Thursday, March 31, 2011

Headlines for March 17 - March 23

A Stand For Justice


Military action against Gaddafi 'within hours' of UN vote
A source at UN headquarters in New York said military forces could be deployed "within hours" of a new security council resolution calling for states to protect civilians by halting attacks by Muammar Gaddafi's forces by air, land and sea.


Oil prices hit highest level since Sept. 2008
Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery gained $2.51 to settle at $104.42 per barrel in New York, the highest level since Sept. 26, 2008.


US Army 'Kill Team' in Afghanistan Posed for Photos of Murdered Civilians



West Pounds Libya, Kadhafi Vows 'Long War'
The US military said the first stage of coalition raids under a UN Security Council remit to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya had been "successful" and Kadhafi's offensive on the rebel stronghold of Benghazi stopped in its tracks.


A Tangled Web By Philip Giraldi
Virtually all of the government growth came out of the perception that there was an ominous foreign threat that had to be dealt with by creating more government, which means in turn that civilian government in the United States has largely become an instrument to sustain a bloated military budget to fight a war that will quite likely last forever, not unlike the constant warfare against shifting enemies featured in George Orwell's novel 1984.


Military action if Iran sanctions fail: Netanyahu
Netanyahu said if military action was taken, he would prefer that it be lead by the United States. They got us to attack Iraq for them (by way of their minions, the neoconservatives - Feith, Perle, Wolfowitz, etc).


China calls for immediate cease-fire in Libya



Republican says action in Libya is an 'affront' to the US Constitution



Robert Fisk: Palestinians understand Gaddafi better than we do
There was a time when this kind of drivel would be ignored but it is now part of an increasingly dangerous narrative in which charity is turned into evil, in which the one institution supplying help to perhaps 95 per cent of almost five million Palestinian refugees is to become a target. And since UNRWA in Gaza did appear to become a target in the 2008-9 bloodbath, this is pretty frightening stuff.


A Foolish and Unconstitutional War by Patrick J. Buchanan
“The president does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.”

So said constitutional scholar and Senator Barack Obama in December 2007 — the same man who, this weekend, ordered U.S. air and missile strikes on Libya without any authorization from Congress.


Obama Claims Gadhafi is a Danger to U.S.
To summarize, the argument goes something like this: Gadhafi quells the rebellion, causing Libyans to flee to other countries like Egpyt, causing unspecified "instability" that would in turn cause damage to unspecified national security interests of the U.S. Therefore we can't let Gadhafi quell the rebellion. How many members of Congress or the public is that going to convince?


Years after vanishing in Iran, US man proven alive



Revealed: US Spy Operation That Manipulates Social Media



U.N. Reported Only a Fraction of Civilian Deaths from U.S. Raids



Russia calls for halt to Libya attack
"The reports say that during air raids on Libya strikes were also delivered on non-military facilities. ... As a result, 48 civilians are reported dead and over 150 wounded," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the RIA Novosti news agency.




Bill Kristol calls for U.S. ground forces in Libya
Neocons got their coveted attack on Libya.


A Farewell Address by Philip Giraldi
After seven years and hundreds of billions of dollars invested, one might note that perfection is also something that costs a lot. As ex-Trotskyites, neocons can be unyielding in their understanding that freedom doesn’t come cheap or easy, even if they have been able to avoid the fighting and paying on any personal level. They know that that’s why you have government and a professional army – to make someone else actually bear the pain and cough up the cash. I'll sit with you at the tomb for the reading, Mr. Giraldi. I know how you feel.


Obama Leaves Door Open to Regime Change in Libya
U.S. President Barack Obama reiterated his prior calls for regime change in Libya on Monday during a televised press conference from Chile, the second stop of his three-country visit to Latin America this week.


Syrian forces shoot protesters, kill 6 in mosque
At least four youths were killed when the security forces intercepted them at the northern entrance of Deraa, witnesses said. Their bodies were seen at a clinic in the city.


US politician Sarah Palin visits Israel
Stay there, Sarah.


The ‘Other Muslim’ in Congress
Carson, who visited Israel last August and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Tzipi Livni, has a solid voting record on Israel and attended the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee last year. After the Gaza military operation of 2008, Carson supported a resolution backing Israel, a vote that triggered some criticism against him from pro-Palestinian activists.

So in other words, Carson is an 'Uncle Tom' Muslim.


What's Palin Doing in Israel?
For the former Alaska governor, the trip offers a chance to distinguish herself as more pro-Israel than other American politicians and, perhaps, to make amends for her “blood libel” gaffe in January that angered many Jews. Palin has already pointed out that President Obama has yet to visit Israel during more than two years in office. At a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she was expected to distance herself from the position of some fellow Tea Partiers—chiefly Sen. Rand Paul—in favor of cutting aid to Israel. You can be sure that Sarah is going to need some Kleenex to wipe the Israeli feces off of her nose.


Helen Thomas: Playboy Interview
THOMAS: I knew I’d hit the third rail. You cannot say anything about Israel in this country. But I’ve lived with this cause for many years. Everybody knows my feelings that the Palestinians have been shortchanged in every way. Sure, the Israelis have a right to exist—but where they were born, not to come and take someone else’s home. I’ve had it up to here with the violations against the Palestinians. Why shouldn’t I say it? I knew exactly what I was doing—I was going for broke. I had reached the point of no return. You finally get fed up. God love her for never backing down, despite the overwhelming vitriol aimed at her. And kudos to Playboy for this interview. What happened to Helen Thomas is yet further proof that you can say anything you want in this country about Christians or Muslims, but don't you dare criticize Israel (or Jews), you're done for.


Report: U.S. considering strategic outreach to Hezbollah



WikiLeaks: Lebanon army seized Hezbollah arms truck during 2006 war
According to the WikiLeaks cable, the Christian leaders told then U.S. envoy to Lebanon Jeff Feltman and Assistant Secretary of State David Welch that they would approve of another week or two of Israeli attacks against Hezbollah if it meant those actions would weaken the militant group.


Sarah Palin: The End of the Affair
At a minimum, we can assume that Kristol’s core operatives such as Randy Scheunemann and Michael Goldfarb will be with Palin for the long haul.


Sarah Palin dines with Netanyahu, skips Bethlehem
As expected, the former Alaska governor had dinner Monday night with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, becoming the fourth 2012 hopeful in the last three months to sit down with the top Israeli leader.


What Intervention in Libya Tells us About the Neocon-liberal Alliance
So if you're baffled by how Mr. "Change You Can Believe In" morphed into Mr. "More of the Same," you shouldn't really be surprised. George Bush left in disgrace and Barack Obama took his place, but he brought with him a group of foreign policy advisors whose basic world views were not that different from the people they were replacing


Be Consistent—Invade Saudi Arabia



The Manipulative Pro-War Argument in Libya
my real question for Judis (and those who voice the same accusations against Libya intervention opponents) is this: do you support military intervention to protect protesters in Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies from suppression, or to stop the still-horrendous suffering in the Sudan, or to prevent the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Ivory Coast? Did you advocate military intervention to protect protesters in Iran and Egypt, or to stop the Israeli slaughter of hundreds of trapped innocent civilians in Gaza and Lebanon or its brutal and growing occupation of the West Bank?


Defund NPR? What About Fox?



Obama’s Libyan War
Will is right, and it is typically unforeseen circumstances that perpetuate the excuses for perpetual war. US forces remain in Iraq today precisely because we fear what kind of regime might arise in our absence—yet there was very little discussion of this important issue before the invasion. After taking the fight to the Taliban in 2001 as payback for 9/11, we remain in that country a decade later out of fear of a resurgent Taliban. Much of the discussion concerning Afghanistan today is whether we can ever leave due to this eternal concern


Obama’s Irrelevance by Patrick J. Buchanan



US and Germany Offer 'Feeble Opposition' to Bahrain Crackdown
A government-led crackdown in Bahrain led to three protester deaths on Wednesday. Though the situation appeared calmer on Thursday, German editorialists criticize Saudi Arabia's decision to send troops in to help suppress the demonstrations and urge Western nations to not abandon the protestors.


Wisconsin Senators "Sell Out" to Corporate Interests as DC Crowds Pick Up the Chant: "Recall!"
Wisconsin Republican state Senators, fresh from passing draconian anti-labor and privatization legislation, jetted into Washington, D.C., Wednesday night to collect tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from the one constituency group that approves of what Governor Scott Walker and his GOP allies are doing: corporate lobbyists.


Court Reinstates ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutional Spying Law
The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit in July 2008 to stop the government from conducting surveillance under the FISA Amendments Act (FAA), a statute that gives the executive branch virtually unchecked power to collect Americans' international e-mails and telephone calls. The appeals court today ruled that the plaintiffs in the case could challenge the FAA without first showing with certainty that they had been spied on under the statute.


Crowd in NYC rallies against hearing on US Muslims
I apologize that some of the links in this newsbatch are a few weeks old.


U.S. Court Validates Spying Fears of Journalists, Activists






Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Headlines for March 10 - March 16

A Stand For Justice


To the Shores of Tripoli
Around 400 US Marines have been dispatched to a US base in Greece ahead of deployment on warships off Libya, an American military spokesman said today.


China says Middle East should solve problems itself
While China supported a United Nations resolution for an arms embargo and other sanctions targeting Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his inner circle, it has so far been cool to the idea of a no–fly zone over that country.


Israeli PM: Military must remain in West Bank
Barak also told the newspaper that Israel might seek an additional $20 billion in U.S. military aid to help it deal with potential threats arising from the turmoil in the Arab world. Are your communities seeing draconian budget cuts? Do you know how many trillions of dollars we have given, yes given over to the Middle East? This is why we are having to make budget cuts, including cuts to schools. Strange how we don't have to hand Britain billions each year to be our 'ally'.


Thousands Rally in Gaza, West Bank for 'Unity'



Battle for Control Rages in Libya



US envoy backs UN view on Iran nuke arms program



US Muslims find defending themselves exhausting
You would think that Muslims are the only ones that commit crimes in this country. You have more of a chance of being victimized or even killed in America by a non-Muslim, and that's a fact.


Video: Pat Buchanan interviewed about American Intervention in Libya
Great interview with Mr. Patrick J. Buchanan, one of the most experienced and knowledgeable political commentators in America. Love him.


The J Street Scam by Philip Giraldi
J Street really only differs from AIPAC in tone, not in substance. It advocates continued and unlimited United States support for Israel, militarily, economically, and politically. J Street wants Israel to have an overwhelming military advantage over its Arab neighbors and it wants that margin to be provided by Washington. It wants Republicans and Democrats together to provide political cover for Israel when it attacks Lebanon or bombs the Gazans. It does not object when Israel exercises a military option against its neighbors. In spite of the fact that the United States is in deep trouble economically while Israel is one of the richest countries in the world and is enjoying an economic boom, J Street was one of the first organizations to complain when Senator Rand Paul called for an end to all foreign aid.


Egypt swears in new post-Mubarak Cabinet
Egypt's military rulers on Monday swore in a new Cabinet that includes new faces in key ministries, responding to protesters' demands that the new government be free of stalwarts of ousted President Hosni Mubarak.


Republicans in Congress aim to cut foreign aid
But yet not one dime will be cut from our aid to Israel, the most flagrant violator of international law on earth.


Thousands in Beirut demand Hezbollah disarm
a slew of billboards has popped up in Beirut lately, saying "Israel also wants Hezbollah disarmed" – a clear message that Hezbollah sees its weapons as a necessary safeguard against its enemies.



2 US warships cross Egypt's Suez Canal
US military officials have ordered warships into the Mediterranean in case they are needed for Libya-related operations ranging from humanitarian assistance to possible military action.


The 'Beacon That Is Israel'
Koch's claim that the Arab protests point only to repressive Arab regimes denies the 63 years of repressive policies carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people


David Horowitz's Displays His Hatred Of Palestinians And Muslims In General.
He would appear to be an utterly delusional and prejudiced individual. And angry to boot. He writes for the neocon/pro-Israel FrontPageMag.


The history of the Camp David Accords reveals that even a sympathetic president could not stand up for the Palestinians
To recall this history is to recognize that so long as the Israel lobby is more powerful than the justice lobby, the United States is constitutionally incapable of being an honest broker in the Middle East. This unpalatable fact has asserted itself repeatedly, with Carter, Brzezinski and Vance, with George H.W. Bush and James Baker, and with Presidents Clinton and Obama. If a trend can be observed, it is that the United States has become even less able to stand up to Israel with each passing decade.


Report: Iran's paramilitary launches cyber attack
Gen. Ali Fazli, acting commander of the Basij, was quoted by state–owned IRAN paper as saying Iran's cyber army is made up of university teachers, students and clerics. He said its attacks were a retaliation for similar attacks on Iran, according to the semi–official Mehr news agency.


Peter King’s Radical Ignorance
King and his allies on this issue are indeed right that the problem of domestic Islamic terrorism is a concern—but their ongoing blindness toward the primary cause of their concern prevents them from even attempting to examine this issue comprehensively


Koch Brothers and US Chamber: Polluting Our Earth and Our Democracies



Rabbi decries U.S. congressional hearing for 'profiling Muslims'
An Orthodox rabbi in New York is leading a coordinated public relations campaign against a House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee hearing on the "radicalization of the Muslim community in the U.S." that commenced on Thursday.


The Tea Party vs. GOP Hypocrisy
Needless to say and despite their rhetoric, the vast majority of Republicans are wholly unwilling to do anything to substantively address our big government woes, including some who’ve carried the Tea Party banner. The chasm between voters’ desires and the establishment’s will remains wide as ever, reflecting the same disconnect that has long frustrated Americans from across the ideological spectrum with Washington politics.


After the Revolution by Patrick J. Buchanan
The National Endowment for Democracy was established for this quintessentially neoconservative end and meddles endlessly in the internal affairs of nations in a fashion Americans would never tolerate.


Emotions run high at hearing on US Muslims
Testimony reached an early emotional peak when Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, broke down in tears as he warned against "scapegoating" and told the story of a Muslim–American paramedic who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.






Monday, March 21, 2011

Headlines for March 3 - March 9

A Stand For Justice


Child air-strike deaths stir fury in Afghanistan



Obama's New Gitmo Policy Is A Lot Like Bush's Old Policy



Targeted Civilian Killings Spiral in Afghan War: UN



Special US prison units fill with Muslims
US federal prisons for the past three years have housed special units filled disproportionately with Muslim inmates whose every communication with the outside world is strictly monitored. Israel firsters are pleased.


How Many Afghan Children Can We Kill Before It Makes The News?
It is often said that Afghanistan is largely a forgotten war--a critique usually meant as a comment on the lack of attention paid to the hardships of U.S. military personnel. Far less consideration is granted to the Afghans who are suffering in far greater numbers.


Testimony doesn't match furor over terror hearing
The remarks are scheduled to be delivered as part of the House Homeland Security Committee's hearing on Islamic radicalization Thursday. Plans for the hearing touched off days of protests from critics who liken it to McCarthyism and the era of communist witch hunts.


It’s Libya’s War, Not Ours by Patrick J. Buchanan
what are U.S. senators doing issuing blank checks for war eight years after George W. Bush cashed the last one to commit the historic blunder of invading Iraq? Do these people learn at all from history? Another excellent article.


Obama orders Gaddafi to step down, reasons with air force
Libya has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa and European energy companies have invested a lot in the country, so calls of the international community to stop violence in Libya have more of a business tone than one of human rights protection.


Where were the calls for a no-fly zone when Israel attacked Gaza, asks George Galloway
As Western powers look for an excuse to intervene in Libya, George Galloway, interviewed by the BBC, asks where were the calls for a no-fly zone when Israel attacked Gaza. Would the West call for a no-fly zone to support the rebels if there was a revolution in Saudi Arabia?


Why Is Israel Aid Exempt From Cuts?
It no longer comes as much of a surprise that the average Democrat or Republican will rule that Israel aid cuts are off the table -- while supporting cuts in programs like Head Start, which educates poor children, or WIC, which provides nutrition assistance to disadvantaged women and their infants. (See this list of the proposed GOP aid cuts for the rest of FY2010).

...AIPAC produced a letter for the Republican first-termers to sign in which they pledged that, no matter what else they cut, Israel would be exempt. And almost immediately, 65 of the 87 Republican freshmen signed on.


Pennsylvania Cuts 40,000 From Low-Income Insurance Program
Meanwhile, the billions in US taxpayer dollars flow freely each year to Israel.


Do Neocons Want Democracy?
Maintaining the window dressing for their racket is always job one, even ahead of their Israel-first ideology.


Mubarak Regime ‘Provoked’ Attacks on Christians
Analysts say there is growing evidence that Egyptian security forces planned attacks on Christian churches and clergy, or allowed them to happen. The apparent purpose of the attacks was to reinforce the idea to sympathetic Western governments that without Mubarak, radical Islamist groups would gain a foothold in Egypt and wage a holy war on its Christian community.


NPR ‘appalled’ by former exec’s comments -
Also, Ron Schiller doesn't appear to interject when the two men make outlandish comments about Jews controlling the media and laughs when they jokingly refer to NPR as "National Palestinian Radio."


Former AIPAC Staffer Loses Lawsuit
In his civil suit, Rosen sought to prove that receiving secret government information and distributing it was regarded as acceptable practice by AIPAC and therefore that the lobby’s claim that when Rosen did so he acted beneath AIPAC’s standards was defamatory. To prove this point Rosen listed other cases in which AIPAC officials allegedly received classified information.

R


Israel to 'finally' impose sanctions on Iran



Democracy in Egypt
I actually don’t have a problem with recognizing and promoting US interests in the region, but my concern is, inevitably, that it will turn out to be all about Israel yet again given the conjunction of McCain, Lieberman, and Kagan.


Kissinger asks Obama to release spy for Israel
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is urging President Barack Obama to release an American convicted of spying for Israel 24 years ago.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Kissinger wrote to Obama, "I believe justice would be served by commuting" Jonathan Pollard's life sentence. This story was evidently removed at the time of this writing.


Peter King Boasts of White House Support for American Muslim Hearings



Gorbachev: The US Must Take Blame for Fanning Islamic Fundamentalism



Tens of thousands march in Bahrain, demand cabinet resignation



The loyalty dance
The U.S. has a history of forcing minorities to try to prove their patriotism, something almost impossible to do. Yet, Rep. Peter T. King is about to begin such a dog-and-pony show with American Muslims.


Why is Hillary Not Defending the Rights of Saudi Protesters?



Robert Gates, Neo-Isolationist? Patrick J. Buchanan



Uncle NED Comes Calling by Philip Giraldi



GOP Slogan for 2012: Who Lost The Empire?






Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Headlines for February 24 - March 2

A Stand For Justice


19 Killed in Iraq's 'Day of Rage' Protests
Security forces used tear gas, water cannons, sound bombs and at times live bullets to disperse the crowds


Study says US wasted billions in Iraq, Afghanistan
The report found that "criminal behavior and blatant corruption" were responsible for much of the waste related to the nearly $200 billion spent since 2002 on US reconstruction and other projects in the two countries. We need to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan NOW.


Lobbyists: Obama White House Hides Meetings Off-Site
It allows the Obama administration to keep these lobbyist meetings shielded from public view — and out of Secret Service logs collected on visitors to the White House and later released to the public.


Israel investing $1.6 million in new media warriors
In early February, military spokesperson Avi Benayahu announced that approximately $1.6 million would be invested to train more than a hundred Israeli "media warriors," who would use social media tools to disseminate Israeli propaganda to audiences around the world. Beware, my fellow Americans, this is aimed at YOU. For, without American taxpayer dollars and the use of the American veto at the UN Security Council, Israel would be finished. All they care about is that the American people remain brainwashed into believing that Israel is good, and a victim.


Iran warships dock in Syria, Israeli fears dismissed
The ships arrived on Wednesday night after passing through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, the first Iranian navy vessels to do so since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.



Israel: Pressure must be mounted on Iran
The officials were responding to a confidential document leaked over the weekend that signaled the UN body’s growing frustration at Iran’s lack of cooperation.

....
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has conveyed this message in recent days during private meetings, including one on Sunday with a congressional delegation Now you know why McCain and Lieberman were over there.


Obama talks Mideast peace with Jewish leaders at White House
U.S. President Barack Obama held a meeting with a 50-member delegation of Jewish leaders at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations at the White House on Tuesday, stressing Washington's support for Israel and its security.


How the System Works by Philip Giraldi
It is reassuring to note that at a time when governments are toppling left and right Ros-Lehtinen has the time to assure her fellow GOPers that some things will never change. I wonder, however, why her letter had absolutely zero content relating to the national interest of the United States. Surely Ros-Lehtinen understands the giving $3 billion to Israel every year makes the United States a safer, though somewhat poorer, place?

Possibly connected to Ros-Lehtinen’s effort is an announcement posted on the AIPAC website that boasts that all 67 freshman GOP congressmen have signed a letter pledging “no cuts” in aid to Israel. So much for any change coming from the Tea Parties.


The Veto from Hell by Philip Giraldi
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen criticized the resolution: "Support for this anti-Israel statement is a major concession to enemies of the Jewish State and other free democracies. Offering to criticize our closest ally at the UN isn’t leadership, it’s unacceptable." And just to make sure that Israel will have the money to expand its settlements, last Wednesday sixty-seven freshmen Republican House members sent a letter to their party’s leadership supporting full funding of aid to Israel. The letter cited the lawmakers’ "recognition that the national security of the United States is directly tied to the strength and security of the State of Israel." Congress = Israeli occupied territory (to the detriment of all Americans).


Student files lawsuit over FBI's GPS tracking



Saudi held on Texas terror charge



Is Isolationism on the Rise?
To suggest that we should just give up these ever-changing entanglements as a practical matter is disparaged as “isolationist” and therefore unfathomable, the experts tell us.....According to pollster Scott Rasmussen, his most recent data reveals that “most Americans (67%) say the United States should leave the situation in the Arab countries alone. Just 17% say the United States should get more directly involved in the political situation there, but another 17% are not sure.” A Reuters poll in January produced similar results, showing that 73% of Americans support eliminating all foreign aid. That is great news, my fellow Americans. Now, let us make it happen! Congress is not listening to us.


Mullen Mideast trip shows US 'worry': Iran general
Mullen was in the Middle East last week on a tour during which he accused Iran of fomenting instability in the region, but said Tehran was not behind the popular protests in several regional countries.


Manufacturing’s Dismal Decade by Patrick J. Buchanan
The U.S. trade deficit in 2010 worsened by 33 percent, rising from $375 billion to $498 billion, the largest percentage increase in a decade. If Obama keeps this up, he may prove as big a disaster for U.S. manufacturing as his predecessor, although these are big shoes to fill.


Another Runaway General as Army Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators



Farrakhan: Mideast uprisings will come to US
“What you are looking at in Tunisia, in Egypt … Libya, in Bahrain … what you see happening there … you’d better prepare because it will be coming to your door,” Farrakhan said in a booming voice, thousands of followers cheering in his wake.



Libya: Russia, China join France in opposing military action against Gaddafi



The Protocols of the Learned Elders of OPEC
According to this report, paid for by the Pentagon and “declassified” so that Washington Times “national security expert” Bill Gertz could hyperventilate over it, the uptick in oil prices is also part of an Ay-rab plot. The Pentagon “study,” authored by one Kevin D. Freeman, cites neocon nutball Walid Phares, a Christian Falangist of Lebanese extraction and paid propagandist for the Israeli-connected Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Conspiracy theories aside, America needs to get itself off of the foreign oil supply IMMEDIATELY. We cannot let our economic prosperity be dictated by the events in the Middle East or elsewhere. It has to be remedied NOW. We will continue to face one economic crisis after another unless we address this issue now.


Airstrikes In Libya Did Not Take Place - Russian Military :
The reports of Libya mobilizing its air force against its own people spread quickly around the world. However, Russia's military chiefs say they have been monitoring from space -- and the pictures tell a different story.



Clinton warns Latin American over ties with Iran
The United States will take action if Venezuela violates international sanctions against Iran, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Tuesday as she defended outreach to the Cuban people.


Spy Bloggers Not ‘Friending’ U.S. Targets, Centcom Says
The U.S. Central Command says its new “Persona” social media "infiltration" software is designed to cozy up to extremist bloggers overseas, not law-abiding Americans chatting on Facebook or similar sites. Hahahahahaha!


How the Rich Soaked the Rest of Us
One conclusion is clear and obvious: the richest Americans have dramatically lowered their income tax burden since 1945, both absolutely and relative to the tax burdens of the middle income groups and the poor.


West Edges Closer to Libya Military Action
US and European leaders weighed the use of NATO air power to impose a no-fly zone, with the aim of stopping Gaddafi using air power against his own people to crush the insurrection against his four decades of iron rule.


U.S.Government Rarely Suspends or Debars Those Responsible for Billions in Tax Dollars Lost to Fraud, Waste, Abuse in War Zones
In 2009, the Government Accountability Office found 25 instances in which companies and individuals suspended or debarred for committing serious offenses were awarded new contracts, Amey said.


Middle East protests: Jordan sees biggest reform rally



U.S. lawmaker, Syria's Assad working to renew peace talks with Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been briefed on Kerry's talks with Assad, opposes the plan, since he does not believe Assad is serious about making peace with Israel.


Diplomats: Syria evades nuke probe
IAEA chief Yukiya Amano had directly asked Syria's foreign minister in November to allow a new visit — in an unprecedented direct request. But a senior diplomat said Friday the foreign minister's response avoided mention of that site, promising only cooperation in vague terms.

Other diplomats said that amounts to a rejection of the request Say, I wonder from which country those other diplomats would hail?


U.S.:Neo-Con Hawks Take Flight over Libya
In a distinct echo of the tactics they pursued to encourage U.S. intervention in the Balkans and Iraq, a familiar clutch of neo-conservatives appealed Friday for the United States and NATO to "immediately" prepare military action to help bring down the regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and end the violence that is believed to have killed well over a thousand people in the past week.

Two prominent senators whose foreign policy views often reflect neo-conservative thinking, Republican John McCain and Independent Democrat Joseph Lieberman, called Friday in Tel Aviv for Washington to supply Libyan rebels with arms, among other steps, including establishing a no-fly zone over the country. Leiberman and McCain were in Tel Aviv, where US foreign policy in the Middle East is dictated.


Russia to sell anti-ship rockets to Syria
Russia will press ahead with plans to sell anti-ship cruise missiles to Syria despite Israeli concerns, Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov was quoted as saying on Saturday.


Israel could still strike Iran, despite Mideast unrest



Republicans and Democrats Agree: Cut Aid for Poor People, Not Israel
Paul's fellow Tea Partiers aren't any better. Of the 87 freshmen House Republicans elected on platforms of cut-baby-cut, at least three-fourths have now signed a letter declaring that, “As Israel faces threats from escalating instability in Egypt” – where have we heard that line of argument before? – “security assistance to Israel … has never been more important.” Subsidies are for militaries, you see, not poor people. Get with the program, Tea Partiers.


America Blows It on Bahrain
The Obama administration’s continued support of the autocratic monarchy in Bahrain, in the face of massive pro-democracy demonstrators, once again puts the United States behind the curve of the new political realities in the Middle East


High-Profile Law Professor Dershowitz Joins WikiLeaks’ U.S. Defense Team
Dershowitz is a noted Israel firster. Given that, would his decision to represent Assange be because Assange's release of Wikileaks information somehow bolstered Israel's position on some issues?


For Israel, a Lonely Day at Turtle Bay
Israel, of course, says it’s all the Palestinians’ fault. It says their U.N. gambit is just the latest move in their campaign to isolate and delegitimize Israel, proving again that they won’t accept Israel’s existence. Israel has no choice but to resist their assault using the tools at its disposal, including the American veto.


This coming straight from the horse's mouth : the Jewish Forward, a well respected newspaper that has been around for nearly 100 years, basically telling you that Israel runs the show here, folks. Believe it.


Unverified Misreporting on Libya
Neocons are supportive of deposing Ghadaffi, so, that explains a lot.


Tiny spy planes could mimic birds, insects
Besides the hummingbird, engineers in the growing unmanned aircraft industry are working on drones that look like insects and the helicopter–like maple leaf seed. The truth is stranger than fiction.


Arab revolt is a tidal wave. Does the West get what's really behind it
This tidal wave is not about Islam, nor Israel, nor the West. It is an internally driven demand for rights and freedoms from a new generation of Arabs who see the way their societies have been stolen by their own rulers. The institutions of democracy may have been denied for decades, but the human spirit’s demand for freedom remains universal and unchanged. This is what our prudent intelligence analysis and policy constructs fail to understand.


US imposes sanctions on Libya
The Obama administration is freezing assets held by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and four of his children in the United States.


Chavez: U.S. distorting situation in Libya 'to justify an invasion'
"Let's not get carried away by the drums of war, because the United States, I am sure that they are exaggerating and distorting things to justify an invasion," Chavez said Monday, according to Venezuelan state media.





Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Headlines for February 17 - February 23

A Stand For Justice


Oil prices hit $100 per barrel
America needs to get off the Middle Eastern immediately. If we want to return to the greatness we once were, we need to pick up stakes in the Middle East, quit pouring trillions of dollars therein, and get back to the business of taking care of AMERICA - before it's too late.


Colin Powell 'was lied to and used by George Bush to add credibility to invasion of Iraq'
The claims were made by Lawrence Wilkerson, Powell’s former chief of staff, in an angry and revealing interview.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1357934/Colin-Powell-lied-used-George-Bush-add-credibility-invasion-Iraq.html#ixzz1FIYMzZoa



U.S. Remains Silent on Violence in Bahrain
In Bahrain, anti-government protests have entered their third day. Bahrain is the home of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, making it a key strategic ally for the United States. While President Obama openly criticized Iran's crackdown on protesters February 15, he said nothing critical about Bahrain where two protesters have been killed since Monday.


Separate but unequal: Charts show growing rich-poor gap
the American economy is also plagued by a less–noted, but just as serious, problem: Simply put, over the last 30 years, the gap between rich and poor has widened into a chasm.



Fox Fixes CPAC
There was just too much cheering when Ron Paul was announced as the winner of CPAC’s straw poll this year, so Fox News aired a clip from last year, when room full of disappointment Romneyites jeered Paul’s first victory. Fox has since apologized and said the tapes got mixed up


Israel, US successfully test Arrow missile
Israel and the U.S. carried out a successful test of the Arrow anti–missile system off the coast of California, Israel's Defense Ministry said Tuesday. Guess who is paying for Israel's Arrow Missile System? Are you an American taxpayer like me? Look in the mirror for the answer to my first question. As budgets are slashed around the country, the billions upon billions flow freely to Israel to help her keep her ill-gotten gains, and help her oppress a once largely agrarian people.


Oil prices rise as Middle East clashes continue
Instability in the Middle East was the biggest worry for most energy traders on Friday. Troops in Bahrain confronted thousands of protesters calling for an end to the country's monarchy. In Libya, Moammar Gaddafi's regime deployed security forces and warned citizens against joining the unrest in which dozens of protesters have been killed. Protests also continued in Yemen for an eighth day. America needs to get off the Middle Eastern immediately.


Clashes rock Bahraini capital



Veterans For Peace Demands Apology From Secretary of State
Ray McGovern, a 71-year old veteran, and former CIA analyst was violently grabbed and forcibly removed from the auditorium in direct view of Mrs. Clinton. Mr. McGovern is one of the good guys.


Israel: Iranian naval vessels are provocation
Oh I see. But when Israelis attack vessels in international waters - such as the the Turkish

ship last year, or the USS Liberty - killing unarmed individuals some of whom were AMERICAN , that's not a provocation?



Double standard always applies to po little Israel.



A Middle East Without America? by Patrick J. Buchanan
What vital interest of a United States staring at bankruptcy would be imperiled if we got out of the way, stopped fighting these countries’ wars and paying these countries’ bills and let these people determine their own future for good or ill?


Internet 'kill switch' bill gets a makeover
"It still gives the president incredible authority to interfere with Internet communications," ACLU legislative counsel Michelle Richardson said today. If the Department of Homeland Security wants to pull the plug on Web sites or networks, she said, "the government needs to go to court and get a court order."




Priorities? GOP Governors Shift Burden To Poor, Middle Class To Pay For Tax Breaks For Rich, Corporations



More Evidence Wall Street Pay at Near Record Levels



Baghdad wants U.S. to pay $1 billion for damage to city
Iraq's capital wants the United States to apologize and pay $1 billion for the damage done to the city not by bombs but by blast walls and Humvees since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.


An End to Foreign Aid
Senate Democrats wrote Paul a letter stating: “These remarks are alarming and aim to weaken the decades-long bipartisan consensus on U.S. support for Israel…” Republicans like Sen. Jim DeMint, who is usually a reliable fiscal hawk and generally an ally of Paul, responded that it would be a “real mistake to suggest we might reduce support to Israel.” Sen. Lindsey Graham was even more blunt, saying of Paul’s proposal: “Over my dead body!”


A False Friend in the White House By Stephen M. Walt
As these commentators recognize, the real reason for Obama's misguided decision was the profound influence of the Israel lobby. Indeed, few observers have missed this simple and obvious fact.


Egypt is no longer committed to an alliance with Israel against Iran
Bolstered with Congressional support, Netanyahu forced U.S. President Barack Obama into the veto - which he had avoided using to date.


Israel and Chile cooperated to spy on Iran, WikiLeaks reveals



Top US lawmaker assures Israel of US support
Boehner's meeting and comments came amid worries in the US Congress that the ouster of longtime Egypt president Hosni Mubarak, as well as protests in Bahrain and throughout the region, could ultimately endanger Israel. A disgusting display. Once again, I will reminder readers of the polls of 2010 that demonstrate that 2/3 of Americans want the US to take no side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, yet - as many articles in this news batch and throughout my archives demonstrate - Congress is wholly and staunchly pro-Israel, to the detriment of the American national interest.


Mubarak's Ouster: Good for Egypt, Good for Israel
Ironically, most of the prominent American pundits and politicians claiming that the overthrow of the Mubarak dictatorship would threaten Israel are the very politicians who have encouraged Israel's wars on civilian populations in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and other policies which have helped create extremist elements that really do threaten Israel. Similarly, those now claiming that Egypt's nonviolent indigenous struggle against Mubarak will result in a repressive Iranian-backed anti-Israel fundamentalist regime are some of the very people who supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq -- which has resulted in a repressive Iranian-backed anti-Israel fundamentalist regime.


Did Someone Lose Egypt? by Philip Giraldi
nd then there is Israeli security, the proverbial six hundred pound gorilla in the room as US concern for Egypt appears to really be all about Israel.


Israeli PM: Iran exploiting regional instability
Israel's prime minister on Sunday accused Iran of trying to exploit the recent instability in Egypt by sending two warships through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, saying he views the move "with gravity."


Fox faces fallout over misleading footage before Ron Paul interview



Iran not behind Mideast protests: Mullen



UC Davis faculty members want charges dropped against Muslim students who disrupted speech at UC Irvine [Updated]
About 20 current and retired faculty members at UC Davis have joined a group of 100 UC Irvine faculty members in asking the Orange County district attorney to drop criminal charges against 11 Muslim students who disrupted a speech by the Israeli ambassador to the United States.

....The letter stated that the criminal charges will have a “chilling effect” on free speech. “To respond to such an act with criminal prosecution is excessive,” These people were ARRESTED for heckling an Israeli ambassador. We all know who was behind the charges there. Fascist a%%holes.


A New Sense of Populist Empowerment Grips the Middle East
as populist rebellions spread across the Middle East, many old formulas of suppressing them are faltering, with protesters relentlessly defying their regimes in what amounts to a collective psychological realignment in the region.


Ray McGovern Discusses Brutal Arrest at Secretary Clinton's Internet Freedom Speech
This brutal assault on a 71-year old former CIA analyst and US veteran is an assault on all Americans.


Libya protests: 84 killed in growing unrest, says HRW
The number of people killed in three days of protests in Libya has risen to 84, according to the New York-based group Human Rights Watch.


Wisconsin: The First Stop in An American Uprising?
In Wisconsin, public employees and their supporters are drawing the line at Governor Scott Walker’s plan to eliminate collective bargaining and unilaterally cut benefits. School teachers, university students, firefighters, and others descended on the capital in the tens of thousands, and even the Superbowl champion Green Bay Packers have weighed in against the bill. Protests against similar anti-union measures are ramping up in Ohio.


Revealed: Air Force ordered software to manage army of fake virtual people
Though many questions remain about how the military would apply such technology, the reasonable fear should be perfectly clear. "Persona management software" can be used to manipulate public opinion on key information, such as news reports. An unlimited number of virtual "people" could be marshaled by only a few real individuals, empowering them to create the illusion of consensus.


Cables Illuminate US Relations with Bahrain, Potential for Unrest
The cables claim that Bahrain worked with the U.S. government to monitor financial transactions from Iran. And perhaps even more importantly, Manama expressed interest in creating a broader alliance of countries in the Gulf and the region to resist Iran, the cables claim.


US and Iran could become strategic allies – with India's help



Saudi Arabia opens its wallet to stave off protests
As Saudi Arabia's 86–year–old monarch returned home from back surgery, his government tried to get ahead of potential unrest in the oil–rich country Wednesday by announcing an unprecedented economic package that will provide Saudis interest–free home loans, unemployment assistance and sweeping debt forgiveness.


Jewish Groups Scramble To Adjust to New Mideast Reality
Israel has only a handful of Arab-language specialists dealing with public diplomacy aimed at the Arab world, a number that pales in comparison with the battalions of foreign service staffers serving in the same role in the United States and Europe.

You know why that is, don't you? Egypt isn't forking over the billions of dollars to Israel like the US taxpayers are. Israel needs to keep that money flowing. It wouldn't need that money flowing if it learned to make peace with its neighbors (ie, stop stealing land and driving the natives out).


Libyan forces kill dozens, Muslim leaders urge end to "massacre"



Ex-officials call for easing stance on Iran group

The U.S. has listed the MEK as a terror group since 1997, though the European Union removed it from its own terror list in 2009.


Egypt is no longer committed to an alliance with Israel against Iran
Egypt is signaling that it is no longer committed to its strategic alliance with Israel against Iran, and that Cairo is now willing to do business with Tehran. This is precisely what Turkey has done in recent years under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. One by one the puppet regimes fall. And one day, hopefully as soon as possible, the foreign policy on Capitol Hill will reflect the will of the people (view polls mentioned by this writer in this news batch).


Assessing the Koch Connection in Wisconsin's Union Uproar The Atlantic Wire
The New York Times reported on Monday that advocates from Americans for Prosperity are on the ground in Wisconsin to voice support for Republican Governor Scott Walker's budget, which is widely viewed as a union-busting measure. Americans for Prosperity receives funding from the Koch brothers, and their conglomerate Koch Industries was a major contributor to Walker's election campaign.


Attacking the Straw [Poll] Man, Ron Paul
The National Jewish Democratic Council issued a statement blasting the choice of Paul and arguing that he has been at odds with the Jewish community on many key issues including aid to Israel.

The Pauls seem to not curry favor with the pro-Israeli community. Why? Because they dare to put America's interests FIRST. Imagine.


A New Move to Sever U.S. Business From Iran
Two Republicans and two Democrats joined forces today to introduce a new piece of legislation meant to keep the pressure on the regime in Tehran. The Iran Transparency and Accountability Act is co-sponsored in the Senate by New York Democrat Kirstin Gillibrand and Illinois Republican Mark Kirk, and in the House by Indiana Republican Dan Burton and Florida Democrat Ted Deutch.

The motivation for such legislation, which was backed by pro-Israel advocacy groups 'Pro-Israel advocacy groups' bark orders, Congresspersons jump.


Suit claims FBI violates Muslims' rights at mosque
The civil rights groups allege that former FBI informant Craig Monteilh violated Muslims' freedom of religion by conducting indiscriminate surveillance because of their faith.


letters Bush, the neocons and the fantasies of Curveball
Even if Curveball with his wild fantasies had not existed (Defector who triggered war on Iraq admits: 'I lied about WMD', 16 February), George W Bush and his neoconservative appointees would have invented someone of his ilk to help convince a sceptical public that Saddam was a threat to the strategically important Middle East.


From Libya to Bahrain, Mideast autocracy under fire
"Never, in our wildest imaginations, did we think this uprising would come from the people. Whatever happens, this ... is something no one can take away from them, or from us. It has been embedded in our memories."