up in the birth and rise of capitalism, and the nation’s present descent into dictatorship is part of the same economic system’s decline and inevitable death.
Continue


"Republicans" Painting Ron Paul As A Racist

Angry White Man

The bigoted past of Ron Paul.

By James Kirchick

Ron Paul is not the plain-speaking antiwar activist his supporters believe they are backing--but rather a member in good standing of some of the oldest and ugliest traditions in American politics. Continue


Ron Paul Responds

Ron Paul Statement on The New Republic Article Regarding Old Newsletters

In response to an article published by The New Republic, Ron Paul issued the following statement: Continue


New Republic Author Interviewed About "Ron Paul's" Past Writings!

Video

Jamie Kirchick of The New Republic discusses a piece out on Friday alleging presidential candidate Ron Paul has a racist past. Continue


20 "Militants", Four US Soldiers Killed in Iraq Operations: Four US soldiers and at least 20 suspected militants have been killed in separate operations across Iraq, the US military announced Wednesday, while a total of 32 extremist suspects were detained by US and Iraqi forces.

UN says about 151,000 Iraqis killed by war since 2003: - The World Health Organization said Wednesday a large-scale household survey showed an estimated 151,000 Iraqis were violently killed since the US-led invasion of their country in March 2003 to the middle of 2006.

2 Car Bombs Explode Outside Churches in Northern Iraq : The bombings are the latest attack on Christian buildings in Iraq. Insurgents bombed churches and a monastery in the northern city of Mosul on Sunday, wounding several people.

Two jailed for leaking Blair-Bush memo: A judge imposed two indefinite contempt of court orders on newspapers yesterday, preventing them from reporting aspects of an Official Secrets Act trial that dealt with the unauthorised disclosure of a secret document about Iraq.

US plans new sanctions on Iranian, Iraqis: A senior Bush administration official said the sanctions were being imposed on the Iranian and exiled Iraqis because ”they are basically supporting the insurgency in various ways in Iraq.”

Manufacturing Consent For War With Iran:: US warns Iran of consequences of any new naval crisis : U.S. President George W. Bush warned Iran on Wednesday of "serious consequences" if it attacked U.S. ships in the Gulf and said all options were on the table.

Video purports to show Iranian 'provocation' of US forces: The Pentagon has released footage of Iranian boats threatening three US ships in The Gulf, in what President George W Bush described as a "provocative act".

Iranian TV: Pentagon Video, Audio Fake : - Iran accused the United States on Wednesday of fabricating video and audio released by the Pentagon showing Iranian boats confronting U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf.

Hamas: Israeli attack on northern Gaza kills two: An Israeli occupation force attack in northern Gaza on Wednesday killed two Palestinians and injured four others, Palestinian security officials and medics said.

Israeli top brass meet Bush at airport: "US and Israel are strong allies," he said. "The source of that strength is a shared belief in power of human freedom."

Olmert to lay down Israel's red lines: Prime minister to clarify Israel's non-negotiable terms to visiting US President Bush.

Israel hiding settlement facts to protect image: THE Israeli Government has told a court that it does not want to reveal the true extent of Jewish settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories because the information would damage its image abroad, a local newspaper has reported.

Afghan Civilians Were Killed Needlessly, Ex-Marine Testifies : A former member of an elite Marine combat unit that operated last year in eastern Afghanistan testified Tuesday that his comrades appeared to have needlessly killed civilians after their convoy was attacked by a suicide car bomb.

Afghan Officials Show Desire For US Attacks Inside Pakistan : Hints and suggestions emanating from Afghan officials clearly point to US forces attacking Taliban and al-Qaida safe havens in Pakistan in the very near future.

Pakistan army strikes hideout of pro-Taliban militant leader: Pakistan's military has targeted suspected hide-outs of the leader of pro-Taliban militant forces in the Swat Valley in the country's volatile northwest, but could not confirm whether the radical cleric was killed, the army spokesman said Wednesday.

Pakistan denies U.S troops, agents operating in tribal areas Islamabad: Pakistan has said that U.S troops and intelligence agencies are not operating inside its tribal areas and described American media reports as baseless.

CITGO, Venezuela Distribute Oil To U.S. Services: For scores of low-income families it will be like the equivalent of winning a small lottery jackpot. A program run by former Congressman Joe Kennedy will deliver free heating oil – donated by Citgo and the Chavez regime in Venezuela – to some 200,000 households.

Goldman Sachs sees recession in 2008: Goldman Sachs on Wednesday said it expects the U.S. economy to drop into recession this year, prompting the Federal Reserve to slash benchmark lending rates to 2.5 percent by the third quarter.

Countrywide Loses Most Since 1987 on Funding Concern: Countrywide Financial Corp. dropped the most since Black Monday in October 1987 in New York trading on speculation that it needs cash to continue operating its mortgage business.


08/01/08

How Many Kids Will The US Kill In 2008?

By Dr Gideon Polya

Those who KNOWINGLY deny, ignore, excuse, minimize, obfuscate, support, advocate or are otherwise complicit in the mass murder of CHILDREN have crossed the line separating decent humanity from proto-Nazi barbarism, from the unthinkable but real, barbaric actuality of Bush America. Continue


Recession In The US 'Has Arrived'

By The BBC

The feared recession in the US economy has already arrived, according to a report from Merrill Lynch. Continue


Bush Convenes Plunge Protection Team

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, International Business Editor

Bears beware. The New Deal of 2008 is in the works. The US Treasury is about to shower households with rebate cheques to head off a full-blown slump, and save the Bush presidency. On Friday, Mr Bush convened the so-called Plunge Protection Team for its first known meeting in the Oval Office. Continue


No Jobs for the New Economy or the Old

By Paul Craig Roberts

If December is a harbinger of the new year, it is going to be a bad one.  The past year, hailed by Republican propagandists and “free trade” economists as proof of globalism’s benefit to Americans, was dismal. Continue


In case you missed it

Super-Imperialism

The Economic Strategy of American Empire.

Interview with financial economist and historian, Dr. Michael Hudson. Continue


Pakistanis See US As Greatest Threat

By Jim Lobe

Amid reports that the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush is considering aggressive covert actions against armed Islamist forces in western Pakistan, a new survey released here Monday suggested that such an effort would be opposed by an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis themselves. Continue


Ron Paul on the Tonight Show
 
 
Video 08/07/08

Ron Paul explains why he thinks he was banned from the FOX NEWS debate - Click to view.


 US Election Circus Awash in Clichés
 

 By Daniel Patrick Welch


I don't endorse Ron Paul, or Dennis Kucinich, or anyone else involved in this farce. Neither will have much effect on a system so rotten and rigged as to make real change anathema to the system, and therefore out of bounds for polite discussion. Continue


Judge Napolitano on Lincoln

By Thomas J. DiLorenzo

The next time you see Lincoln’s portrait on a five-dollar bill, the judge concludes, "remember how many civil liberties he took away from you."
Continue


Iraq: At least 6 killed as US occupation grinds on: A suicide bomber wearing an explosives vest attacked a police checkpoint, killing one policeman and wounding another along with two civilians in Madaen, 45 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, police said

U.S. arming newly loyal Sunnis in Iraq: Sunni Muslims in Iraq who once supported Saddam Hussein and later al-Qaida are becoming loyal to U.S. forces and getting arms in return, a report said Tuesday.

Main Sunni Group Vows No Deal With U.S.: The Islamic Army, the main Sunni insurgent group in Iraq, is adamant it will not make common cause with the Sunni militias tackling al-Qaeda with U.S. support, and will instead fight the Americans "to the end."

Baghdad armed volunteers seized : It is the latest in a number of attacks on the armed volunteer forces, known as Awakening Councils, which are backed by the Americans and oppose Al-Qaeda.

13 Including Two Occupation Force Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan : 13 including two coalition soldiers killed in Afghanistan

U.S Marine Corps investigates Afghan civilian deaths : Up to nineteen Afghan civilians were killed when marines allegedly shot at people in Nangarhar province after their convoy was rammed by a van full of explosives.

Pakistan killings shatter hopes for ceasefire: Suspected Islamist militants shot dead eight tribal leaders in coordinated attacks just hours before they were due to discuss a planned ceasefire between Pakistan’s security forces and al-Qaeda and Taleban insurgents near the border with Afghanistan.

Bhutto Attacker Identified, Servant Under Scanner : CORRECTION: The alleged attacker of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been identified, a local TV report said in a report Monday night.

Pakistan Nukes Worry U.N. Atomic Chief: The head of the U.N. atomic watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei has voiced concern over the possibility that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal could fall into extremist hands, in statements published on Tuesday.

Barack Obama Would Attack Pakistan: Democratic candidate Obama, states that as commander in chief he would do what is necessary to protect the American people. He stated as well that if this means war with Pakistan than he would proceed in that direction.

Manufacturing Consent For War With Iran:: Iran warned against threatening US ships : Just hours before US President George W. Bush was to embark on his Middle East tour, the White House and US military in the region said Iran was engaging in "provocative acts".

Iran Denies Threats Against U.S. Navy: Revolutionary Guards Dismiss U.S. Claims That Iranian Boats Threatened To Explode War Ships

US Commander Disputes Iran on Persian Gulf Incident : The commander of U.S. and coalition naval forces in the Persian Gulf is rejecting Iran's claim that five of its small speed boats approached three U.S. Navy ships Sunday morning in a case of mistaken identity.

Persian Gulf incident part of U.S. psyops: Iran's Majlis speaker : Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel has described U.S. reports about a confrontation between Iranian speedboats and U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf as "part of a psychological and propaganda campaign against the Islamic Republic."

Protest in Gaza against Bush visit : The protesters gathered in Gaza City on Tuesday, saying that George Bush is turning a blind eye to their plight.

Israel: Security arrangements for Bush visit to cost Israel $25,000 an hour : Israeli security personnel will include snipers, bomb-sniffing dogs and bodyguards, including reservists called up especially for the visit. The operation, dubbed "Clear Skies," will cost Israel $25,000 for every hour Bush is in the country.

Egypt Bedouin attack post on Israeli border : Bedouin tribesmen fired rocket propelled grenades on Egypt's al-Ouja crossing point into Israel Tuesday, wounding two people, Egypt's official news agencies MENA said.

Citing security, Israel won't release settlement data : The government is refusing to publish a databse containing full details about the settlement enterprise in the territories, including outposts and neighborhoods built across the Green Line.

Lebanese army denies report of rockets fired at Israel : The Lebanese army denied as false Israeli reports that two rockets were fired early Tuesday from Lebanon into northern Israel. "The reports are false, there were no rockets fired from Lebanon today," a Lebanese army spokesman said

Report: FBI translator says Israel planted nuclear 'moles' in U.S. : A Britsh newspaper on Sunday published allegations by a former FBI translator that Israel has planted "moles" in United States institutions dealing with nuclear technology.

Sibel Edmonds Speaks...: Sibel Edmonds, the FBI whistle-blower who has been gagged for years by the Bush administration over intercepts she translated while at the bureau, was willing to go to prison to get her story told. She spent years trying to get her day in court, but the State Secrets gag against her prohibited her from telling her story even to a FISA judge.

Who Are The Ten Saudis Just Released From Guantánamo?: With 492 detainees now released – and 281 remaining – the administration’s initial claim that the prison housed the “worst of the worst” grows ever more hollow.

Britain jails would-be Taliban fighter : A London dentist who planned to fight for the Afghan Taliban against British and U.S. forces was jailed on Tuesday for preparing to commit terrorist acts.

Fighting in southern Somalia kills 15 - witnesses: Fighting in Somalia killed at least 15 people on Tuesday and wounded dozens more in the latest bloodshed in the Horn of Africa nation, witnesses said.

Another 12 Dead In 3 Separate Incidents In Occupied Somalia : Twelve Somalis were killed Tuesday in three separate incidents in Mogadishu and in a town northwest of the capital, police and witnesses said.

Odinga rejects talks with Kenyan president: Kenya's opposition leader today said he would not meet President Mwai Kibaki to try to address the country's growing political upheaval.

This Madness Makes Them Kill: Mwai Kibaki, a member of the Kikuyu tribe and the current president of Kenya, fell into controversy when his political opponents, both members of rival tribes, claimed the election was rigged. The ensuing inter-tribal violence has forced 250,000 Kenyans from their homes to date

Odinga says Obama is his cousin : Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has said he is a cousin of US presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Mr Obama has previously been identified as a distant cousin of Vice-President Dick Cheney

Educating India's Untouchables : On the outskirts of Secunderabad, Pipe Village is home to a community of Dalits, India's 'untouchable' caste. Here, behind the factory in which many of them are forced to work as bonded labourers, concrete drainage pipes and bushes form the structural basis of one of the world's poorest villages.

Bad news piles up for British economy: The bad news on the British economy piled up further Monday as one report found that activity in the services industry fell at the end of 2007 and another survey revealed that companies are at their most pessimistic in five years.

Spain sees credit surge brought to rude halt: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister, announced that Spain had joined the “Champions’ League” of world economies. Europe’s fifth largest economy was growing so robustly, and creating so many jobs, it would soon be richer than Germany in per capita terms, Mr Zapatero predicted. That euphoria was short-lived.

Citigroup could axe 32,000 workers to stem losses: The world’s largest bank could lose 10 per cent of its workforce when it unveils full-year results next Tuesday. It is also believed to be considering the sale of non-core assets to raise capital


07/01/08

Manufacturing Consent For War With Iran?

U.S. Says Iranian Gunboats Harassed Warships

By Jim Miklaszewski - NBC News

Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats harassed three U.S. Navy warships in the Strait of Hormuz Sunday, in what the U.S. military officials described as a "significant provocative act." Continue


Sibel Edmonds, Turkey and the Bomb

A Real 9/11 Cover-Up?

By DAVE LINDORFF

If a new article just published Saturday in the Times of London based upon information provided by US government whistleblower Sibel Edmonds, a 37-year-old former Turkish language translator for the FBI, we have not only solid evidence of prior knowledge of 9-11 by high up US government officials, but evidence of treasonous activity by many of those same officials involving efforts to provide US nuclear secrets to America's enemies, even including Al Qaeda. Continue


Nukes, Spooks, and the Specter of 9/11

By Justin Raimondo

We're in big trouble if even half of what Sibel Edmonds says is true... Continue


Imperialist Propaganda

Second thoughts on Charlie Wilson's War

By Chalmers Johnson

It makes the U.S. government look like it is populated by a bunch of whoring, drunken sleazebags, so in that sense it's accurate enough. But there are a number of things both the book and the film are suppressing. Continue


The Bilderberg Group - Rulers of the World

"The war is not against Bin Laden. We are the enemy"

- Audio -

Interview with investigator and author, Daniel Estulin, on his book, "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group", which describes an annual gathering where the European and American political elite, and the wealthiest CEOs of the world, all come together to discuss the economic and political future of humanity. Highly secretive, the press has never been allowed to attend, nor have statements ever been released on the group's conclusions or discussions. Also discussed are the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission. Continue


Iraq: At least 40 killed in another bloody day of US occupation: Two suicide bombers struck in a Sunni Arab district of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people including the leader of the area's neighborhood patrols, police said.

Baghdad Suicide Bomb Kills Sunni Leader : A double suicide attack outside an agency that cares for Sunni mosques and shrines killed at least 12 people on Monday, including the Sunni leader of a U.S.-backed group fighting al-Qaida, officials and witnesses said.

Killer of