Foreign troops helping Syrian rebels : "The foreign troops are not engaged in direct combat with the Syrian forces bombarding different parts of Syria's third largest city of 1.2 million. They are tactical advisers, manage rebel communications lines and relay their requests for arms, ammo, fighters and logistical aid to outside suppliers, mostly in Turkey," the report states.

Report: US preparing military options in Syria: the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command have begun a preliminary internal review of U.S. military capabilities in order to prepare options in the event that President Obama calls for them.

2 Lebanese accused of arms smuggling to Free Syrian Army: Two Lebanese men were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of smuggling arms to the Syrian opposition through illegal border crossings in the Bekaa, including the town of Arsal.

Why the Syrian Rebels Should Put Down Their Guns: If the violence continues to spiral, the regime is going to win. They are better armed and better organized

The Free Syrian Army base in Lebanon (II): The second part of Al-Akhbar’s exclusive series on the Free Syrian Army in Lebanon delves into the organization’s shaky command structures, casualty smuggling, and political convictions.

Russia's Putin warns against outside interference: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday the world faced a growing "cult of violence" and Moscow must not let events like those in Libya and Syria be repeated in Russia, issuing a warning to the West against interference.

Russia says it offers alternative path to peace in Syria: Mr. Lavrov said he convinced Mr. Assad to hold an open dialogue with all political forces in his embattled country, and to agree to hold a national referendum on a new constitution for the country.

Results of Syria talks must not be set in advance: Russia: Lavrov reiterated Russia's call for countries that have influence with opponents of Assad to press them to enter dialogue with the government. Moscow has accused Western nations of encouraging Assad's opponents to avoid talks.

Why China vetoes UN draft resolution for Syria issue: The situation in Syria is still worsening and civilian casualties in Syria are still increasing. Vetoing the UN Security Council’s draft resolution does not mean that China will sit by and watch the sad situation going on.

Israel embassies preparing for Iran strike?: Diplomats stationed in Israel request gas masks, prepare contingency plans in case of missile attacks; envoys fear that thousands of dual-citizenship Israelis will seek evacuation.

Iran's parliament summons Ahmadinejad: The summons was the first of its kind for an Iranian president since 1979. It follows a petition by a group of legislators for a review of policy decisions by Ahmadinejad, who has come under increasing attacks in recent months from the same people who brought him to power.

CIA digs in as Americans withdraw from Iraq, Afghanistan: The CIA is expected to maintain a large clandestine presence in Iraq and Afghanistan long after the departure of conventional U.S. troops as part of a plan by the Obama administration

RAF helicopter death revelation leads to secret Iraq detention camp: The truth about the mission raises some searching questions about the legality of some of the British forces' operations carried out in close co-operation with US allies.

Australia's link to secret Iraq prisons: The revelation has led to an Australian human rights organisation investigating such secret prisons to claim that the Australian military might have been complicit in war crimes by handing detainees over to the so-called ''black site'' known as H1.

"Who Killed Che? How the CIA Got Away with Murder": New Book Ties Johnson Admin to Guevara’s Death

Santorum beats Romney in 3 states on conservatives: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum shrugged off his also-ran status with strong victories in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri, riding a wave of distrust of Mitt Romney’s conservative credentials and stalling — for the time, at least — Romney’s seemingly inevitable march to the nomination.

Ron Paul places second in Minnesota caucus: Ron Paul had his best night of the year in Minnesota on Tuesday, beating Mitt Romney for a strong second-place showing and proving he can expand his base of support from four years ago.

Obama: “The Devil” Made Me Take the Super Pac Money: The Devil has just forced Mr. Obama to put together his own infernal Super Pac, the demon-spawn of the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision allowing corporations and wealthy individuals to spend as much money as they like on elections.

U.S. Faces Downgrade If No Plan: Chambers: The U.S., lacking a plan to contain $1 trillion deficits, faces the prospect of another rating cut in six to 24 months depending on the outcome of November elections, according to John Chambers of Standard & Poor’s.

Meeting the 'new homeless' on Greece's freezing streets: In the heart of central Athens, a stone's throw from the city's glorious ancient sites, another face of today's Greece is on show

UK: Girls, 13, given contraceptive implants at school: Girls as young as 13 have been fitted with contraceptive implants at school without their parents knowing.

February 07, 2012

US Iran Policy in 'Lockstep' with Israel?

By Dave Lindorff

The most appalling thing of all was hearing the US president say on national TV that he is operating US policy towards Iran in “lockstep” with the pipsqueak nation of Israel--an apartheid country currently being run by a bunch of corrupt, neofascist, genocidal war-mongers and religious fanatics. Continue

Israelis Should be Afraid of Their Leaders, not Iran

By Gideon Levy

Some of the people reading these lines will not live through the winter; some of them may not die a natural death. Continue

Arab League Report Shows that Syria Has Been Mischaracterized

By WashingtonsBlog

While the Western media act like the Syrian government is wantonly and indiscriminately killing its own people without provocation, an independent investigation has found a different reality on the ground. Continue

From Washington this looks like Syria's 'Benghazi moment'

By Robert Fisk

The West has been so deluged with stories and lectures and think-tank nonsense about the ghastly Iran and the unfaithful Iraq and the vicious Syria and the frightened Lebanon that it is almost impossible to snap off these delusional pictures and realise that Assad is not alone. Continue

How About an International Award for Hypocrisy

By Alan Hart

If there was such an award, the statements of European and American leaders in the immediate aftermath of Russia and China’s veto of the Security Council resolution to end the killing in Syria suggest two most obvious nominees for it. Continue

US Says Russia/China UN Veto
"Disgusting", "Shameful", "Deplorable", "a Travesty" . . . Really?"

By Arab Studies Institute

A Quick Listing of The United States' Record of Veto Use at the United Nations (UN): 1972–2011 Continue

Top Official: Drone Critics are Al Qaeda Enablers

By Glenn Greenwald

At least according to some “senior” Obama official, those who report critically on the civilian-killing, rescuer-and-funeral-targeting American drone attacks (i.e., those who “malign these efforts”) are either supporters of or useful idiots for Al Qaeda. Continue

Erasing History In Afghanistan

By Kevin Sieff

Officials think they have found a way to teach Afghan history without widening the fractures between long-quarreling ethnic and political groups: leave out the past four decades. Continue

Anniversaries From ‘Unhistory’

By Noam Chomsky

The events we fail to commemorate say as much about our national narrative as those we acknowledge. Continue

Dark History in Latin America and the Struggle for Justice

By Cyril Mychalejko

Elliott Abrams, a former high level State Department official during the 1980s, testified last week that the Reagan administration knew that Argentina's military junta was systematically stealing babies from murdered and jailed democracy activists and giving them to right-wing families friendly to the regime. Continue

This is What Imperialism Does to Men

By Che Guevara

"In our condition as colonial slaves, we could not observe: that “Western Civilization” disguises behind its showy facade a picture of hyenas and jackals." Continue

The Right's Stupidity Spreads, Enabled by a Too-polite Left

By George Monbiot

Conservativism may be the refuge of the dim. But the room for rightwing ideas is made by those too timid to properly object.
Continue

The Economics of Incarceration

By Nile Bowie

For every 100,000 Americans, 743 citizens sit behind bars. Presently, the prison population in America consists of more than six million people, a number exceeding the amount of prisoners held in the gulags of the former Soviet Union at any point in its history. Continue

55 killed in northern Yemen violence: -- Dozens were killed in deadly clashes in northern Yemen as Sunni Muslim Salafists try to force back advancing Shia militants, witnesses said.

25 killed in Syria civil war: activists: At least 21 "civilians" and four soldiers were killed on Tuesday in violence across Syria, the majority of them in the flashpoint central city of Homs, activists said.

Russian FM: Syria's Assad willing to accept expanded Arab League mission: After talks in Damascus, Sergei Lavrov also says Assad had assured him he was 'completely committed' to seeking an end to violence by all sides.

Gulf countries to expel Syrian ambassadors: The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) decided Tuesday to expel Syrian ambassadors from their countries in protest at the continued government crackdown on pro-democracy activists, Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera reported.

US should mull arming Syrian opposition, says senator: Senior Republican senator John McCain urged the United States Tuesday to consider arming the opposition fighting the forces of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

Lebanese security officials seize suspicious cargo from US, Brazil: Lebanon’s security officials say a suspicious cargo containing huge amounts of US dollars, guns, special passports and credit cards have been seized upon arrival in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, from the US and Brazil.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran US Prof. Tells Newsweek Israel Must Attack Iran – Now: Prof. Ferguson maintains that whether he likes it or not, President Barack Obama will comes to Israel’s defense if it attacks Iran in an attempt to slow down its nuclear development, if not destroy its nuclear facilities altogether.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran Israel and Iran on the Eve of Destruction in a New Six-Day War: There are plenty of arguments against an Israeli attack on Iran. And all of them are bad.

Israel faces Turkey airfield question on Iran issue: Airfields located in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria were essential for Israeli aircraft but that it was unlikely these countries would provide permission for Tel Aviv to use their airfields.

Clinton meets Israeli FM amid Iran crisis: The Israeli foreign minister is also meeting with members of the US Congress during his visit

Obama Declares "Threat" From Iran a National Emergency: Video

Iran calls new US sanctions ‘psychological war’: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said "When they impose sanctions on our central bank even though we have no transactions with them, it shows ... they think they are able to put pressure on our people. create concerns and social discontent," he added.

Iran defaults on payments to Indian rice traders: Iranian buyers have defaulted on payments for about 200,000 tonnes of rice from their top supplier India, exporters and rice millers said on Tuesday, a sign of the mounting pressure on Tehran from a new wave of Western sanctions.

15 Pakistani militants killed in Upper Orakzai: Pak Security forces pounded militant hideouts with jet fighters, killing at least 15 and injuring eight militants in different areas of Upper Orakzai.

Afghan security guard kills 5 colleagues, police: An Afghan security guard killed three colleagues and two police in southern Afghan city of Kandahar, the provincial authorities said on Tuesday

67% Favor Ending U.S. Combat Role in Afghanistan by Next Year: A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters favor ending the U.S. combat military mission in Afghanistan by the middle of next year. Just 22% are opposed to ending combat actions by then. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.

Seven killed in Libyan refugee camp: Killings at a Tripoli refugee camp highlight ongoing persecution of black Libyans.

U.S. Planning to Slash Iraq Embassy Staff by Up to Half: Less than two months after American troops left, the State Department is preparing to slash by as much as half the enormous diplomatic presence it had planned for Iraq, a sharp sign of declining American influence in the country.

UK: Government 'may sanction nerve-agent use on rioters', scientists fear: Leading neuroscientists believe that the UK Government may be about to sanction the development of nerve agents for British police that would be banned in warfare under an international treaty on chemical weapons.

UK: Germans jailed for possessing documents useful to terrorism. The documents they were carrying were electronic copies of Inspire magazine, an English publication launched by al-Qaeda in the Arabian

2 U.S. Citizens Barred From Returning to US: A Muslim civil rights group wants the Justice Department to investigate the tactics of FBI agents in Portland after two Libyan-Americans from Oregon were barred from returning to the United States.

FBI warns of threat from anti-government extremists: - Anti-government extremists opposed to taxes and regulations pose a growing threat to local law enforcement officers in the United States, the FBI warned on Monday.

24-hour general strike under way in Greece: A 24-hour general strike is under way in Greece against the Cabinet’s austerity policy. Railway and maritime traffic has come to a halt, and public transport disruptions have been reported.

Old Mortgages Rise from the Dead, Haunt Homeowners: Depositions from "affidavit slaves" depict a surreal, assembly-line world in which the banks and their partner firms hired hair stylists, fast-food kids and Wal-Mart floor workers, paying them $10 an hour, to pose as bank vice presidents, assistant secretaries and corporate attorneys.

January 06, 2012

U.S. Wrongly Demonizes Iran

By Karl Lindemann

As with any country that is attempting to develop its nuclear technology, Iran should be monitored. But the current U.S. policies are completely unwarranted. Continue

Yet Another War for Israel

By William A. Cook

Has it come to this, that unnamed Israeli spokespeople, voicing AIPAC’s policies, determine what nation the U.S. should invade without consultation with the representatives of the American people? Continue

Two Front International Struggle For Palestine:

By Lawrence Davidson

It is important to point out that even a one-state solution capable of bringing justice to the Palestinians, and in doing so, saving the Jews from the folly of Zionism, will not be possible without worldwide intervention. Continue

Facts from Fiction:
What's Really Happening in Syria?

By RT

The deadly crossfire has left international media relying on snatches of information and dubious or unverifiable sources to report the unrest dragging the nation towards civil war. Continue

Heading for War on Syria

By Stephen Lendman

Assad confronted a Western-backed armed insurgency replicating the Libya model. By so doing he acted responsibly against a heavily armed insurrection. Continue

Obama Terror Drones
CIA Targeting Rescuers and Funerals

By Chris Woods and Christina Lamb

The CIA’s drone campaign in Pakistan has killed dozens of  civilians who had gone to help rescue victims or were attending funerals.
Continue

Behold: The U.S. God Of War
The Holy Fire of Patriotism

Must Watch Short Video

O Lord our God, ... help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire. Continue

Truth, Lies and Afghanistan

By Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis

I spent last year in Afghanistan, visiting and talking with U.S. troops and their Afghan partners. --- What I saw bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by U.S. military leaders about conditions on the ground. Continue

The January Jobs Are Statistical Artifacts

By Paul Craig Roberts

The phony data serve many interests, but not those of the American people. Continue

Occupying Corporations
How to Cut Corporate Power

By Bill Quigley

The legal fiction of corporate personhood and the constitutional rights taken by corporations must cease. Join the efforts to cut them down to size and restore the right of the people to govern. Continue

The Cancer in Occupy

By Chris Hedges

The Black Bloc anarchists, who have been active on the streets in Oakland and other cities, are the cancer of the Occupy movement. Continue

Civil war rages as 25 killed in Syria: Upwards of 17 civilians were killed and dozens wounded as security forces renewed their bombardment of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syrian deserters destroy army post: rights group: Syrian army deserters destroyed a military control post in the northeast overnight, killing three officers and capturing 19 soldiers in the process, a rights group said Monday.

Armed groups fire missiles into Homs: According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 17 people have been killed in Homs on Monday. Government troops have been fighting terrorist groups in Homs for several days.

Syrian army defectors form higher military council: The council, named "The Higher Revolutionary Council" and designed to supersede the Free Syrian Army (FSA), said its head was General Mustafa Ahmed al-Sheikh, the highest ranking deserter who had fled to Turkey.

After Russia’s UN veto, US talks of “coalition of the willing” against Syria: The discussion on the resolution was a political manoeuvre from the outset, designed either to force Moscow and Beijing into agreeing to a UN cover for a Libya-style operation against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, or justify a predetermined alternative route to regime-change.

Russia, China Vetoes Spur Western Hysteria, Indecent Comments: Russia and China condemned Monday the angry Western reaction to its veto of a UN resolution over Syria where US envoy expressed her “disgust” and France Defense Minister said such countries deserve a “kick in the ass”!

U.S. closes Syria Embassy, pulls all staff: Robert Ford, the American ambassador, and 17 other U.S. officials left Syria and were expected to travel back to the United States. Ford informed Syrian authorities of the decision to leave earlier in the day, State Department officials said. Two diplomats left by air and the others went overland to Jordan.

9 killed as car bomb explodes in Afghan blast : The blast went off at a parking lot outside the police building in Kandahar, Saisal Ahmad, a spokesperson for the provincial government, said on Sunday.

US colonel: Don't believe US statements on progress in Afghanistan: I spent five years covering the Iraq war, and at the end of it I was not inclined to believe anything official spokesmen had to say about Iraq anymore.

Four soldiers killed in blast N. Iraq: Four Iraqi army soldiers were killed in a bomb blast that targeted their patrol in Mosul, northern Iraq, Iraqi police said on Monday.

US-made bomb killed Iran expert: Report: The United States provided an anti-Iran terrorist group with the bomb used to assassinate Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan last month, a report has revealed.

President Obama: U.S., Israel in 'lockstep' on Iran: President Barack Obama said Sunday that he’s committed to working in “lockstep” with Israel to try to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons

House Intel Chair: Israel Attack on Iran Would Harm U.S. National Security: “If Israel does a unilateral strike, this could be a real problem for the national security interests of the United States,” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said today

No Evidence Iran Would Attack U.S.: Obama: : Obama said: “We don’t see any evidence they have those intentions or capabilities.”

An Act Of War: US freezes all assets of Iranian government and central bank: US President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Monday imposing new, stricter sanctions on Iran and its central bank, saying a broader asset freeze was necessary because Iranian banks were concealing transactions.

Iran vows to retaliate against any country that stages attack: Gen. Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the elite Revolutionary Guard, Iran's most powerful military force, did not elaborate. His comments appeared to be a warning to Iran's neighbors not to let their territory or airspace be used as a base for an attack.

'Israeli attack will prompt Pakistani response': European diplomat based in Islamabad says Israeli strike would force Pakistan to support Iranian retaliation, while EU official says 'political and economic consequences of attack would be catastrophic for Europe'

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Santorum: Iran would nuke Missouri: Rick Santorum warned that if Iran procures a nuclear weapon, it would pose a threat even to Missouri.

Iranian calls for pre-emptive strike on Israel: Mr. Tavakoli said a pre-emptive strike would be justified in Islamic terms and in practical military terms, given the threats emanating from Israel.

Israel can clear Mideast of nukes, it just won't: If Israel accepts an invitation to the conference in Helsinki, it will have an opportunity to move ahead on a deal: comprehensive nuclear disarmament in exchange for comprehensive peace, says researchers' position paper.

India delegation to go to Iran to boost oil exports: "You have to devise a mechanism with which you can pay for the import of oil and avoid attracting sanctions," the official said.

Pacifists protest possible war against Iran: Hundreds of protesters demonstrated Saturday in New York and pacifist groups took to the streets in dozens of other US and Canadian cities in a "Day of Mass Action" against a possible war with Iran.

Abbas to lead Palestinian unity cabinet, following Hamas-Fatah deal: Agreement between rival factions represents a significant breakthrough in the efforts to reach Palestinian reconciliation; still not clear when unity government will be sworn in.

U.S. Jews who put Israel first are merely exercising their democratic rights: Some may retort that Israel is a foreign country, not a domestic policy choice; a vote based on a foreign countries interest is clearly not something that a loyal citizen would do. There are many responses to this accusation, I will lay out two.

Egpytian foreign workers' trial goes ahead despite US threat: Egypt has referred to trial the cases of 19 US citizens and 24 other employees of civil society groups charged with illegally using foreign funds to foment unrest.

Lawmakers: U.S. aid to Egypt at risk: A bipartisan group of more than 40 House lawmakers are warning top Obama administration and Egyptian officials they’ll oppose U.S. aid to Egypt unless a standoff over nongovernmental organizations is resolved quickly.

Offshore Everywhere : How Drones, Special Operations Forces, and the U.S. Navy Plan to End National Sovereignty As We Know It

U.S. Marine expeditionary unit possible in Australia: The Navy’s top officer raised the possibility Saturday of a Marine expeditionary unit deploying to Australia on a rotational basis as part of a new agreement reached between the Pacific nation and the U.S.

Australia: Passengers face body scans before flights: PASSENGERS at airports across Australia will be forced to undergo full-body scans or be banned from flying under new laws to be introduced into Federal Parliament this week.

Soros: Obama, Romney 'Not Much Difference': Billionaire financier George Soros thinks that, if Mitt Romney wins the presidency, there will be "little difference" between him and Barack Obama in the White House.

Bradley Manning Nobel Peace Prize Nomination 2012: February 1st 2012 the entire parliamentary group of The Movement of the Icelandic Parliament nominated Private Bradley Manning for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Temperature Soars Mysteriously Inside Fukushima Nuclear Reactor: - The temperature of a reactor at Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has soared and remained mysteriously high Monday, despite more water being pumped through it.

Greece caves to pressure and cuts state jobs: Move to eliminate 15,000 civil service jobs signals major shift in policy in run-up to crucial coalition meeting.

Romanian PM resigns after protests: Romania’s prime minister, Emil Boc, and his government resigned on Monday in an apparent attempt to take the heat out of protests against austerity measures and alleged government cronyism that have been simmering for three weeks.

The battle for McPherson Square: Video - Rough police tactics rout 300 protesters from their tent city in the heart of Washington

February 04, 2012

An Attack on Iran Must be Stopped

By Andrew Murray

As the US and UK gear up for another senseless war in the Middle East, one thing is certain – it will end in disaster. Continue

The Growing Iranian Military Behemoth?

By Glenn Greenwald

American political officials and commentators feel free to insist, with a straight face, that Iran is an aggressor nation posing a serious threat to the U.S.: such a serious threat, in fact, that war may be necessary to stop it. Continue

Lawmakers, "Experts" Spin Tales of Iranian Terror in Latin America

By Charles Davis

Through its ties with Venezuela and other nations in Latin America, Iran is building an anti-U.S. alliance in the Western Hemisphere that poses a direct, imminent threat to the United States, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said Thursday. Continue

U.S. Leak on Israeli Attack Weakened a Warning to Netanyahu

By Gareth Porter

The real aim of the leak brings into sharper focus a contradiction in the Barack Obama administration's Iran policy. Continue

Russia as Smokescreen
Cynicism Around Syria

By Vijay Prashad

The US and Israel are currently hiding behind the Russians (and to some extent the Chinese) in the UN Security Council. None of them have any interest in the removal of al-Assad from power. Continue

Exposed: The Arab Agenda in Syria

By Pepe Escobar

Here's a crash course on the "democratic" machinations of the Arab League - rather the GCC League, as real power in this pan-Arab organization is wielded by two of the six Persian Gulf monarchies. Continue

Newt Gingrich Suggests Obama Is A Muslim-Appeasing Traitor

By Ellen

“…I think you have a pro-Islamist faction in the administration that is on every front trying to appease people who are our enemies…" Continue

Muslim: Quip Led to Terror Probe

By SIDHARTHA BANERJEE

A casual text message to work colleagues encouraging them to "blow away" the competition at a trade show allegedly plunged a Muslim man into a terrorism probe. Continue

A War Anniversary that U.S. Wishes to Forget

By Emil Guillermo

Feb. 4 marks the anniversary of a war America won — but doesn’t care to crow about. When the memory only produces shame and regret, you can understand why. Continue

5 Wars That America Must End
By Eric Blair

When poverty rates climb, there's a crew of government workers secretly high-fiving that their job is safe. When marijuana legalization measures fail, the police and prison unions celebrate. When America is attacked, the weapons manufacturers rejoice. Continue

200 killed in Syria govt assault: "Activist": Syrian forces unleashed a barrage of mortars and artillery on the battered city of Homs today, killing more than 200 people in what appears to be the bloodiest episode in the nearly 11-month-old uprising, activists said.

Syrian government denies reports of army shelling city of Homs: The denial came after Syrian opposition groups claimed that dozens of civilians have lost their lives in an attack by the army on the violence-hit city.

Russia and China veto UN resolution on Syria: The Americans said the two countries had sold out the Syrian people; the French accused them of backing Damascus without scruple; while the British said they had turned their backs on the Arab world.

US ‘Disgusted’ by Russia, China Veto of UN Resolution to End Violence in Syria: “The United States is disgusted that a couple of members of this Council continue to prevent us from fulfilling our sole purpose,” U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said. “For months this Council has been held hostage by a couple of members,” she said, referring to Russia and China

Text of proposed UN resolution on Syria: Text of the proposed U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria that was vetoed Saturday by Russia and China:

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: U.N. Nuclear Inspectors’ Visit to Iran Is a Failure, "West" Says: American and European (unnamed) "officials" said Friday that a mission by international nuclear inspectors to Tehran this week had failed to address their key concerns, indicating that Iran’s leaders believe they can resist pressure to open up the nation’s nuclear program.

Presstitute alert: Iran stonewalls U.N. nuclear watchdog on (Unnamed) site-diplomats: Iran's apparent reluctance to let U.N. inspectors visit a military site near Tehran underlines the uphill task they face in getting the Islamic state to address suspicions it may be seeking to develop nuclear weapons, Western diplomats say.

Crack Israeli commando unit formed to target Iranian nuclear programme: Mossad hit squads have already carried out assassinations on key Iranian scientists and the Depth Corps has been sent deep inside Iran to prepare an all-out strike against its nuclear programme.

Assassination Unit set up inside Iran: Israeli Defence Ministry official were quoted as saying that the unit has been organized “to coordinate deep penetration operations in other countries as well.”

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Israeli embassies, consulates raise alter over Iranian threats: - Israel has raised the alert level at its consulates and embassies due to fears of an Iranian terror attack, Israeli radio revealed Saturday.

Germany Warns Against Military Action Against Iran: Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle said on Saturday that Europe is determined to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran but is warning against military action.

Robert Fisk: An attack on Tehran would be madness. So don't rule it out: After invading Iraq over weapons of mass destruction, we plan to clap as Israel bombs Iran

"Iranian opposition" meets in Sweden: About 50 exiled members of Iran's opposition on Saturday gathered for a two-day conference in Stockholm to discuss how they can unite to promote democracy in their homeland and prepare for its parliamentary election in March.

Iran calls on EU to review oil embargo decision: "Unfortunately the EU has succumbed to America's pressure. I hope they would review their decision on sanctioning Iran's oil exports" Iran's oil minister

Iran to cut oil exports to ‘hostile’ European states: “We will certainly cut [oil exports] to some European states,” Mr Ghasemi said on Saturday. But he gave no indication on timing nor did he identify which countries would be Iran’s target because of their “more hostile positions”.

Iran to OPEC states: Do not raise oil output: Iran has asked OPEC members not to raise oil production to compensate for a European Union embargo against the Islamic republic, Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said on Saturday.

Iranian battle group docks in Saudi Arabia: Iran's 18th naval battle group has docked at the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Mehr News Agency quoted the commander of Iran's naval fleet as saying on Saturday.

NYPD document: Collect intelligence at mosques: The New York Police Department recommended increasing surveillance of thousands of Shiite Muslims and their mosques, based solely on their religion, as a way to sweep the Northeast for signs of Iranian terrorists, according to interviews and a newly obtained secret police document.

37 killed as UN peace talks collapse: Officials from three states and the UN had met for talks in the remote town of Mayendit in Unity state in an effort to reduce inter-ethnic tensions. Those killed in the gun battle included civilians, but most were police.

Sudan: President Does Not Exclude Possibility of War With Juba: The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir highlighted the unprecedented level of tensions with the newly established state of South Sudan by saying that war is now a possibility.

18 militants, 7 soldiers killed in clash in northwestern Pakistan: At least seven Pakistani soldiers and 18 suspected militants were killed on Friday in an attack in the country's northwestern tribal region, officials said on Saturday.

3 Gunmen Killed in Clashes with Afghan Police in Nangarhar: The incident took place in Keera Khil district of Nangarhar province, while the gunmen attacked on Afghan police, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, provincial spokesman told TOLOnews reporter.

American Forces Killed An Afghan Soldier: An Afghan soldier was shod to dead by American forces in Sar-i-Pul province last night.

Afghan civilian death toll hits 'record high': UN mission in Afghanistan says 2011 was fifth straight year that number of dead has risen, with 3,021 civilians killed.

Fact or fiction: Mullah Omar wrote to Obama: officials: Current and former U.S. officials told a foreign news agency that reclusive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar wrote to President Barack Obama last year indicating an interest in talks key to ending the war in Afghanistan.

9 killed in Egypt over football riots: Nine killed and more than 2,500 wounded in clashes over authorities' failure to prevent Port Said football violence.

Video shows French woman wounded by IDF grenade in West Bank protest: Protesters from the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh released video footage on Saturday showing that the French woman wounded during the weekly protest on Friday was hit by an Israel Defense Forces gas grenade .

Anonymous leaks e-mails in Iraq’s Haditha massacre case: Anonymous, in the statement on the puckettfaraj.com website, said it wanted to bring attention to the "brutality of U.S. imperialism."

Manning to face court martial over WikiLeaks: Accused of leaking more than 700,000 secret documents, private in US army faces possible life imprisonment.

Probe call over 'spying' on Shias in New York: Rights groups urge officials to open investigation after report shows city's police recommended surveillance of mosques.

Set Up Free Email Encryption In 15 Minutes: Not only is free email encryption very useful, but it is fairly simple, almost seamless, and you don’t need to befriend a bunch of encryption fanatics to use it effectively

Is US democracy being bought and sold?: Video - How corporations, unions and political action committees are shaping the candidate pool.

 

February 03, 2012

Exclusive: Israel Warns US Jews: Iran Could Strike Here

By RICHARD ESPOSITO

Israeli facilities in North America -- and around the world -- are on high alert, according to an internal security document obtained by ABC News that predicted the threat from Iran against Jewish targets will increase.Continue

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran
US Fears Iran's Links to Al Qaeda

BY SIOBHAN GORMAN

Officials believe country may have provided aid to terror group. Continue

Iran : Fact Checking the Media

By Dennis Kucinich

The media coverage on Iran is mirroring the coverage in the lead-up to the Iraq war: grand claims about a smoking gun that doesn't exist. Continue

Iran is the Root of all Evil

By Glenn Greenwald

Is there anything those Persian Monsters aren’t guilty of? Continue

How Hollywood Spreads Propaganda.

By Danny Schechter

Iran seems to many observers to be next in line for the Iraqi freedom treatment, the latest in a long line of “enemy” nations menaced by overt and covert military threats by the United States and its allies. Continue

US Preparing Something Against Iran

By Gennady Yevstafyev
Retired Lieutenant-General of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence.

Iran is a key, it is a lynchpin of the security situation in the Gulf as far as anti-American forces are concerned. Continue

Russia, US Acting Together

By BERIL DEDEOGLU

The Syrian crisis has shown once again that the members of the UN Security Council are much more interested in the strategic chess game than the number of civilians who have lost their lives.
Continue

Evil in the Crosshairs
'I Only Wish I Had Killed More'

By Laurence Vance

Savage, despicable evil. That's what we were fighting in Iraq. That's why a lot of people, myself included, called the enemy "savages." Continue

“An Eagle Does Not Hunt Flies”
The Genius of Chavez

By: Fidel Castro


Venezuela today is the site of a great battle. Internal and external enemies of the revolution prefer chaos —as Chavez has said— to the just, organized and peaceful development of the country. Continue

Obama’s Refinancing Swindle

By Mike Whitney

Barack Obama’s new housing refinance plan has nothing to do with “lowering monthly mortgage payments so responsible borrowers can stay in their homes”. That’s all public relations bunkum. Continue

Pakistan: 25 killed in Taliban attack: The overnight attack on Shidano Dand post in the Kurram region triggered clashes in which 18 militants and 7 Pak troops were killed, according to a senior military official.

Cost of NATO’s adventurism: Russia has to understand that if the US and NATO troops decimate or make the Taliban ineffective, the US would maintain a contingent of a few thousand troops plus a strong air force base in Afghanistan to meet any eventuality and pose a palpable threat to it.

At least 17 killed in Syria violence: "activists": Nine Syrian soldiers were killed in separate clashes with Free Syrian Army rebels in two villages in Daraa province, south of Damascus

Russia refuses to sign draft UN resolution on Syria: Talks to secure a United Nations resolution on Syria have dragged on into the weekend after Russia refused to sign up to a watered down draft which removed references to the departure of President Bashar al-Assad.

Moscow Dismisses Iran-for-Syria Deal: - The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected reports on Friday that it could strike a deal on Iran with the United States in exchange for non-intervention by the West in Syria.

Israel preparing to attack Iran: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June

Iran’s Supreme Leader Threatens Retaliation Against Attack: Warning that the United States in particular would face severe damage to its interests if any strike were carried out against its nuclear sites.

US push to arm Israel: . A policy group in the US has called for providing Israel with 200 additional bunker-buster bombs and aerial refuelling tankers to increase the credibility of a military strike aimed at thwarting Iran's nuclear program.

U.S. anxiety grows over possible Israeli plans on Iran: European and U.S. diplomats say Obama administration worried about Israeli leaders' provocative public comments on Iran's nuclear program.

Shin Bet chief: Iran trying to hit Israeli targets in response to attacks on nuclear scientists: Yoram Cohen tells audience at a closed forum in Tel Aviv that Iran's Revolutionary Guards are working tirelessly to attack Israeli targets abroad in order to deter Israel.

Less than One-Fifth of All Americans Favor Military or Covert Action Against Iran : A new United Technologies/National Journal “Congressional Connection Poll,” finds that only 13% Americans think the U.S. should “take covert action against Iran such as sabotage and assassination of scientists working on their nuclear program”.

Iran successfully launches new satellite into orbit: Navid-e Elm-o Sanat is a telecom, measurement and scientific satellite whose records could be used in a wide range of fields.

Don’t knock the media’s bias and double standards on Israel: Disproportionate coverage is the flip side of disproportionate support for Israel, and thus a critical element in its national security.

Tortured to death: Libya: Diplomat Dies in Militia Custody: A Libyan diplomat who served as ambassador to France died less than 24 hours after he was detained by a Tripoli-based militia from the town of Zintan, Human Rights Watch said today. Dr. Omar Brebesh, who was detained on January 19, 2012, appears to have died from torture.

Gaddafi's bloodied shirt and wedding ring to go up for auction: Libyan national Ahmed Warfali is apparently asking for $2million for the items after somehow coming into their possession.

Deaths in Egypt protests over football riot: Two killed in Suez, two in Cairo and 1689 wounded after two days of clashes following deadly football violence.

Kuwaiti Islamist-led opposition wins majority: Opposition secures 34 out of 50 seats in snap parliamentary elections held after anti-corruption protests in December.

China intensifies criticism of sanctions on Iran: "In the near term, the sudden spike in tensions between the United States and Iran is now posing the greatest uncertainty. This factor is disrupting global energy markets and has cast a shadow over the global economic recovery."

Baghdad says US Iran sanctions a problem for Iraq: American sanctions on Iran pose difficulties for Iraq because of its close economic ties with the Islamic republic, so Baghdad plans to seek a waiver from the US, the government spokesman told AFP.

Turkey bombs northern Iraq: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said in a statement on Friday that Turksh fighter jets bombed three PKK targets in Zap. There were no immediate reports on causalities

Judges retire to consider Assange’s last chance on extradition: Supreme Court is final shot for WikiLeaker-in-chief

WikiLeaks aside, Assange case strikes core of civil liberty: JULIAN Assange's current court appearance in Britain has nothing to do with sex or United States diplomatic cables or even with WikiLeaks. But it may make an important contribution to European law.

US 'no-fly' list of suspected terrorists doubles in 12 months: The size of the US government's secret list of suspected terrorists who are banned from flying to or within the country has more than doubled in the past year.

Do You Like Online Privacy? You May Be a Terrorist: A flyer designed by the FBI and the Department of Justice to promote suspicious activity reporting in internet cafes lists basic tools used for online privacy as potential signs of terrorist activity.

Roseanne Barr Seeks Green Party Presidential Nod: "The Democrats and Republicans have proven that they are servants -- bought and paid for by the 1% -- who are not doing what's in the best interest of the American people," Barr said.

Stolen Babies? Immigrant Mother Loses Four Kids: The scars of childbirth were still healing on Amelia Reyes Jimenez's stomach in 2008 when police came to her Phoenix apartment and took her three-month-old daughter from her arms.

Greece’s leaders oppose new austerity measures: All three party leaders in Greece’s teetering national unity government have opposed new austerity measures demanded by international lenders, forcing eurozone finance ministers to postpone approval of a new €130bn bail-out and moving the country closer to a full-blown default.

Unemployment hits record high in Spain: Jobless rate is twice the average for the rest of the EU, with young people particularly badly affected, new data show.

Canada: Unemployment rises as just 2,300 jobs created in January: Canada's economy squeezed out a paltry gain of 2,300 jobs last month as the country's unemployment rate increased due to more people looking for work.

Why Today's "Very, Very Suspicious" NFP Number Is Really Down 2.9 Million In Past 2 Months: "Actual jobs, not seasonally adjusted, are down 2.9 million over the past two months. It is only after seasonal adjustments – made at the sole discretion of the Bureau of Labor Statistics economists – that 2.9 million fewer jobs gets translated into 446,000 new seasonally adjusted jobs."

GOP Rep. West: Someone's 'playing around with' unemployment numbers: There is something suspicious about the job numbers released today and it has me very concerned," West wondered Friday.

Working Poor: Almost Half Of U.S. Households Live One Crisis From The Bread Line: According to the report, 43 percent of households in America -- some 127.5 million people -- are liquid-asset poor. If one of these households experiences a sudden loss of income, caused, for example, by a layoff or a medical emergency, it will fall below the poverty line within three months.

Home prices drop, consumers turn gloomier: The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of single-family home prices in 20 metropolitan areas, released on Tuesday, declined 0.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, a bigger drop than the 0.5 percent economists expected.

February 02, 2012

Dempsey Told Israelis U.S. Won't Join Their War on Iran

By Gareth Porter

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey told Israeli leaders Jan. 20 that the United States would not participate in a war against Iran begun by Israel without prior agreement from Washington. Continue

Divining the Truth about Iran

By Ray McGovern

You will almost never see in a major U.S. newspaper the assessment – backed by the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies – that Iran is NOT building nuclear weapons. Continue

Iran: This Is What Propaganda Looks Like

By Peter Hart

For sheer propaganda value, ABC World News' January 31 broadcast would be tough to top. Continue

Syria is Used to the Slings and Arrows of Friends and Enemies

By Robert Fisk

For Syria as a nation – rather than a regime – there is much sympathy as well as respect in the Arab world. Continue

Syria's Long Black Tunnel

By Ehsani

Here are some of the main divisions running through Syrian society. Continue

UN Shenanigans on Syria

By Aisling Byrne

At stake in this diplomatic battle of "historic importance" is the campaign led by the United States, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and France to secure a UN mandate for external interference in Syria with the aim of deposing President Bashar al-Assad. Continue

Managing Public Perception
Psywar: The Real Battlefield is Your Mind

Must Watch Video

A superb account of how we're manipulated from birth to death. Continue

NATO Troops Disguise Themselves as Civilians in Afghanistan

By Canadian Veterans Advocacy Operations

This practice invites Taliban attacks on Afghans and NGOs. Continue

Robot Wars
How Military Drones Are Changing War


Video

Today there are more than 7,000 drones and 12,000 ground robots in use by all branches of the military. These systems mean less "American" deaths and also less political risk for the US when it takes acts of lethal force – often outside of official war zones. Continue

Obama: Not Cool, Just Cold-Blooded

By Glen Ford

“When the U.S. president arrogates to himself the right to bomb and kill at will, he makes himself an outlaw.” Continue

The US Health Care Industry Racket

By Ralph Nader

Here is a partial example of what I mean. Continue

Santorum To Sick Kid:
Don’t Complain About $1 Million Drug Costs


By David Edwards

“People have no problem paying $900 for an iPad,” the candidate explained. “But paying $900 for a drug they have a problem with — it keeps you alive. Why? Because you’ve been conditioned to think health care is something you can get without having to pay for it.” Continue

 

3 policemen killed in Taliban attack in northwest Pakistan: The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out in retaliation for arrests made by security forces during a recent search operation

Pakistan will no longer tolerate "unilateral US actions": Pakistan Foreign Minister: "No unilateral action at any level, of any type. Like Abbottabad. Like what happened in Salala," The News quoted Khar, as saying.

Pakistani Militant Gives Ultimatum To US: "America has started a war against Pakistan and also attacked our army checkpoints. That is why all the political parties are here and we are united until America leaves the region."

Panetta: US to end combat in Afghanistan next year: U.S. and other international forces in Afghanistan aim to end their combat role next year and switch to training and advising Afghan forces through 2014, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday.

Romney criticizes U.S. decision to end Afghan combat next year: [Obama’s] naivete is putting in jeopardy the mission of the United States of America and our commitments to freedom. He is wrong.

NATO combat role in Afghanistan through 2014: - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday insisted that the military alliance would be carrying out combat operations in Afghanistan until 2014, following a day of speculation about its withdrawal plans.

Britain to pull out troops from Afghanistan frontline role by the end of next yea:r British troops will step back from their lead combat role in Afganistan by the end of 2013 under plans drawn up by the Nato-led Isaf international alliance, Downing Street said today.

Australia's defense minister hints at longer stay of troops in Afghanistan: Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith on Wednesday said Australian special forces could stay in Afghanistan for years after an official international troop withdrawal.

Afghan Taliban deny plans for peace talks in Saudi Arabia: The Afghan Taliban have denied planning to hold preliminary peace talks with representatives from the Afghan government in Saudi Arabia.

UN resolution drops demands for Assad’s resignation, arms embargo - reports: Russia and China were the only permanent Security Council members opposing the draft, reminding others that it was not their place to intervene in the domestic affairs of another country.

U.S., Russia set for high-octane clash over Syria : On Friday, Gennady Gatilov, a Deputy Foreign Minister, said Russia would reject any call seeking Mr. Assad's resignation. Analysts say Moscow can also be expected to find fault with any language in the draft that suggests adoption of punitive measures against the Syrian regime if it did not comply with the listed demands.

Beijing against sanctions on Syria: "We firmly oppose forcefully pushing for 'regime change', which violates the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations," Li Baodong, China's ambassador to the United Nations, said during a Security Council debate on Syria on Tuesday.

Free Syrian Army soldiers may have armored vehicles, YouTube videos show: Two videos posted on YouTube in recent days demonstrate rebel claims that defected soldiers fighting in the name of the Free Syrian Army have access to at least some infantry fighting vehicles, which were either captured from the regular army or acquired when whole units defected.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Israel Says Iran Has Material For Four Nuclear Bombs: General Aviv Kochavi said on February 2 that Iran has accumulated nearly 100 kilograms of material at an enrichment level of 20 percent.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Iran developing missile to hit US, senior Israeli official says: Iran is developing a missile with a 10,000 kilometre range, which would put the US within range of attack, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Thursday.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Ya'alon: Iran was working on US-range missile: Vice Prime Minister says December explosion at Iran base occurred where long-range missile was being developed.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Israel Vice PM: Military strike can hit all of Iran's nuclear facilities: Moshe Ya’alon calls the possibility of a nuclear Iran a 'nightmare to the free world,' says explosion at Iranian missile base targeted missile system that would have threatened the U.S.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: The Aftermath of “Israel v. Iran”: Israel requires no more than an “understanding” of its need to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. The official made clear they are “not looking for the international community’s support or consent” or even tacit approval, “but rather a sympathetic view of Israel’s difficult situation.”

US, Britain, France up for war: The United States, Britain and France have begun to deploy troops in the Gulf in a move which experts say suggests preparations for a war with Iran. The first strikes could be carried out at the beginning of the summer

Israel's military leaders warn against Iran attack: Almost the entire senior hierarchy of Israel's military and security establishment is worried about a premature attack on Iran and apprehensive about the possible repercussions, a former chief of the country's defence forces told The Independent yesterday

IAEA sets date for new nuclear talks in Teheran: Chief UN nuclear inspector Herman Nackaerts told reporters on his return from a three-day trip to Teheran that his six-member team had had a 'good' visit.

Iran warns currency speculators as rial continues to fall: Faced with a plummeting currency in the wake of toughened international sanctions, Iran is cracking down on black-market money changers and warning that major speculators could face execution.

Turkish General Staff knew 34 victims were civilians ahead of strike: The order for an airstrike which killed 34 civilians smuggling goods into Turkey over the border with Iraq in late December were given in full knowledge that the border-crossers were not Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists, contrary to the initial explanation the General Staff offered for the error.

American drone strikes provoke Yemenis against interim government: Groups will take advantage of public panic and will make recruitment efforts, convincing people that they will die anyways because of air strikes and that it's better to die as martyrs, fighting on their side.

See also - US to expand network of secret bases: THE Pentagon plans to expand its global network of drones and special-operations bases in a fundamental military realignment designed to project US power even as it cuts back conventional forces.

74 killed as Egyptians blame military, police for deadly riot : Crowds of Egyptian soccer fans fleeing supporters of the opposing team armed with knives, clubs and stones rushed into the corridor, only to be crushed against a locked gate, their rivals attacking from behind, survivors and witnesses said.

Interior Minister guilty for 'Port Said massacre', says PA : The People’s Assembly (PA) held the interior minister responsible for what they described as the “Port Said massacre” and ordered the inclusion of the case to the fact finding committee of the January 25 Revolution’s martyrs and injured.

Tear gas during Cairo clashes: Demonstrators angered by the deaths of 74 people after a football match in the city of Port Said on Wednesday have clashed with police outside the Egyptian interior ministry in Cairo.

UN staff accused of raping children in Sudan: Members of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in southern Sudan are facing allegations of raping and abusing children as young as 12, The Daily Telegraph reported today.

Kuwaitis vote to choose new government: Opposition expected to fare well in snap parliamentary polls aimed at ending damaging political disputes.

Swedes press their case against Assange in appeal: It was the second and final day of the hearing in central London before seven Supreme Court judges. They were expected to defer judgment for several weeks.

Republicans push to stop automatic spending cuts: - The U.S. military would be spared from automatic spending cuts set for next year under a proposal some top Senate Republicans offered on Thursday that instead would save money by reducing the federal workforce.
 

UK Law Firm Sues WikiLeaks Founder Assange Over Pending Fees: Finers Stephens Innocent LLP - the law firm in question, dragged the 40 years old Australian national to court over pending legal fees. Apparently, the firm which mainly specialises in commercial litigation was replaced by Assange last year when a UK court overruled his defence and upheld the Swedish arrest warrant.

ACLU sues to force release of drone attack records: The American Civil Liberties Union asked a federal court Wednesday to force the Obama administration to release legal and intelligence records related to the killing of three U.S. citizens in drone attacks in Yemen last year.

FBI agents chainsaw through mother's front door and hold her at gunpoint for 30 minutes after raiding WRONG apartment: The 29-year-old was then held face down on the floor as her three-year-old daughter Ji-anni cried in another room.

American Airlines Wants To Eliminate 13,000 Jobs, End Pension Plans: The company proposes to end its traditional pension plans, a move strongly opposed by the airline's unions and the U.S. pension-insurance agency, and to stop paying for retiree health benefits.

The experts' view on the euro's future: it doesn't have one: Leading economists and politicians issue stark warning over eurozone.

February 01, 2012

An Alternative View
What Is Really Going On In Syria: Insider Update

By Boris DOLGOV

The armed opposition which conducted terrorist attacks in Syria is represented by a number of groups from a military wing of the Muslim Brotherhood to the Libyan radical Islamists and Al Qaeda. Continue

Petrodollar Pumping US Policy on Iran, Backfire Looms

By Michael T. Winter

Any rhetoric regarding Iran’s nuclear program and the insistence on crippling it is nothing more than a US attempt to force regime change for one more receptive to maintaining the hegemony of the petrodollar. Continue

Israel's War on Democracy

By Conn Hallinan

While that equality never fully applied to the country’s Arab citizens, Israel was, for the most part an open society. Continue

We Are All Suspects Now

By John Pilger

Washington's enemy is not "terrorism" but the principle of free speech and voices of conscience within its militarist state. Continue

A Journey To The End Of Empire:
It Is Always Darkest Right Before It Goes Completely Black


By Phil Rockstroh

Atrocious acts can be committed by the state, with increasing frequency, because, over the passage of time, such outrages will have been allowed to pass into the realm of the mundane, and are thus bestowed with a patina of acceptability. Continue

Hatuey's Rebellion
The First American Freedom Fighter

By William Loren Katz

This February 2nd stands as the 500th anniversary of the death of Hatuey, an Indigenous American fighter for independence from colonialism not mentioned in the same breath as Patrick Henry, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Continue

Whitewashing Black History Month

By Gary Younge

Arizona's suppression of Mexican American studies fits a pattern of making history serve an exclusionary nationalist mythology. Continue

What Real Journalism Looks Like
Vincent Browne v The European Central Bank


Video

Vincent Browne takes on Klaus Masuch over the issue of the Irish people having to foot the bill for unguaranteed bondholders. Continue

Syria troops move on new rebel areas near capital: Syrian troops battled army defectors in a string of towns in the mountains overlooking Damascus on Wednesday in a new assault to crush rebellious areas around the capital, activists said.

Syrian rebels upbeat despite government advances: Amateur video shows the Free Syrian Army exchanging gunfire with government forces as they take cover behind a rebel tank.

Canada pulls most diplomats from Syria: - Canada has evacuated all but a few of its embassy staff from Syria as that country teeters on civil war, the foreign minister said in Ottawa.

Pakistan Taliban leader, 20 others killed: - Security forces conducting an operation in Pakistan's tribal region killed a Taliban commander and 20 other suspected militants, officials said Wednesday.

Militants kill 14 paramilitary troopers in southwest Pakistan: At least 14 paramilitary troopers were killed in a militant attack on a security post in the restive Balochistan province of southwest Pakistan, official sources said on Wednesday.

Parcel with Anthrax sent to Pakistani premier’s house: Pakistani police said Wednesday they were investigating how and why a parcel containing anthrax was sent to the prime minister’s official residence in the capital Islamabad last month.

Pakistan dismisses Nato report on Afghan Taliban links: Pakistan's foreign minister says her country has no hidden agenda in Afghanistan, in response to a leaked secret Nato report on Islamabad's links to the Afghan Taliban.

Man in Afghan army uniform kills NATO soldier: "An individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform turned his weapon against an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) service member in southern Afghanistan yesterday, killing one service member," the NATO-led ISAF said in a press release, Xinhua reported.

Taliban "poised to retake Afghanistan" after NATO: The U.S. military said in a secret report that the Taliban, backed by Pakistan, are set to retake control of Afghanistan after NATO-led forces withdraw, raising the prospect of a major failure of Western policy after a costly war.

Afghan Taliban deny they're ready to talk peace: Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected those reports as "baseless," saying in a statement that exploratory talks between the insurgency and the U.S. and its allies have not yet reached the stage for negotiations.

Hundreds of slaughtered civilians isn't a 'huge number' for Obama: Those drone attacks, carried out by unmanned aircraft controlled thousands of miles away, don’t do a lot of harm, said the president.

Islamist sect kills 5 people in northeast Nigeria: The Borno state police spokesman said Tuesday that Boko Haram gunmen attacked an air force barracks, a police station and an army checkpoint Monday, about 90 miles (150 kilometers) north of the sect's stronghold in the city of Maiduguri.

Rival Libyan militias battle in Tripoli: Exchanges of fire were heard and plumes of smoke seen coming from the el-Saadi district in central Tripoli, eyewitnesses reported.

Seventeen Executions In One Day In Iraq: All seventeen executions took place yesterday, bringing the total number so far this year to 51. 68 people were executed in 2011.

UN nuclear inspectors upbeat on Iran visit, but say further talks needed: Both sides describe the three days of talks as 'good'; Iran says it was ready to show IAEA delegates its nuclear facilities, but 'they didn't ask for it'.

Destination Persian Gulf? US nuclear sub and destroyer enter Red Sea: Two ships of the US Navy, the nuclear submarine USS Annapolis and the destroyer USS Momsen have passed through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. Although their destination is confidential, they are now getting dangerously close to the Persian Gulf.

US Keeps Up Sabre-rattling Show For Iran: News from Washington proves that the US is serious about its plan to carry out a military operation against Iran.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Iranian (retaliatory) attack on America and allies increasingly likely – intelligence chief: Western officials say that in the past year there has been a notable increase in activity around the world by suspected members of Iran's Quds force, which they say could reflect positioning of units capable of carrying out reprisal attacks against western and Israeli targets if Iran was itself attacked.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran: Iran said greater threat, while al-Qaida declines: Top U.S. intelligence officials on Tuesday asserted that Iran has the means to build a nuclear weapon but has not yet decided to follow through, in contrast to Israel's insistence that time is running out to stop Iran from developing such a weapon.. .

Mossad chief holds secret U.S. meetings on Iran nuclear "threat", Senate panel reveals: During a broadcasted meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, CIA Director, panel Chairperson indicate they met Tamir Pardo in Washington this week; U.S. official: Iran willing to attack U.S. targets if threatened.

‘It May Be Too Late to Attack Iran after the Summer’: Constant chatter about an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear site may end by summer. After that, the military option may fall off the table.

Israel sets up elite command unit to strike behind 'enemy' lines: The "Depth Corps" has been organised with the aim of co-ordinating deep penetration operations in other countries at a time when the defence ministry acknowledges that the number of covert Israeli operations abroad has increased significantly in the last year.

Ban Ki-Moon, U.N. Secretary General, Urges Israel To Halt illegal West Bank Settlements Construction: U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has harshly criticized Israel's continued settlement construction and urged it to submit detailed proposals in low-level border talks with the Palestinians.

U.S. criticizes Israel plan to subsidize illegal West Bank settlement construction: Comments by top State Department official come after Netanyahu cabinet announces plan to encourage immigration into 557 illegal 'national priority' settlements, which reportedly include 70 in the West Bank.

UN chief calls on Israel to make 'goodwill' gestures toward Palestinians: Ban told Peres that Israel must make some confidence-building gestures toward the Palestinians, in order to carry on with the direct talks between the sides in Jordan.

Ethiopian Christians to be deported from Saudi Arabia: Police arrested the group - including 29 women - after raiding a prayer meeting in the second city of Jeddah.

4 punished for blowing whistle on Dover AFB body handling: Four civilian employees at the Port Mortuary at Delaware's Dover Air Force Base were illegally punished after blowing the whistle on the mortuary’s mishandling of dead troops’ remains. Between 2004 and 2006, Dover Air Force Base workers dumped the remains of 274 troops in a Virginia landfill without notifying the soldiers' families.

Assange appeals 'invalid' warrant: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has asked the Supreme Court to block his extradition to Sweden on the grounds that the European arrest warrant issued against him is "invalid and unenforceable".

Group Says FBI Snoops on Wikileaks Supporters: A nonprofit government watchdog claims the FBI refuses to release information on "the government's identification and surveillance of individuals who have demonstrated support for or interest in WikiLeaks."

Romney: 'I'm not concerned about the very poor': Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he's "not concerned about the very poor" because they have an "ample safety net" and he's focused instead on relieving the suffering of middle-class people hit hard by the bad economy.

 

January 31, 2012

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran?
Iran Willing to Launch US Attack: Official Warns

By Julian Borger

America's top intelligence official has claimed that Iran's leadership was now more willing than before to carry out an attack inside the US, and that intelligence agencies were worried about plots against US and allied interests around the world. Continue

Sanctions v. Negotiations on Iran

By Glenn Greenwald

Former Obama State Department advisor - brilliantly explains in this six-minute interview, one I urge everyone to listen to, this anti-negotiating stance has rendered an escalating sanctions regime. Continue

Massive U.S. Military Buildup Reported Around Iran
Up to 100,000 Troops Ready By March


By Mac Slavo

The Pentagon has been quietly massing troops and armaments on two islands located just south of the Strait of Hormuz, and within easy striking distance of Iran. Continue

Informed Westerners and Iranians Know The Way out of Nuclear Impasse
But Obama Admin Won't Take It

By Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett

Given the extent to which Israel, the United States, and America’s European partners are ratcheting up tensions over the nuclear issue, one hopes that additional talks would help the parties find a peaceful and productive way forward.  But that is unlikely.
Continue

One Million Killed

By Danny Lucia

OVER A million Iraqis are dead from America's war. That sentence is a cognitive litmus test. Some people's immediate reaction is, "That can't be right," because the United States couldn't do that.
Continue

Drones Over Iraq: When is a Pullout not a Pullout?

By Felicity Arbuthnot

It seems the world is sold a withdrawal from Iraq which was not quite what it seemed as presented by the Panetta-Obama-fest in the Baghdad, Fort Bragg speeches of just six weeks ago.
Continue

With its Deadly Drones
The US is Fighting a Coward's War

By George Monbiot

As technology allows machines to make their own decisions, warfare will become bloodier – and less accountable.
Continue

Aggression Born of American 'Exceptionalism'

By Hiroaki Sato

I thought American exceptionalism was debunked and dying. I was wrong. Continue

Who is Responsible for War?

By Buffy Sainte Marie

His orders come from far away no more, They come from here and there and you and me.
Continue

Economics Lesson 1

By Paul Craig Roberts

The consequences of a dead economy when the government is wasting trillions of dollars in wars of naked aggression and in bailouts of fraudulent financial institutions is a government budget that can only be financed by printing money.
Continue

The Impending Undeclared Default Of 5 Major US Banks

By Jim Sinclair

Jim Sinclair reveals an impending undeclared default of 5 major US banks this week. Continue

Big Brother Internet

By Gerald Celente

Government control of the flow of information will strike a blow against Internet anonymity and the free speech it has made possible. Continue

Stranger Than Fiction?
Citizen Training

By Digby

Be advised that walking your dog off leash could get you electrocuted by the authorities.Continue

 

Clashes in Northwest Pakistan Kill 50: Officials said Tuesday's clashes erupted when dozens of militants attacked a security post in the Kurram tribal region, near the Afghan border. The military responded by sending in helicopter gunships to the Jogi area for support.

Doctor who led us to bin Laden was CIA agent, says US: Imprisoned Pakistani ran fake health scheme to get DNA evidence that al-Qa'ida leader was in house.

U.S. kills 15 "militants" in Yemen: U.S. drones raided a convoy (allegedly) carrying "prominent leaders" of an al Qaida wing in Yemen on Monday night. The raid was conducted by three U.S. drones in Abyan's eastern town of Lodar, said two provincial security officials on condition of anonymity.

Obama defends drone strikes: President Obama is defending his use of unmanned drone attacks in Pakistan and elsewhere, saying they have been used to kill more terrorists than civilians.

Center for Constitutional Rights Condemns Obama for Admitting Yemeni Interim President to the U.S.: Saleh has overseen countless human rights violations against his own people – kidnapping, torturing and murdering civilians, including children – and his security forces, headed by his sons and nephews, continue to retaliate against the victims’ families.

LEAD: 15 killed in Syria as UN prepares for a "heated" debate: - Fifteen people were killed Tuesday as Syrian security forces continued operations against rebel forces, claiming to have made gains against the 'outlaws', whilst the United Nations Security Council prepares for a meeting on Syria.

Syrian "opposition" figure says Assad, family 'will be killed like Gaddafi': Syrian President Bashar al Assad and his family will meet a bloody end like former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi', as his regime falls from power, a leading member of the opposition movement has warned.

Britain urges UN to unite behind new Syria resolution: 'It is time for all members of the UN Security Council to live up to their responsibilities instead of shielding those who have blood on their hands,' said Cameron.

Russian FM: Moscow will veto UN resolution on Syria: - Russia indicated on Tuesday, January 31 it will veto a draft resolution on Syria that calls on President Bashar Assad to step down and provides for “further measures” if he refuses.

‘Syria on its knees – prelude to NATO invading Iran’: “Russia absolutely must veto any UN resolution that comes at the behest of the NATO allies – Saudi Arabia and Qatar – in near the future, because it will just be an excuse for an invasion. And that will lead to a civil war so bloody, so ferocious, so murderous that it will make what happened in Libya look like a high school prom by comparison,”

Exclusive: Leaked Syria observers' report details failings of mission: "The mission…sensed the acute stress, injustice and oppression endured [by] Syrian citizens," Al-Dabbi wrote. "Yet they are convinced that the Syrian crisis must be resolved peacefully, in the Arab context, and not internationalized so that they can live in peace securely, and achieve the desired reforms and changes."

Full text : Leaked Syria observers' report : pdf format

'Israel sees narrowing window for Iran strike': The officials said that Israel must act by the summer if it wants to effectively attack Iran's program.

Saudi Arabia says it can cover any oil shortages: Saudi Arabia could increase oil output by about 2 million bpd "almost immediately" from its current levels just under 10 million bpd. He said the kingdom could add a further 700,000 bpd, with about 90 days to reach full capacity of 12.5 million bpd.

CIA chief says appears Saudi oil 'ramping up': Saudi Arabia's oil production appears to be "ramping up" and can fill some of the demand shortfalls caused by sanctions on Iranian exports, CIA Director David Petraeus said on Tuesday.

US Lawmakers Take Next Step on New Iran Sanctions: The language could give the United States the legal authority to sanction foreign companies that buy oil from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) or have it shipped by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), Dubowitz said in an interview.

Gold up 10% on Iran rumours: India, China may pay in bullion for Iran oil; Dollar under attack

IAEA wraps up talks in Iran: media: Both sides "agreed on continuing the talks," the Fars and ISNA news agencies reported, saying a date had been set but not divulging it.

Iraq detains 16 vice presidential guards: Iraqi security forces have detained 16 of Tareq al-Hashemi's bodyguards, the interior ministry said, in a move the fugitive vice president said Tuesday was the latest in a string of false accusations.

U.S. culpable in African atrocities: The United States is shamefully implicated in the terror that Charles Taylor, erstwhile leader of Liberia, inflicted on the people of West Africa.

Americans take shelter in Cairo embassy: Rare move to offer diplomatic refuge comes after travel ban imposed on US citizens working with NGOs in Egypt.

Pressure builds for NYPD chief to resign over anti-Muslim video: Anti-Muslim training video screened to nearly 1,500 police officers

The Impending Undeclared Default Of 5 Major US Banks: The following interview with Ellis Martin covers in detail the impending undeclared default of 5 major US banks this week by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.

US Imprisons/Deports Two Brits For Twitter Jokes: Authorities in America take threats seriously, and when it comes to Hollywood royalty nearly 50 years past their expiration date, the feds don’t kid around. So when a would-be British tourist joked about digging up the body of famed Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe, US officials, to say the least, were not amused.

January 30, 2012

Fingers Itch for a War on Iran

By Vijay Prashad

If you ask Iranians, they will tell you that the war against Iran has already begun. Continue

The Demonisation of Iran
How Israel is using sanctions and terror bombing to provoke Iran into war

By Patrick Cockburn

The way in which the growing confrontation with Iran is being sold by the US, Israel and West European leaders is deeply dishonest. Continue

Satire
Iranian Aircraft Carriers in the Gulf of Mexico

By Tom Engelhardt

Stop for a moment the next time you hear of American or Israeli plans for the further destabilization of Iran and think: what would we do if the Iranians were planning something similar for us? Continue

The US/Saudi Agenda and the Syrian Rebellion

By Real News

Some people consider it a bit rich that Saudi Arabia is the one leading the charge or helping to lead the charge with Qatar, which is also a bit rich, demanding human rights in Syria. On the other hand, the people of Syria certainly have a right to rebel against dictatorship. It's a complicated question. Continue

Democratic Elections in the Middle East: Why the Islamists Win

By Lawrence Davidson

U.S. politicians - usually know little or no relevant history and are therefore oblivious to reality in the Middle East. Continue

Torture, and Impunity in US Courts

By Jonathan Hafetz

The decision to throw out Jose Padilla's suit threatens the core freedoms guaranteed to US citizens by the constitution. Continue

Any Talk of Values is a Joke

By George Galloway

HILLARY Clinton said - that the slaying of apparently unarmed, barefoot, skinny Afghan youths by armed US Marines who could hardly wait to urinate on the deceased was "inconsistent with American values". Continue

Corporations Have No Use for Borders

By Chris Hedges

What happened to Canada? It used to be the country we would flee to if life in the United States became unpalatable. Continue

Social Justice Quiz 2012: Thirteen Questions

By Bill Quigley and Sam Schmitt

The poverty rate among children in the US is over 20 percent. How does US compare with the rest of the 30 nations surveyed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development? Continue

Crises of Capitalism

Must Watch Short Video

David Harvey asks if it is time to look beyond capitalism towards a new social order that would allow us to live within a system that really could be responsible, just, and humane? Continue

13 "civilians"‚ six troops killed in Syria: Activists: : At least 13 civilians and six members of the security forces were killed in clashes across Syria today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Assad troops fight back against Syria rebels: Street battles raged at the gates of the Syrian capital on Monday as President Bashar al-Assad's troops sought to consolidate their grip on suburbs that rebel fighters had taken only a few miles from the center of government power.

The Syrian rebels' war of attrition: The rebels know they're out-gunned and out-manned, at least for now, so their strategy is to resort to guerilla warfare operations to exhaust and vitiate the resources of Assad’s security forces and army.

Video shows attack on Syrian tank: Amateur video shows a government tank explode near Homs, Syria. Rough Cut

Russia Says Syrian Govt Agrees to Moscow Talks With Opposition: The Russian foreign ministry said Monday it hopes Syrian opposition representatives also will agree to meet with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Russian capital.

Opposition Rejects Russian Plan: The Syrian National Council, a large Syrian opposition group, was reported by Agence France-Presse to have rejected the offer outright unless Mr. Assad stepped down first — a condition that both Mr. Assad and Russia have said is unacceptable.

Iran says Syria must hold free poll, but needs time: Iran called on staunch ally Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday to hold free elections and allow multiple political parties to operate in the country, but said he must be given time to implement these reforms.

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran : U.S. Defense Secretary Says Iran Could Develop Nuclear Weapon Within A Year: "If they proceed and we get intelligence that they are proceeding with developing a nuclear weapon, then we will take whatever steps are necessary to stop them," he said.

Iran: IAEA allowed to inspect all sites; no Hormuz blockade: 'The IAEA officials will be allowed to inspect any nuclear site they request from us,' the official IRNA news agency quoted Salehi as saying in a press conference in Addis Ababa.

US Navy to Deploy Third Carrier Group to Persian Gulf: The carrier group based in Norfolk, VA will also include a guided missile cruiser and three guided missile destroyers, reports Interfax.

Iran "threatens" action against U.S.: "We will respond to any threat or aggressive action in a crushing manner. Our response will definitely lead them to regret (their actions). We hope that this doesn't happen... If it does happen however, history will prove whether it is Iran or the U.S. that just talks..."

Gulf Arabs have plans against Hormuz closure - official: Al-Sabah said the planning included coordinating both between coastguards and navies of GCC countries and with Western naval forces patrolling the area -- including U.S., Australian and French navies.

India says it won't participate in Iran oil embargo: India, the world's fourth-largest oil consumer, said it would not take steps to cut petroleum imports from Iran despite US and European sanctions against Tehran Sunday night.

Turkey will not block Iran oil imports, official says: 'We are not bound by EU or US decisions, so we will only block Iranian oil imports if the UN decides to impose such sanctions on Iran,' he said.

China faces tough call in Iran showdown : A showdown between the West and Iran will partly be turned into a West-China showdown, namely whether China should comply with the West's geopolitical decision. In previous major world political conflicts, China has sought to avoid direct confrontation with the US and Europe.

US tightens the military noose around China: The bilateral talks between Washington and Manila on January 26 and 27 to negotiate the expansion of the US military presence and the deployment of US warships and surveillance aircraft in the Philippines are another step in the Obama administration’s strategy of encircling China.

Ron Jacobs: Rationalizing Idiocy: Attacking Iran For All the Right Reasons?: Iran’s alleged support for various resistance movements in the Middle East and Asia provides Israel with but one more reason to call for war, especially since those resistance movements are primarily opposed to Israel’s expansionist anti-Palestinian policies.

Dennis Ross’ ‘red line’ to the White house: Why did the White House install a secure phone in Dennis Ross’ office? During his visit to Israel last week, Ross met secretly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as with his advisor Yitzhak Molho. American officials estimated that Ross’ talks with Netanyahu are on behalf of President Obama, and part of a channel of communication that bypasses the government.

Meshal: Hamas won't tolerate Israeli schemes to turn Jordan into Palestinian homeland: Hamas chief Khaled Meshal on Sunday made his first official visit to Jordan since the kingdom expelled him more than a decade ago and after talks with King Abdullah insisted that Jordan will not be a substitute homeland for the Palestinians.

Alan Hart: Is Israel on the Road to “Self-destruction”? One very well informed and courageous Israeli who thinks the answer is “Yes”

Afghan police kill 4 "militants", capture 24 others: Afghan police backed by national army and the NATO-led troops have killed four anti-governemnt militants and arrested 24 others over the past 24 hours, Interior Ministry said in a press release on Monday.

France's Afghanistan decision raises worries: Troops' accelerated departure after the killings of four French soldiers marks a breaking of Western ranks. It could also serve as a message to insurgents that such attacks are an effective way to push U.S. allies out of the fight.

Fact or fiction? US and Taliban near deal on Guantanamo Bay: NEGOTIATORS from the US and the Taliban are edging closer to a deal for the release of five Taliban leaders from Guantanamo prison - the precondition for peace talks it is hoped will end the Western forces' decade-long war in Afghanistan.

Four killed in Pak suicide attack: A suicide bomber killed an Islamist militant commander in northwest Pakistan who had escaped two previous assassination attempts, and three other people yesterday, police said.

U.S. Drones Patrolling Its Skies Provoke Outrage in Iraq: Iraqi officials expressed outrage at the program, saying the unarmed aircraft are an affront to Iraqi sovereignty.

Watchdog says U.S. cannot account for Iraqi billions: The U.S. Department of Defence cannot account for some $2 billion of Iraqi funds it held, a report from a U.S. watchdog said on Monday, in the latest case of apparently lax U.S. oversight of spending in Iraq.

Iraqi MPs back in parliament but ministers stay away: Iraqi National Movement MPs will end their boycott of parliament tomorrow but the party's ministers say they won't go to cabinet meetings in protest at mass arrests and abuse of Sunni Muslims.

Video: Self-Guided Bullet Spots, Steers and Nails Its Target: The U.S. military has been after self-guided bullets for years. Now, government researchers have finally made it happen: a bullet that can navigate itself a full mile before successfully nailing its target.

Study: Returning soldiers may struggle adjusting to civilian roadways: The rules of the road in Iraq or Afghanistan don't translate very well on Interstate 64 or Mercury Boulevard.

Israeli researchers say more doctors should recommend marijuana to cancer patients: More than two-thirds of cancer patients who were prescribed medical marijuana to combat pain are reportedly satisfied with the treatment, according to a comprehensive study conducted for the first time in Israel.

Yemen's President Saleh arrives in US: Saleh's travel plans in the United States have not been disclosed for security reasons. It wasn't clear how long he intends to remain in the US, where he intended to stay while in the country, or where he would be receiving medical care.

China and UAE ditch US Dollar, will use Yuan for oil trade: The US dollar is fast losing out its reserve currency status with China aggressively replacing the dollar with the Yuan as a currency for bi-lateral trade. The latest is an agreement signed between the China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will use the Yuan for oil trade.

General strike grips Belgium as EU leaders meet: Belgium's first general strike in almost two decades brought parts of the country to a halt on Monday in an anti-austerity protest aimed at the new government and at EU leaders meeting in Brussels.

 

 January 29, 2012

New U.N. Draft Resolution Gives Syria 15 Days to Comply

By Josh Rogin

The draft resolution on Syria calls on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to his deputy and says additional measures would be taken if he doesn't comply within 15 days.
Continue

The Conundrum of Iran
War Against Iran Is Underway

By Leonid Savin

Washington's choice of pretexts for an aggression comprises at least three options, namely (1) Iran's nuclear dossier; (2) an engineered escalation in the Strait of Hormuz; (3) allegations that Iran supports international terrorism. Continue

US Plans for Perpetual War

By Renee Parsons

With the world's largest military force including an incomparable nuclear arsenal and a budget to match, exactly who are we protecting the Homeland from -- and what condition will it be in when they arrive? Continue

Is the World Really Safer Without the Soviet Union?

By Mikhail Gorbachev

Judging by the weapons programs of the United States and a number of other countries, they are setting their sights on a new arms race. Continue

The Present Stands No Chance Against the Past

By Robert Fisk

Thousands of Palestinians may be evicted from their homes "so that Israel can build a park to glorify a conquest that took place 3,000 years ago. Continue

Gingrich Won't Win, and Bibi Will be in a Lose-lose Situation

By Yossi Sarid

We'll have to be careful of Romney, who won't soon forget the bloodbath prepared for him by Newt and Bibi's friends. Continue

Dying For ?
Racism: Dehumanization


Video

Dahlia Wasfi, M.D.speaks to the Winter Soldier II Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) events in March, 2008. Dr. Wasfi, daughter of a Jewish mother and an Iraqi Muslim father, puts into context the background of the war in Iraq.
Continue

Will the US Back Real Democracy in Egypt?

By Eric Margolis

It’s difficult to see Egypt’s plutocratic military easily giving up all of its political and economic power to a rowdy civilian parliament, particularly when the US, Britain, Saudi Arabia, France, and Israel are all quietly backing the military regime. Continue

We Can Now See the True Cost of Globalization

Sunday Observer Editorial

The worldwide public realizes there is something deeply wrong with today's world economic system. Continue

More Candidates

By Fred Reed

Once society becomes more complex than a modest tribe or small town, once its affairs extend beyond the immediate visual horizon of the citizens, they become clueless. Continue

Suicide car bomb outside Baghdad hospital kills 31: A suicide bomber set off an explosives-packed car outside a Baghdad hospital yesterday, killing 31 people in the capital’s deadliest day in a month, amid a political crisis that has stoked tensions.

In celebration of death and war: St. Louis hosts 1st big parade for Iraq War: Several hundred veterans, many dressed in camouflage, marched Saturday afternoon through downtown along with marching bands, politicians and even the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Police Get Help With Confronting Veterans: The Justice Department is funding an unusual national training program to help police deal with an increasing number of volatile confrontations involving combat veterans.

12 militants killed in Pakistan: Pakistan Army troopers Saturday killed 12 militants and took control of a highly volatile area in the country's northwest tribal region, a media report said.

Pakistan PM bemoans 'trust deficit' with US: Pakistan's prime minister said today that there was "a trust deficit" between Islamabad and Washington as he criticised the resumption of US drone strikes on his country's tribal belt.

Three US-led troops killed in Afghan war: The incident took place on Friday when two powerful blasts hit a village near the city of Maiwand in Kandahar Province.

British occupation force soldier killed in Afghanistan: The soldier from the 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment was killed during a foot patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand Province

France, Karzai want faster NATO Afghanistan exit: France and Afghanistan agree NATO should speed up by a year its timetable for handing all combat operations to Afghan forces in 2013, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday, raising new questions about the unity of the Western military alliance.

12 killed as Syrian military launches offensive in Damascus suburbs: The Syrian military launched an offensive to regain control of suburbs on the eastern edge of Damascus on Sunday, storming neighbourhoods and clashing with groups of army defectors in fierce fighting that sent residents fleeing and killed at least 12 people, activists said.

10 killed as demonstrations erupt in Syria's 2nd city,: Some activists said the 10 killed were all demonstrators s while others said most were killed in clashes that followed the shooting on the protest.

Seven Syrian troops killed near Damascus: Damascus: Seven Syrian soldiers, one an officer, were killed in an ambush by a "terrorist group" near Damascus on Saturday morning

Syria: Rebels use Israeli arms: Syrian media outlets reported Friday that President Bashar Assad's security forces seized huge quantities of weapons used by rebels across the country, including Israeli-made arms.

Blasts in Syria blamed on militants Video - Syrian TV shows images of the aftermath of blasts in Damascus and outskirts, blamed on militant groups. Michaela Cabrera reports.Note: This report contains graphic material

Arab League suspends Syria mission - : "Given the critical deterioration of the situation in Syria and the continued use of violence... it has been decided to immediately stop the work of the Arab League's mission to Syria," Secretary General Nabil el-Arabi said in a statement. -

Russia faults move to suspend Syria mission: Russia on Sunday slammed a decision to suspend the Arab League’s observer mission in its long time ally Syria after a deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Minister: Syria determined to "cleanse" country of outlaws: "The security forces are determined to continue the struggle to cleanse the Syrian soil from the filthy and rogue outlaws to restore security and stability that Syria once enjoyed," al-Shaar was quoted by the state-run SANA news agency as telling the families of security forces killed in the violence.

Hamas says does not plan to quit Syria: "There is no change, and Hamas has not taken any decision to leave Syria, and we are still there," spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP.

Iran Says It Could Terminate European Oil Sales Next Week: Iran warned on Friday that it could terminate oil sales to Europe as early as next week, and it bluntly advised Arab oil producers that any attempt by them to replace Iranian exports would be considered unfriendly.

Iran finalizes bill to ban EU oil exports: Nasser Soudani, deputy chairman of the committee, said on Saturday that the double-urgency bill for halting Iran oil exports to Europe had been finalized in four clauses.

Asia challenges US, Europe over Iran: China, India and Turkey have warned that they won’t support a ban on Iranian oil imports and will try and prevent the US from blocking Iranian oil supplies. Japan and South Korea are planning to follow suit.

Israel warns time is running out before it launches strike on Iran: Growing body of opinion suggests that Iranian response to an attack would be muted

Barak: World must act against Iran before it's too late: Defense Minister says Iran is soon reaching a point where even a 'surgical' military strike could not block it from acquiring nuclear arms.

Postponed Israel-U.S. Drill to be Held in October: The “Austere Challenge 12” drill, which is designed to improve defense systems and cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli forces, was postponed on January 15 for what Israel said was “technical” reasons.

Pentagon Seeks Mightier Bomb vs. Iran: The Defense Department has spent about $330 million so far to develop about 20 of the bombs, which are built by Boeing Co. The Pentagon is seeking about $82 million more to make the bomb more effective, according to government officials briefed on the plan.

U.S. plans to send 'floating commando base' to Mideast, documents show: Washington Post cites military order to hastily convert an aging battleship into a special forces 'mother ship' that could be sent to Persian Gulf.

Americans oppose war: But does govt care?: With harsh US rhetoric and tensions around Iran’s nuclear program snowballing by the hour, American polls nonetheless show that most Americans think a war with Tehran would be a grave mistake. But do the leaders care?

Stop The War Protests Against Iran And Syria Intervention: Hundreds of anti-war protesters gathered in central London today at a demonstration against Western intervention in Iran and Syria. The rally, organised by the Stop the War Coalition, took place outside the US embassy in Grosvenor Square with a number of speakers addressing the 200-strong crowd.

Israel's useful idiot: US Ambassador: 'US Won't Be Complicit in Second Holocaust': US Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, said the US will not remain idle and be complicit in Iran's bid to destroy the Jewish state.

Israel Proposes West Bank Barrier as Border: Israel is proposing to essentially turn its West Bank separation barrier into the border with a future state of Palestine, two Palestinian officials said Friday, based on their interpretation of principles Israel presented in talks this week.

Israel's useful idiots: Romney: Palestinians don't want two-state solution, they want to eliminate Israel: The Republican candidate was prompted by a question posed by a Palestinian-American at a Florida debate; opponent Gingrich said in same debate he would move U.S. embassy to Jerusalem as president.

Gingrich Expresses Strong Support for Israel: Video - Former House Speaker and Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich expressed his strong support for Israel as he campaigned at a Republican Jewish Coalition rally in Delray Beach, Florida. (Jan. 27)

Secrets of the billionaire backing Gingrich's shot at the White House: Sheldon Adelson is not running for office – but his cash could swing Tuesday's Florida primary

Libyan commander says will retake Bani Walid: A militia commander whose troops were driven out of the Libyan tribal stronghold of Bani Walid this week said on Friday that his forces were massing to recapture the town but were holding back at the government's request.

NATO’s grisly crimes in Libya : It turns out that just like Vietnam and other illegal wars before it, Libya is turning into a major embarrassment for Uncle Sam.

Egyptian officials to visit US amid tensions: Military council's crackdown on NGOs, notably a travel ban on six American staffers, imperils US aid to the country.

Filipinos say no to more U.S. troops: Philippine activists picketed the US embassy on Saturday and burned a cardboard American flag and mock stealth bomber, vowing to launch a campaign opposing a plan to allow more US troops in the country.

Twitter users urge boycott over censorship: Blackout of microblogging site proposed after firm says it will block tweets on geo-specific basis if legally necessary.

Germany calls for EU to control Greek budget: Report: Germany wants Greece to surrender sovereignty over fiscal policy to a eurozone commissioner before Athens gets a second bailout, the Financial Times reported Friday, citing a copy of the proposal.

Greece 'will not discuss' EU budget control: Debt-stricken Athens says German proposal to cede control of its fiscal policy to EU is "out of the question".

Portugal Restructuring Certain; Ireland, Spain Likely-Rogoff: A restructuring of Portugal's sovereign debt will inevitably follow that of Greece, and there is a very high probability that Ireland and Spain will have to do the same to the overloaded debt of their banks, according to U.S. academic economist Kenneth Rogoff.

‘Austerity disease’ spreads through the West: WHAT DO Nobel Prize-winning development economist Amartya Sen and IMF chief Christine Lagarde have in common? They both oppose the prevailing orthodoxy that all heavily indebted governments must cut their way back to prosperity as soon as they can. And they are not alone.

America's war on drugs 'biggest mistake since slavery', says California judge: Californians have been voting in a referendum on whether to legalise cannabis in the US state. James Gray, a former Superior Court Judge, tells Alastair Good why he thinks that the United States' policy of drug prohibition has failed. :

300 arrested as police use flashbangs & tear-gas against protesters : Video - A 2,000-strong Occupy Oakland march turned violent, with some protesters claiming that rubber bullets were also fired into the crowd.

 

January 27, 2012

Masked Gunmen Rule in Damascus: Video

By RT

In many parts of the county it is not clear who is actually in control. The situation is certainly very dangerous for civilians. Continue

The Human Rights “Success” In Libya

By Glenn Greenwald

When the West invokes human rights concerns to justify an attack on a dictator whom it has long tolerated (and often even supported), that is rather compelling evidence that human rights is the packaging for the war, not the goal. Continue

Israeli Assassinations and US Presidents

By Alison Weir

There is evidence that in 1991 an Israeli undercover team planned to assassinate a U.S. President. The intended victim was George Herbert Walker Bush. Continue

The Fruit that Did Not Fall
The 'idiocy and ignorance' of US Republican race

By Fidel Castro

News from Spain, France, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, England, the Malvinas and several other parts of the planet are serious and all foretell political and economic disaster due to the foolhardiness of the United States and its allies. Continue

Not a Peep About the President's Praise for War

By Laura Flanders

It's chilling to see just how few hits the president takes for couching his entire address in unqualified celebration of the US military. Continue

Mind Control: Weapon of Mass Persuasion

Must watch 3 minute video

"We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Click to view

Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media

Video
How government and big media businesses cooperate to produce an effective propaganda machine in order to manipulate the opinions of the United States populace. Continue

Banks Weren’t Meant to Be Like This

By Michael Hudson

The urgent issue is who will control the economy: governments, or the financial sector and monopolies with which it has made an alliance. Continue

Free-Market Medicine: A Personal Account

By Michael Parenti

When I recently went to Alta Bates hospital for surgery, I discovered that legal procedures take precedence over medical ones. Continue

The Shame and Pride of Joining Food Stamp Nation

By Christopher D. Cook

I call myself frayed white collar—part of the privileged poor. Continue

How Swedes and Norwegians Broke the Power of the ‘1 Percent’

By George Lakey

Both countries had a history of horrendous poverty. When the 1 percent was in charge, hundreds of thousands of people emigrated to avoid starvation. Continue

50 killed in Syria as Arabs go to U.N.: An Arab League team is to take the 10-month-old crisis in Syria to the U.N. Security Council, as activists said almost 50 people were killed in unrest Thursday, including 10 children.

UN Security Council convenes after 37 killed in Syria: Syrian activists and residents say security forces killed 37 people in Homs today as locals mourned 14 members of a family they said were slain by militiamen in one of the worst sectarian attacks in a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

AL Stance towards Syria Serves the West and U.S., Russia Won't Give up Support for Syria: – Head of the Moscow-based Academy of Geopolitical Sciences Leonid Ivashov criticized the stance of the Arab League, especially the Gulf Countries, towards Syria, Libya and Iran, stressing that they adopt a policy which serves the interests of the West and the U.S.A.

Russia to promote its own Syria resolution at U.N.: The remarks indicated that a Western-Arab draft resolution supporting a plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step aside will be a tough sell for Russia, a veto-wielding council member, but he did not rule out a compromise.

Putin Says U.S. Seeks `Vassals` Not Allies : The U.S. “wants to control everything” and takes decisions unilaterally on key questions, Putin said on a campaign stop yesterday in the Siberian city of Tomsk, 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles) east of Moscow. “Sometimes I get the impression the U.S. doesn’t need allies, it needs vassals.”

Saudi Arabia to recognize Syrian National Council: report: Saudi Arabia will recognize the Syrian National Council as the "official representative" of the Syrian people, a senior member of the opposition group said in remarks published on Friday.

Suicide bomber kills 31 in Baghdad attack: A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-filled taxi near a Shi'ite funeral procession in Baghdad on Friday, killing 31 people and bringing the death toll from violence since an Iraqi political crisis erupted in December to more than 400.

Fifteen killed in Iraq attacks: At least 15 people were killed Thursday in a series of attacks across Iraq, said security sources, despite an attempted crackdown by the authorities on suspected insurgents, dpa reported.

Iraq says to take legal action for Haditha victims: Iraq plans legal action on behalf of families of victims killed by U.S. troops in a 2005 massacre after the last soldier involved was spared jail time by a guilty plea with military authorities, a government spokesman said Thursday.

Sectarian clashes kill 22 in Yemen: At least 22 people were killed in clashes between rebels and fighters from an Islamist group in a province under rebel control in rugged northern Yemen, tribal sources said on Thursday.

20 "militants" killed in Pakistan : At least 20 militants were killed and 22 Pakistani soldiers injured in a gun-battle in the northwest tribal region early Thursda

Bomber targets NATO occupation force convoy in Afghanistan; 4 killed: Three Afghan civilians were killed Thursday when a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province, according to officials.

Bahrain confirms teen died in police custody: Government doesn't say how 18-year-old died in hospital, but an opposition leader claims cause of death was torture.

'Bahraini forces attack mourners': The demonstrators had gathered to mourn the deaths of four Bahrainis killed by regime forces in the past 24 hours.

Libyan detainees tortured to Death: : Several people have died after being tortured by militias in Libyan detention centres, human rights group Amnesty International has said.

Detainees held by Libya rebels still tortured-UN: "The lack of oversight by the central authorities creates an environment conducive to torture and ill-treatment," Pillay said. "My staff have received alarming reports that this is happening in places of detention that they have visited."

Aid group halts work in Libya over 'torture': Medecins Sans Frontieres suspends work in Misrata prisons where doctors are asked to "patch up tortured detainees".

In Libya, rebels still dominate Tripoli streets: Many of the fighters say they will respect only an elected government and do not recognize the authority claimed by the unelected, transitional government.

Retaliation for EU Sanctions: Iran Set to Turn Off Oil Supply to Europe: The European Union embargo on Iranian oil will only come into effect in six months, but the leadership in Tehran wants to act first: Exports to Europe are set to be halted immediately. It is a move which could mean added difficulties for struggling economies in southern Europe.

'No one can sell oil if Iran cannot': "In the absence of Iranian supply, oil prices will go up and they (the Western states) know it; However, Iran will never allow itself to be in a situation in which it cannot sell oil but other regional states can," Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, told Press TV

Halt in Iran oil could push crude up 30%: IMF: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned on Wednesday that global crude prices could rise as much as 30 per cent if Iran halts oil exports as a result of United States (US) and European Union (EU) sanctions.

U.S. to deploy more warships to Gulf in March: The U.S. plans to deploy a third convoy of warships led by USS Enterprise to the Gulf in March.

‘Massive’ Blockade Needed to Stop Iran Threat, Israeli Finance Minister : - A “massive” aerial and naval blockade of Iran, reminiscent of the 1962 U.S. quarantine of Cuba, is needed to stop the Islamic regime from pursuing nuclear weapons

'Senior IDF officer told cabinet Israel cannot stop Iran's nuclear program': Time Magazine quotes Israeli defense official as saying that Israel can only delay Tehran's nuclear program by several months, at most a year.

Will Israel Attack Iran?: (And If It Does, Can It Really Stop Tehran’s Nuclear Program?): In the effort to stir global action against the Iranian nuclear program, Israel has played its hand brilliantly.

'Israel must have credible military option on Iran': Former IDF chief of staff Ashkenazi says "everything that can be done under the radar" must be done, alongside "painful, crippling sanctions."

Engineering Consent For An Attack On Iran : Netanyahu cites Holocaust lesson in dealing with Iran: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing the lessons of the Nazi Holocaust and the danger a nuclear-armed Iran, said on Tuesday that Israel must not shy from acting alone to thwart any threat to its existence.

What are the experts saying about Iran?: Video - J Street is today releasing a video featuring the views of former Mossad Directors Ephraim Halevy and Meier Dagan, former Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, and Middle East advisor to six U.S. Secretaries of State Aaron David Miller, among others, who have sought to challenge the facile assumptions and rhetoric of those arguing for war.

Palestinian leader Barghuti demands 1967 borders: "The conflict will be finished the moment the Israeli occupation ends, and there is a full withdrawal to the 1967 borders and a Palestinian state is established," he said in Hebrew at Jerusalem Magistrates Court.

Water for all: The case for a one-state solution: Many academics, such as Rashid Khalidi, point to the fact that a de facto one-state reality has already emerged, with different classes of citizenship designated for Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, and Palestinians; effectively constituting an apartheid system.

What the Adelsons will want for their money: Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam have transformed the Republican primary by pumping $10 million into a pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC, thereby enabling his surge against Mitt Romney. So it’s surprising that comments Gingrich made last week about what the Adelsons expect in exchange for their money haven’t gotten more attention.

Egypt Bars Son of U.S. Official From Leaving: The Egyptian authorities have blocked the son of a United States cabinet member and at least five other American employees of two Washington-backed nongovernmental organizations from leaving Egypt in an apparent escalation of a politically charged criminal investigation into foreign-financed groups promoting "democracy".

Talks Signal Possible US Return to Philippines: Officials involved in preliminary negotiations said the two governments are favorably inclined toward such an arrangement -- which would come about two decades after the United States had to close its bases in the Philippines.

Papua New Guinea military coup fails: Government troops regain control of army barracks and top military commander is released but peace remains fragile

Julia Gillard `rescued` amid Australia Day protests : Australian PM Julia Gillard and leader of the opposition Tony Abbott had to be rescued by riot police after angry protesters surrounded them.

Fidel Castro Calls for LatAm Unity in Opposition to FTA: Fidel Castro described as disastrous the Free Trade Agreement the White House tries to impose on Latin America, as it did with Mexico

EU countries sign unpopular anti-counterfeit treaty: The international treaty was created in behind-closed-doors talks between EU countries and select other World Trade Organisation members over the past five years to enforce intellectual property rights on both digital and physical products.

New drone has no pilot anywhere, so who's accountable?: ith the drone's ability to be flown autonomously by onboard computers, it could usher in an era when death and destruction can be dealt by machines operating semi-independently.

'Predictive policing' could come to UK: A pioneering technique to predict crime before it happens could be imported from the United States to this country, a senior British police chief said yesterday.

U.S. Drops in Press Freedom Rankings: Last year, the United States came in 20th. After 2011, however, the United States finds itself tied for 47th place with Romania and Argentina on the list, which is compiled by Reporters Without Borders

Security video shows police lied about Rand Paul’s behavior: Although police described him as “being irate” in an incident report, footage published Thursday shows Paul sitting calmly inside an airport checkpoint, and occasionally picking up his phone.

Tom DeLay: Newt Gingrich Was ‘Erratic, Undisciplined’: Former Speaker of The House Tom DeLay tells syndicated radiothat Newt Gingrich isn't a true conservative, and compares him with Bill Clinton:

Top Justice officials connected to mortgage banks: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who's Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows.

FDA Panelists Had Ties to Bayer: Food and Drug Administration advisers, in a recent vote, said the benefits of four popular Bayer AG birth-control pills outweigh the blood-clot risk. What the FDA didn't disclose is that three of the advisers have had ties to Bayer, serving as consultants, speakers or researchers.

January 25, 2011

US/Israel: Iran NOT Building Nukes

By Ray McGovern

America’s newspaper of record won’t even report accurately what Israel (or the CIA) thinks on this important issue, if that goes against the alarmist conventional wisdom that the neocons favor. Continue

Bring on the Sanctions. Send in the Clowns

By Robert Fisk

We've been here before – and it suits Israel that we never forget 'Nuclear Iran'.
Continue

Pups on Parade
EU Obediently Pushes Toward War with Iran

By Chris Floyd

The aim of this endless string of sanctions, this constant tightening of the noose, is not more "negotiations." It is regime change, by any means necessary. Continue

The Reality Behind the Coming "Regime Change" in Syria

By Shamus Cooke

This is the strategy that the U.S. is using to channel the Arab Spring into the bloody dead end of foreign military intervention. Continue

U.S. Fueling Human Rights Abuses in Colombia

By Dan Kovalik

Human Rights Watch (HRW) just released its annual human rights report on Colombia, and it is not pretty. Continue

What Kind of Christianity Is This?

By Gary G. Kohls

Christianity has justified some of the most brutal slaughters in human history, from the wars of the late Roman Empire to the Crusades to the Inquisition to world wars to genocides against “heathens,” Muslims and Jews. Continue

Occupying Libido
Negotiating a Landscape of Hypocrisy and Hungry Ghosts


By Phil Rockstroh

Newt Gingrich's booty calls are forgivable. Stones shall not be cast. His transgressions humanize him and the balms of forgiveness of Christian believers rising from this sin-buffeted earth cause the Baby Jesus to coo into the dawn of a coming golden age. Continue

Occupy Movement Exposes Uncomfortable Facts

By Ross T. Runfola

The savage corporate plunder that led to our current recession, seems to have exploded for all time the belief in the existence of a harmonious, prosperous society. Continue

From Cloud Cuckoo Land
Obama 2012 State Of The Union Address

- Video -

Lies, Arrogance, Hypocrisy, Ignorance and ..... Continue

19 killed in clashes between soldiers and militants in Pakistani agency: At least six soldiers and thirteen militants were killed and several others were wounded in clashes between the two sides in a Pakistani tribal agency, bordering Afghanistan.

Pakistan: Senate session: Shoot down US drones, urge lawmakers: Senators across party lines urging the government first and foremost to implement the recommendation of the parliamentary committee on national security to shoot down US Predators entering Pakistani territory. They were lodging their protest over the recent drone strikes in North Waziristan which allegedly killed innocent citizens.

British Occupation Force Soldier Killed in Southern Afghanistan: The British Ministry of Defence said the death of the soldier, from 200 Signals Squadron, at a Nato patrol base in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province was not thought to be the result of hostile action.

U.S. envoy in Kabul denies partition rumours: A senior American diplomat has issued an unusually blunt denial of rumours of a U.S. plan to break up Afghanistan as part of a peace deal with the Taliban.

9 killed as U.S. military frees hostages in Somalia: U.S. Special Forces troops flew into Somalia on a nighttime helicopter raid early Wednesday, freed an American and a Danish hostage and killed nine of the "kidnappers" in a mission that President Barack Obama said he personally authorized.

Sunni militia leader killed in Baghdad: Iraqi officials said a leader of a Sunni militia that turned against al-Qaeda in Iraq and sided with the U.S troops to fight the militants has been killed in Baghdad.

No Jail for US Marine in Haditha Massacre Case: Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich demoted to rank of private but will not go behind bars, a military spokesman said.

In Iraqi town of Haditha, disbelief at light sentence for Marine who led raid that killed 24: Residents expressed disbelief and sadness that the Marine sergeant who told his troops to “shoot first, ask questions later” reached a deal with prosecutors to avoid jail time.

Dave Lindorff: US Media Iraq Reporting: See No Evil: The Iraq war may be over, at least for US troops, but the cover-up of the atrocities committed there by American forces goes on, even in retrospectives about the war.

U.N. rights chief shocked at numerous Iraq executions: The top United Nations human rights official criticized Iraq on Tuesday for carrying out a large number of executions, including 34 on a single day last week, and voiced concern about due process and the fairness of trials.

"Terrorists" Assassinate Head of Red Crescent Branch in Idleb, Kill Aged Man and Wife: An informed official source told SANA correspondent that an armed terrorist group opened fire on Dr. Jbeiro and killed him with a shot to the head after which he was transported to Maaret al-Numan Hospital where he passed away.

Gulf Arab states pull observers from Syria: Monitors from Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain left the Syrian capital and those from other Gulf states were expected to follow suit soon.

Australia urges UN action on Syria: Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has called for the UN Security Council to take tough action on Syria to prevent "murder" on the streets of Damascus.

Nations try to oust Syria from UNESCO rights panel: A growing group of countries, including the United States, Britain, Germany and Qatar, want to unseat Syria from the Committee on Conventions and Recommendations.

Netanyahu: Iran sanctions won't necessarily halt Iran's nuclear program: PM urges international community to continue imposing sanctions on Tehran, but says he is unsure whether the move will foil Iran's attempts to develop its nuclear program.

U.S. to grant three-year extension of loan guarantees to Israel: The U.S. government has informed Israel that it will recommend that Congress approve a three-year extension of loan guarantees to Israel, worth $3.8 billion. The announcement came after several months of worry in Israel that the loan guarantees would not be extended, despite Israel's request.

"Pro-Gaddafi" fighters retake Bani Walid: "Loyalists of Libya's deposed leader" seize control of former government stronghold and raise Gaddafi's green flag.

Libyan protesters lash out at new ‘monster’ in power: Libyans are accusing their new rulers of corruption, secrecy and nepotism, as protests grow across the country only three months after the death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi fueled hopes for democratic change in the North African nation.

US raid frees Western hostages in Somalia: White House confirms that US Special Forces conducted a helicopter rescue of two aid workers abducted in October.

Al-Qaeda-linked fighters leave Yemeni town: Group leaves Rada in exchange for the promised release of 15 imprisoned colleagues, having held town for nine days.

Rick Santorum thinks pregnancy through rape is God's gift? Seriously?: Invoking God's will as a supporting argument to his position on abortion hardly fits with the constitution he claims to uphold

January 24, 2012

Stop the Madness

BY YOUSAF BUTT


Despite all the hype, Iran's nuclear program has yet to violate international law. It's time to calm down, think, and above all halt the rush to war. Continue

Headlines Continued

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