Friday 30 September 2011

Obama Kills US Citizens In Yemen

By Al Jazeera

Tribal sources told the AFP news agency that Awlaki, the US-born 40-year-old father of five, was killed early on Friday in an air strike that hit two vehicles traveling through an al-Qaeda stronghold in central Yemen. Continue

Extrajudicial Executions
Ron Paul Condemns Killing of "al Qaeda’s" Awlaki

By Elizabeth Williamson

“Nobody knows if he ever killed anybody,” Mr. Paul said after a breakfast at Saint Anselm College’s New Hampshire Institute of Politics. “If the American people accept this blindly and casually…I think that’s sad.” Continue

The Due-process-free Assassination of U.S. Citizens is Now Reality

By Glenn Greenwald

From an authoritarian perspective, that's the genius of America's political culture.  It not only finds way to obliterate the most basic individual liberties designed to safeguard citizens from consummate abuses of powe.  It actually gets its citizens to stand up and clap and even celebrate the destruction of those safeguards. Continue

Extrajudicial Executions
Obama Can Kill Anyone He Wants To

By Robert Dreyfuss

American citizens are supposed to have legal and civil rights that protect them from political or prosecutorial assassinations, even if they’re bad guys. Apparently, no longer. Continue

He Kills His Own People
Obama: A Disaster for Civil Liberties

By Jonathan Turley

He may prove the most disastrous president in our history in terms of civil liberties. Continue

Is The War On Terror A Hoax?

By Paul Craig Roberts

When I observe the gullibility of my fellow citizens at the absurd “terror plots” that the US government manufactures, it causes me to realize that fear is the most powerful weapon any government has for advancing an undeclared agenda. Continue

The FBI Again Thwarts Its Own Terror Plot

By Glenn Greenwald

The FBI has received substantial criticism over the past decade -- much of it valid -- but nobody can deny its record of excellence in thwarting its own Terrorist plots. Continue

Mutiny on the Titanic

By Uri Avnery

Can you really chant “the People Demand Social Justice” and ignore the daily oppression of four million Palestinians in the occupied territories? When you abandon your principles on the way to power, what are you likely to do with that power? Continue

Blair to be Declared 'Persona Non Grata'

By Press TV

The PLO decided that Blair is no longer trusted to be an international representative as he is strongly lobbying European powers to decline a Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN Security Council, and that they would declare him 'persona non grata' in the next few days. Continue

The Best Among Us

By Chris Hedges

There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history. Continue

US kills 21 people in Somalia: On Friday, a Somali government official confirmed that the US drone had killed at least 21 "fighters" and injured many more late Thursday night, forcing many to flee the Qooqani and Taabto districts.
Bomb kills 15 at Shiite funeral south of Baghdad: The explosion triggered new anger at Iraq's leaders and their security forces, who will soon take over responsibility for the country's security on their own as U.S. troops rapidly leave the country.
11 killed in Pakistan attack: Ten militants and a security official were killed in a clash in northwest Pakistan on Thursday. The militants staged an attack on security personnel engaged in a search operation in upper Orakzai.
US will only kill Pakistani people from the sky: US kills four people in Pakistan: The assault took place in Baghar village of South Waziristan tribal district on Friday when the drone fired two missiles at a vehicle.
U.S. will not send troops into Pakistan (again) : U.S. official - : "There will be no boots on the ground," the official said. "That has been communicated to them (the Pakistanis).
China to accord consistent support to Pakistan:: “China will continue to work together with Pakistan to push our strategic partnership of cooperation to a new height"
US announces sanctions on 'Haqqani men': Targeted five individuals accused of being "financiers and facilitators" for Taliban, Haqqani group and al-Qaeda.
4 NATO occupation force members killed in Afghanistan: : Three NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) service members were killed in an attack and another died in a non-battle related injury in Afghanistan, according to ISAF press releases issued on Thursday.
Arundhati Roy : The Dead Begin to Speak Up in India : Kashmir is one of two war zones in India from which no news must come. But those in unmarked graves will not be silenced
War criminal: Obama praises killing of al-Awlaki: Obama also says it "marks another significant milestone in the broader effort to defeat al'Qaida."
Anwar al-Awlaki killed in Yemen - live coverage: Follow our live coverage as Anwar al-Awlaki, the US-born al-Qaida leader, is said to be killed in Yemen by drone strike
Yemeni President refuses to quit: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said yesterday that he will not stand down as promised if his opponents are allowed to stand in elections to succeed him.
Syrian clashes kill at least 10: SANA reported seven soldiers and police officers and at three least civilians died, the BBC reported Friday.
Dissidents in Syria reject foreign intervention: Kilo: "The opposition within the national council are in favour of foreign intervention to resolve the crisis in Syria, while those at home are not," Kilo claimed in remarks to AFP at his home in Damascus.
With Libya still smoldering, Russia rejects UN resolution on Syria: Russia, wary of more military intervention, has rejected the latest version of a UN Security Council draft resolution on Syria, where the government of President Bashar al-Assad is cracking down on violent anti-government protests.
Libyans flee as NATO supported rebels attack city of Sirte: Aid agencies said this week that a humanitarian disaster loomed in Sirte amid rising casualties and shrinking supplies of water, electricity and food.
Snipers halt NTC fight for Kadhafi hometown: In some of the fiercest fighting for days, the NTC fighters pounded Sirte with 106mm anti-tank guns, rocket-launchers and machineguns. "If we want we can destroy Sirte completely. said Nasser Obeidi, leader of a group operating four Russian-built 130mm artillery canons.
NTC seeks UN help for Sirte wounded: Libya's interim government has asked the United Nations for fuel for ambulances to evacuate its wounded fighters from the besieged city of Sirte amid reports of heavy casualties, a UN source in Libya said on Thursday.
Sirte Besieged: 'No water, no power, people flee to desert' ICRC : Dubeh Sakhr from the international Committee of the Red Cross, says with the city critically short of water, food and medicine, the refugees have little choice but to head into the desert.
Civilians urge NTC to control Libyan militias: Libyan civilians rallied in central Tripoli today to press the Nato-backed NTC regime to rein in its heavily armed militias, which they accused of intimidating residents and raiding homes with impunity.
Libya Media Front: 'No NATO success without Al Jazeera': Video report
Chavez: Libya's new UN representative a 'puppet': "Of course, that guy was there (at the United Nations) supported by the Yankees and NATO, that's why he sat there. They sat him there. He's a puppet, a dummy," said Chavez.
Propaganda alert:: "NATO is the indispensable alliance": Rasmussen : "Our Libya operation showed once again the value of our Alliance. And it was not a one-off."
Nato's Interference in internal affairs must not be covered by concept of protecting civilians : Russian Foreign Ministry: "We cannot side-step the polemics [at the 66th session of the UN general Assembly] on the concept of responsibility for the protection [of civilians], which some speakers cited while justifying the use of force in internal conflicts, including in Libya," he said at a press briefing in Moscow on Friday.
Egyptians gather to 'reclaim revolution': Thousands protest in Tahrir Square over slow pace of reform since Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power.
Jordanians call for resignation of PM: Thousands of Jordanians have taken to the streets in the capital, Amman, to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit and the dissolution of the lower house of parliament.
Outcry as Bahrain jails medical staff who aided activists: TWENTY Bahraini doctors and nurses who treated activists wounded during anti-government protests have been jailed for between five and 15 years in sentences denounced by medical bodies and human rights groups worldwide.
U.S. Congress Urged to Reject Arms Sale: More than a dozen U.S. and international human rights and arms control groups are urging Congress to block a proposed 53- million-dollar arms sale to Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, until it ends its crackdown against the opposition and adopts serious reforms.
Exporting Democracy One Bomb At A Time: U.S. Now Controls More than Half of World Arms Sales: The United States overwhelmingly dominates arms sales to the Near East, with the bulk of sales in the last four years going to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Iraq.
Israeli Warplanes Fly Low over Turkish Exploration Ship: Low-flying Israeli jet fighters "harassed" a Turkish seismic research ship exploring for natural gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus on Thursday night, according to Turkish media reports, in what seemed to be a further escalation in the already fraying ties between the once longtime allies.
Germany reprimands Israel over new illegal Jerusalem construction: Chancellor Angela Merkel calls Benjamin Netanyahu over planned construction in Gilo neighborhood over the Green Line, says Israel must prove it is serious about resuming negotiations with Palestinians.
Fall of Empire, End to Wars: Norwegian sociologist Johan Galtung, predicts the fall of the "US Empire" by 2010
Canadian protesters call for arrest of Dick Cheney: Video
Plutonium 'detected outside Fukushima plant' : A limited amount of plutonium has been detected in soil outside Japan's troubled Fukushima nuclear power plant which was crippled by the March 11 quake-tsunami disaster, the government said Friday.
Germany will leave the euro, says leading commentator: ‘My view is that it is Germany that will have to pull out of the euro,‘ said Malmgren, speaking at Threadneedle Investments’ European conference in London on Thursday. ‘The decision has already been made by the government that leaving the euro is a possibility.’
Watchdog: Regulators Bowed to Banks on Bailout: Federal regulators bowed to pressure from big banks seeking a quick exit from the financial bailout program and did not uniformly apply the government's own conditions set for repaying the taxpayer funds, a new watchdog report says.
Bank of America faces outrage over debit card charge: Bank of America got pummeled by investors and its customers Friday, a day after announcing that it would charge many debit card users a $5 monthly fee when they shop.

Thursday 29 September 2011

Three Hugely Ambitious Men
Yemen: A Restive Capital and a Burning Country


By Brian O'Neill


What you have is three hugely ambitious men, none of whom are averse to violence, using the honest aspirations of protestors as cover for their own goals. Continue

The War in Libya is a Fraud
Using Human Rights Organizations to Launch Wars

By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya

The U.S. has used NATO to continue the occupation of post-Second World War Europe. It will now use AFRICOM to occupy Africa and create an African NATO. Continue

"Right now there is a very serious threat to global peace: a new cycle of colonial wars, which started in Libya, with the sinister goal of refreshing the capitalist global system, within a structural crisis today, but without any limit to its consumer and destructive voracity," Moros said. Continue

America’s Foreign Policy Fiasco

By Patrick Seale

Now is as good a time as any to ask whether US policy hasn’t created more terrorists than the CIA has managed to kill? Continue

A Simple Way to Help Resurrect Hope In America

By Rand Clifford

Napoleon Bonaparte called history “A set of lies agreed upon.” Continue

Thinking about Revolution

By John Spritzler and Dave Stratman

John Adams wrote in 1815 that the American Revolution was not the revolutionary war. The war was only “an effect and consequence of the Revolution in the minds of the people, from 1760-1775.” This is the Revolution that we are here attempting to achieve: Continue

US Becomes a Center of Poverty-wage Manufacturing

By Andre Damon

With the full backing of the Obama administration, US and foreign-based corporations are exploiting levels of mass unemployment and poverty not seen since the Great Depression in order to transform the US into a cheap labor platform in direct competition with Mexico, China and other low-wage countries. Continue

"Rebellion Has Arrived In America"

By Mike Krieger

I will be the first to admit that I faded the whole idea of this “Occupy Wall Street” protest.  I had already seen several failed attempts at protest in NYC come and go and I just sadly assumed the spirit of that once great city had died forever.  I am extraordinarily happy to report that I was wrong. Continue

Occupy Wall Street:
New Pepper-spray Video Emerges


By Robert Mackey and Karen McVeigh

NYPD officer Anthony Bologna faces two investigations as video emerges of a second pepper-spray incident. Continue

Occupy Wall Street: Beyond Bologna

By Linh Dinh

Protest police brutality, media whoredom or governmental corruption all you want, but if you’re willing to overlook the fact that our money supply is controlled by an elite group of criminal bankers, nothing will change. Continue

The End of Poverty?

Must Watch - Documentary

Martin Sheen, narrates , a feature-length documentary which explains how today's financial crisis is a direct consequence of these unchallenged policies that have lasted centuries. Continue

Pakistan: Ten militants killed in northwest Orakzai tribal area: Official sources said that the militants staged an attack on security personnel engaged in a search operation in upper Orakzai. One soldier was killed while three others were injured in the clash, sources added.
More U.S. military action in Pakistan possible: Graham: Support is growing in the U.S. Congress for expanding American military action in Pakistan beyond drone strikes already used to target militants in Pakistani territory, a senior Republican U.S. senator says.
US 'threat' of military action unites Pakistan: U.S. accusations that Pakistan is supporting Afghan insurgents have triggered a nationalist backlash and whipped up media fears of an American invasion, drowning out any discussion over the army's long use of jihadi groups as deadly proxies in the region.
Pakistan warns against U.S. attack on militants: U.S. military action against insurgents in Pakistan would be unacceptable and the country's army would be capable of responding, intelligence chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha told a meeting of political leaders in Islamabad, according to media reports.
‘Stop the blame game’, Pakistan PM warns US: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Washington is close to deciding whether the Haqqani network should be designated as a foreign terrorist group. The organisation is believed to have strong ties in Pakistan.
Adm. Mullen’s words on Pakistan come under scrutiny: Adm. Mike Mullen’s assertion last week that an anti-American insurgent group in Afghanistan is a “veritable arm” of Pakistan’s spy service was overstated and contributed to overheated reactions in Pakistan and misperceptions in Washington, according to American officials involved in U.S. policy in the region.
White House won't second Mullen on Pakistan: Carney said that Mullen's statement is "not language I would use." But he said the comment is "consistent with our position" and tried to dismiss questions about it as a "matter of semantics."
Aid agency withdrew Pakistan staff after CIA fake vaccination scheme: Save the Children, which was not linked to the scheme, flew workers out of the country after US warnings about their safety
Five Nato troops, three Afghans killed in Herat: Two Afghan policewomen and a civilian were killed by a mine on their way to work on Thursday, a day after another five Nato soldiers died in the 10-year war against the Taliban.
19 civilians killed in Nuristan operation: MPs: Afghan and foreign forces killed 19 civilians, including women and children, during an operation on Sept. 20 in eastern Nuristan province, a parliamentarian said on Wednesday.
Four killed in Yemen violence: Four people were killed Thursday in the Yemeni capital Sana'a and the southern city of Taiz in fresh fighting between troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his opponents, according to medical and media reports.
Three killed in Iraq suicide bombing: A suicide bombing in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk has killed at least three people and injured 65 others, security sources said Thursday.
US occupation force soldier killed in northern Iraq: The US army says an American soldier has been killed in northern Iraq, marking the first such death in the country in more than two months.
Iraq: Inside the World's Largest Embassy: The World's Biggest Embassy (104 acres, 22 buildings, thousands of staff members, a $116 million vehicle inventory), physically larger than the Vatican, was a sign of our commitment, at least our commitment to excess. "Along with the Great Wall of China," said the ambassador
Turkey continues air raids on PKK hideouts in Northern Iraq: The Turkish Army's fighter jets bombed Amidi and Matin regions in Iraq's Northern region for one hour last night, the agency says.
Iran offensive kills 180 Kurdish rebels: Guards: A deputy chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday the force had killed more than 180 Kurdish rebels in a summer offensive along the northwestern border with Iraq, Fars news agency reported.
Turkey readies sanctions against Syria: "Turkey is reverting to the U.S. and European line on Syria," said foreign policy expert Semih Idiz. "The relationship with Syria has collapsed and it is heading for a freeze."
Libya: Mass killing and humanitarian disaster in NATO siege of Sirte: Refugees from the Libyan coastal city of Sirte report that thousands have died as a result of relentless NATO bombardment and shelling by the the Western-backed “rebels.”
NATO supported rebels retreat from Sirte: Equally fierce resistance from loyalists in the desert town of Bani Walid, Muammar Gaddafi's other remaining bastion of support, has stalled a final assault by National Transitional Council (NTC) fighters, said commanders, who called on NATO to increase its air support
US attacks kill several people in Somalia: Somali officials have confirmed U.S. aerial attacks on Thursday morning in an area between Kismayu and Dhoobley cities, according to Press TV.
Defected brigade says it has killed 80 members of Assad’s forces: A defected brigade called al-Harmoush claimed in a recorded public statement on Wednesday that it killed 80 people in the Syrian regime’s security forces and the Shabiha elements.
Thousands of troops desert from Syrian army: Scores of officers and thousands of soldiers have defected in recent weeks, according to one former lieutenant, amid a mounting death toll and reports of brutality against protesters by government forces.
Syria regime supporters pelt US ambassador with eggs, try to attack him during meeting: Angry supporters of President Bashar Assad’s regime hurled tomatoes and eggs at the U.S. ambassador to Syria on Thursday as he entered the office of a leading opposition figure and then tried to break into the building, trapping him inside for three hours.
Palestinians: Quartet peace plan contains 'encouraging elements': PLO secretary general Yasser Abed Rabbo says Palestinians eager to restart talks, but Israel has to first impose settlement freeze.
War criminal: Report: Tony Blair romantically linked to Ofra Strauss: Britain's Daily Mail reports former British prime minister closely associated with one of Israel's richest women. Ofra Strauss's spokesman denies affair rumors
Love or money? Affairs of Blair come under spotlight: Where did he get all that money? And why’s he so friendly with that divorcee in Tel Aviv?
In case you missed it: The Wonderful World of Tony Blair: Since resigning in June 2007, Tony Blair has financially enriched himself more than any previous ex-prime minister. Reporter Peter Oborne reveals some of the sources of his new-found wealth, much of which comes from the Middle East.
CIA: US Overestimated Soviet Missiles: The study of the Missile Gap period is especially relevant because it relates to today’s situation in Iraq, North Korea, and Iran, said historian and author Fred Kaplan and Timothy Naftali, director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and a former Harvard student.
UK: Antiwar Mass Assembly 8 October 2011: Trafalgar Square • Not signed the pledge to be there yet? Sign it now...
Fukushima Desolation Worst Since Nagasaki as Residents Flee: What’s emerging in Japan six months since the nuclear meltdown at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. plant is a radioactive zone bigger than that left by the 1945 atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
UK: North Sea gas production falls 25%: Alarming slump could put pressure on coalition to approve controversial shale gas projects
Man accused of plotting drone attacks on Pentagon, Capitol: Federal prosecutors allege in court documents that Rezwan Ferdaus outlined an elaborate plan to undercover FBI agents posing as al-Qaeda operatives that involved the use of three drone aircraft carrying deadly payloads to attack and destroy the iconic federal government landmarks.
Prosecutors detail alleged terror plot:Martinez, 22, allegedly tried to detonate with a remote-controlled device the inert vehicle bomb, supplied by agents in a sting, after parking it outside the Armed Forces Career Center in Catonsville.
U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Warns of Terror Plot: The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia is warning American citizens that a terrorist group may be planning to kidnap Westerners in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
6 charged in British terror plot: Police said Tuesday they had been given until midnight Sunday to charge the men, release them or apply for a further extension.
Citibank Collection Agents Implicated In Debtor’s Death: A businessman arrived at a Citibank office in Indonesia to pay his debts. Hours later, a family friend found him sprawled on the floor of a Citibank interrogation room with his nose bleeding, bruises on his head and abdomen, and foam in his mouth.
William Hague: Eurozone is a 'burning building with no exits': Delivering the starkest comments yet by a senior British minister, the foreign secretary claimed Germany would have to accept they are going to subsidise weaker members, such as Greece, for ‘the rest of their lifetimes’.
Argentine President Slams IMF Murderous “Idiocy and Stubborness”: “those directly responsible for Argentina’s 2001 failure, and today’s in Europe and the United States, are still trying to force the world to swallow the same medicine“ Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President of Argentine
Soros: Europe is in a More Dangerous Situation than the U.S. in 2008: “It is a more dangerous situation…to the global financial system than the collapse of Lehman Brothers…” the 81-year old investor said. “Even if a catastrophe can be avoided, one thing is certain: the pressure to reduce deficits will push the euro zone into prolonged recession. This will have incalculable political consequences.”
Bernanke: Unemployment Poses ‘National Crisis’: . “We’ve had close to 10 percent unemployment now for a number of years and, of the people who are unemployed, about 45 percent have been unemployed for six months or more. This is unheard of.”
The Men We Trusted to Lead Us: Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke referred to the nation’s unemployment rate as a “national crisis,” to finally hear those words from the man George W. Bush and Barack Obama both appointed to lead us out of the great recession is a bracing reminder of how markedly the policies of both those presidents have failed:
Wall Street protesters in for the long haul: A standoff near Wall Street between protesters opposed to what they say is corporate greed and police may drag on into winter, with a march on police headquarters the likely next test of whether tensions escalate.

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Why President Saleh returned to Yemen

By James Spencer

While the west focuses almost exclusively on al-Qaida activity in Yemen, Saleh is unconcerned by much of it – indeed, there is good evidence that he has orchestrated at least part of it and can probably bring it back under control reasonably easily. Continue

Tinder Well-Stacked for Syrian Sectarian Bonfire

By Peter Lee

Some Syrian dissidents are dropping Egypt (which has encountered its own difficulties) in favor of Libya as a revolutionary model: armed struggle supported as needed by explicit foreign military intervention. Continue

A Palestinian State?

By Ron Paul

UN membership and participation is no guarantee that sovereignty will be respected. We see what happens to UN members such as Iraq and Libya when those countries' leaders fall out of favor with US administrations: Continue

“Getting it Right: Dilemmas in Humanitarian Intervention.”

By Noam Chomsky

On September 15, 2011, Noam Chomsky shared remarks on the pitfalls of humanitarian intervention with the Williams College community. Continue

As The Drone Flies
A World of Lawlessness and Chaos


By Ralph Nader

The fast developing predator drone technology, officially called unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, is becoming so dominant and so beyond any restraining framework of law or ethics, that its use by the U.S. government around the world may invite a horrific blowback. Continue

Army Tracking Plan: Drones That Never Forget a Face

By Noah Shachtman

Perhaps the idea of spy drones already makes your nervous. If the Army has its way, drones won’t just be able to look at what you do. They’ll be able to recognize your face — and track you, based on how you look. Continue

In the Belly of the Beast

By William Bowles

Capitalist ‘democracy’ is revealed as a total sham, controlled by a political class, united only in self-interest, regardless of the ‘party’ in power, surely it’s time to rethink how we can bring about an end to this chaotic madness. Continue

The Illusion of the American Dream

By Bohemian

Once upon a time, I woke up and realized the American Dream was an illusion; a myth, a shiny-but-inedible carrot used to trap us into a narrow range of experiences, often referred to as the rat race. Continue

Propaganda
"Job Creators": Luntz Strikes Again

By Alan Grayson

As PBS put it, Luntz’s expertise is “testing language and finding words that will help his clients sell their products, or turn public opinion on an issue or a candidate.” In other words, propaganda. Continue

The Revolution Begins at Home
An Open Letter to Join the Wall Street Occupation

By Arun Gupta

What is occurring on Wall Street right now is truly remarkable. For over 10 days, in the sanctum of the great cathedral of global capitalism, the dispossessed have liberated territory from the financial overlords and their police army. Continue

Is This Woman Crazy Or What?
Bachmann Warns of Hezbollah 'Missile Sites' in Cuba

Video

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann said Monday that it would be "foolish" to normalize trade with Cuba because Hezbollah could soon have "missile sites" there. Continue

A thought police for the internet age
The Dangerous Cult of the Guardian

By Jonathan Cook

The Guardian, considered the most leftwing newspaper in Britain and rapidly acquiring cult status in the United States, where many readers tend to assume they are getting access through its pages to unvarnished truth and the full range of critical thinking on the left. Continue

US attack kills 10 Afghan civilians: The overnight attack took place in a district in Nangarhar province near the border with Pakistan on Wednesday.
US raid in Pakistan will be against sovereignty: PM: Asked how Islamabad would respond if there was a unilateral military operation by the United States inside Pakistan to go after the Haqqanis, Gilani responded: "We are a sovereign country. How can they come and raid in our country?"
China will stand by Pakistan in hour of need: Chinese vice PM: China on Monday reaffirmed its continuing support to Pakistan in its fight against militancy and for the promotion of regional peace and stability.
Anti-Gaddafi fighters pounded in Bani Walid: Among 11 National Transitional Council fighters killed in the barrage was senior commander Daou al-Salhine al-Jadak, whose car was struck by a rocket as he headed towards the front late on Tuesday, NTC chief negotiator Abdullah Kenshil said.
Libya's NTC forces urge more NATO strikes: Anti-Gaddafi forces have urged NATO to intensify its air war as they took heavy losses in a push on the ousted despot's birthplace of Sirte and his other remaining bastion, Bani Walid.
NTC fighters killed in Sirte battle: - “More than 10 of our fighters have been killed today in face-to-face fighting near Mahari hotel” in eastern Sirte, said the commander who asked not to be named as the information was sensitive.
Sirte civilians accuse NATO of genocide: CIVILIANS pouring out of the besieged city of Sirte accused NATO of committing genocide yesterday as revolutionary forces reinforced their numbers and prepared for a new attack on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's home town.
Ethnic cleansing, genocide and the Tawergha: HRI has grave concerns, not only for dark-skinned people in Libya generally, but also for pro-Gaddafi tribes including the Gaddafa. We also have particular concern for the Tuareg of southern Libya who are being accused of being ‘mercenaries’ and under attack from NATO and rebel forces. But the greatest concern is perhaps for the Tawergha.
Analysis: Libya adrift: Gaddafi himself is still free, probably hiding somewhere inside the country, and urging his followers to fight to the end. None of his sons have been captured. Heavy bombardments from NATO’s planes are killing civilians in areas controlled by his forces.
A Questionable Form of Freedom for North Africa: For years, American and British intelligence agencies hunted Abdel Hakim Belhaj, the commander of the Libyan rebels' Tripoli brigade, believing him to be a terrorist and ally of then al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Boots on the ground: Nightmare in Libya: Thousands of Surface-to-Air Missiles Unaccounted For: "We expect to deploy additional personnel to assist the TNC as they expand efforts to secure conventional arms storage sites," Carney said. "We're obviously at a governmental level -- both State Department and at the U.N. and elsewhere -- working with the TNC on this."
Syrian nuclear scientist killed by attackers: Uunidentified attackers killed Mohamed Ali Aqil, deputy rector the architecture faculty at Al Baath University, and Nael Dakhil, director of the military petrochemical school
Senior officer gunned down in central Syria: - A colonel of the Syrian law-enforcement troops was gunned down by "armed terrorist group" in the central province of Hama, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said Wednesday.
Anti-Assad fighters defy odds in Syrian town: Tanks pounded Rastan for a second day on Wednesday. At least 1,000 deserters and armed villagers have been fighting tank- and helicopter-backed forces trying to regain control of the town, residents said.
Defected Syrian officer threatens security forces: In a video recording where he announces his defection from the Army, Homoud threatened the Syrian authorities and promised more defections in the Syrian Army.
Russia against new draft resolution on Syria : Russia is against a new draft resolution on Syria put forward by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal and backed by the United States, a diplomatic source told RIA Novosti.
How revolution turned sour in the birthplace of the Arab Spring: Kim Sengupta returns to the Tunisian city where a street trader's self-immolation changed the course of history
France: Iran risks attack if it continues to develop nuclear program: French envoy to UN does not specify who would carry out strike, but warns attack would have 'disastrous consequences in the region.'
Netanyahu's messianism could launch attack on Iran: Benjamin Netanyahu promised to tell the truth at the United Nations, and the truth was indeed revealed. The prime minister chose in this speech to quote reverently from his meetings with one person only: the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who viewed himself as the messiah.
Iran to mass-produce cruise missile: Iran has launched a mass-production line of the domestically-built Qader marine cruise missile to supply the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) naval forces and the country's Navy.
Iran says could deploy navy near U.S. coast: report: "Like the arrogant powers that are present near our marine borders, we will also have a powerful presence close to American marine borders," the head of the Navy, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
French far-right militants join Israeli settlers in West Bank: Earlier this month an announcement appeared on a French website, calling for “militants with military experience” to participate in a solidarity trip to Israel and the occupied West Bank between 19 and 25 September.
Israeli father of released U.S. hiker says his son is 'faring well': Jacob Fattal, whose son Josh was one of two American hikers released last week after spending two years in an Iranian prison, has told Haaretz that his son is faring well.
20 killed in Afghan violence: A senior police official and eight other Afghan policemen were killed Wednesday in a spate of violence in the south, officials said. In addition, 11 insurgents were killed in clashes with security forces Tuesday night in eastern Afghanistan.
New Zealand Occupation Force Soldier Killed In Afghanistan: A New Zealand special forces soldier has been shot dead in Afghanistan while taking part in an operation against insurgents near the capital Kabul.
U.N. Says Afghan Clashes on Rise: Violence in the Afghan war is escalating, with almost 40% more security incidents in the first eight months of 2011 compared to the same period last year, according to a new United Nations report.
U.S. kills 4 people in Pakistan: : Renewed U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan on Tuesday have killed at least four suspected militants, local media reported on Wednesday.
Fallout feared if US steps up ‘extrajudicial killings’: “At this critical juncture, the drone strikes have been causing fear and panic among the people of Fata. Any expansion in drone strikes will further deteriorate the situation adding to public backlash in Pakistan and resulting in more anti-American sentiments.
Pakistan is able to retaliate if need be: Senate defense committee: The committee condemned all the allegations made by the US against Pakistan and was also seriously considering all the threats given by them
Tribesmen threaten the US with holy war: Waving party flags and wearing ribbons inscribed with verses from the Holy Qur’an, dozens of tribesmen joined the throng armed with Kalashnikovs. - “The whole nation will wage a jihad against America and will fight against them shoulder to shoulder with Pakistani armed forces,” Haq added.
In Pakistani Media, the U.S. Is a Target for Acrimony: The United States might still be weighing its options about how to deal with Pakistan, but many politicians, retired army generals and popular television talk show hosts here have already made up their minds that America is on the warpath with their country.
Gunmen kill 5 relatives of Sunni militiaman allied with Iraqi government, officials say: — Gunmen wearing military-style uniforms broke into the house of a pro-government Sunni militiaman early on Wednesday and killed five members of his family, including three children, Iraqi officials said.
Yemen army fighter shot down as hundreds of thousands call for president execution: Tribesmen fighting soldiers loyal to Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh shot down Wednesday an army fighter jet. A Sukhoi SU-22 "fell during a regular mission" and opposition leaders were "responsible for the incident," said a military spokesman quoted by Saba state news agency.
Defected soldiers blur the lines of peaceful protests in Yemen's conflict: The city is carved into enclaves between soldiers loyal to Saleh and troops following a general who backs the opposition, and is still reeling from a week of shelling and shooting which killed more than 100 people.
CIA, Pentagon fight to keep "Osama bin Laden" death photos secret: CIA National Clandestine Service Director wrote that the CIA has "52 unique....photographs and/or videorecordings" depicting bin Laden during or after the May operation. Bennett said all the imagery is classified "TOP SECRET," meaning that disclosure of the material could lead to "exceptionally grave damage" to U.S. national security.
Guilty even when proven innocent: Even Those Cleared of Crimes Can Stay on F.B.I.’s Watch List: The Federal Bureau of Investigation is permitted to include people on the government’s terrorist watch list even if they have been acquitted of terrorism-related offenses or the charges are dropped, according to newly released documents.
Border bill would expand Homeland Security powers: That question is driving a heated debate over a controversial bill to give the Department of Homeland Security sweeping authority over federal lands within 100 miles of the U. S. border.
Germany slams 'stupid' US plans to boost EU rescue fund: Germany and America were on a collision course on Tuesday night over the handling of Europe's debt crisis after Berlin savaged plans to boost the EU rescue fund as a "stupid idea" and told the White House to sort out its own mess before giving gratuitous advice to others.
BAE Systems axes nearly 3,000 jobs in UK: British arms manufacturer blames governments' reductions in defence budgets as it cuts jobs in facilities across the UK.
Protesters plan to occupy London Stock Exchange: A group of protesters are organising an occupation of the London Stock Exchange to bring attention to what they see as unethical behaviour on the part of banks, following a similar demonstration on Wall Street.
'Occupy Wall Street' Fighting Bankster Greed and the Surveillance State: The crackdown on the Wall Street protesters this weekend seems to have backfired. The campsite-cum-experiment in radical democracy is still there, holding general assemblies just shouting distance from Goldman Sachs and the Wall Street bull. It even appears to be growing.
Occupy Boston: smart, savvy, and aiming to emulate Wall Street protests: About 200 people in Boston express their outrage at America's economic woes – and promise to take up the protest baton
U.S. economy on ‘knife edge’ of contraction: Fed economist: The U.S. jobs engine has lost momentum and could be set for further "backtracking," Dallas Fed chief economist Harvey Rosenblum told a forum sponsored by the greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Meanwhile, he said, there is also a "credible" risk of rising inflation.
Record numbers seeking government aid, Sacramento welfare chief says: One in four county residents is served by the county's welfare agency, Wagstaff said.

Tuesday 27 September 2011

America’s “Worst Enemy”
The Latest Orchestrated Threat and The End of History

By Paul Craig Roberts

Have you ever before heard of the Haqqanis? I didn’t think so. Like Al Qaeda, about which no one had ever heard prior to 9/11, the “Haqqani Network” has popped up in time of need to justify America’s next war--Pakistan. Continue

Killing Without Trial
Drones Make War Too Easy

By John B. QUIGLEY

Negative reaction to our drone attacks has been strongest in Pakistan, where drones are regarded as a terror weapon. Continue

Chávez, Evo y Obama
A monstrous crime committed by the US and their NATO allies

By Fidel Castro

Was it not precisely the government of the State hosting the UN that ordered the butchery in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the mercenary attack on the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, the invasion of Santo Domingo, the “Dirty War” in Nicaragua, the occupation of Grenada and Panama by US military forces and the massacre of Panamanians in El Chorrillo? Continue

Obama's Speech, Abu Mazen's Gamble

By Uri Avnery

A wonderful speech. A beautiful speech. - A work of art. The art of hypocrisy. Almost every statement in the passage concerning the Israeli-Palestinian issue was a lie. A blatant lie: the speaker knew it was a lie, and so did the audience. Continue

Never Say Never
President Obama’s UN Speech and its Critics

By Lawrence Davidson

The president tells us that the Washington won’t dictate national self-determination, but it damn well can dictate the route the Palestinians must take to get it. Even if that route has proven worthless and will, most likely, lead them to their ultimate destruction. Continue

Obama Is A Political Prostitute
The Disappearance of President Obama & Netanyahu’s Security Scam


By Alan Hart

Barack Obama is still occupying the Oval Office but on policy for Israel-Palestine he is no longer the president. Continue

“A True Cult of Imperialism.”
Empire of the Son

By Thaddeus Russell

Obama literally would not exist without the Central Intelligence Agency. Continue

The Wonderful World of Tony Blair

Must Watch - Channel 4 Investigation

Since resigning in June 2007, Tony Blair has financially enriched himself more than any previous ex-prime minister. Reporter Peter Oborne reveals some of the sources of his new-found wealth, much of which comes from the Middle East. Continue

The Philosophy Behind “Occupy Wall Street”

By Vijay Prashad

All the measures taken to stem the hemorrhage caused by the global credit crisis of 2008 onward have run their course, and we are back to the day when Lehman’s shutters came down. Continue

Occupy Wall Street Interview with Chris Hedges

Video

Pepper spray, Swat teams and judicial torture. This barbarity is ever present – but rarely so visible – in American life
 
Click to view

The "Market is Toast."
"Governments don't rule the world; Goldman Sachs rules the world"

Must Watch Video

In a scary and painfully frank interview a freaked out BBC interviewer is visibly shaken when market trader Alessio Rastani predicts that the "Market is Toast." Apparently there is nothing Euro governments can do. Continue

Whites No Healthier than Blacks in Canada: Study

By Frederik Joelving

Black people in Canada are at least as healthy as whites, hints a study that is a stark contrast to U.S. statistics. Continue

US kills 35 in Afghanistan: The causalities come after the warplanes targeted a residential area in Ab Band district of the Ghazni Province on Tuesday, a Press TV correspondent reported.
US-led forces kill 19 Afghan civilians: Head of the provincial council of Afghanistan's eastern province of Nuristan said on Monday that the deadly operation had been conducted by foreign forces last Wednesday. Similar operations by US-led troops in eastern provinces of Wardak, Logar and Paktia left at least 12 people dead and injured several others on Sunday.
16 killed in roadside bomb blast in western Afghanistan: A station wagon packed with Afghan civilians struck a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan, triggering an explosion that killed 16 people, 11 of them children, Afghan officials said.
Two Killed by Suicide Bomber in Kabul: Provincial Government spokesperson Daoud Ahmadi reported that the incident on Tuesday has left two civilians dead, including a young boy, as well as wounding 26 others.
CIA contractor killed in Afghanistan: An Afghan working for the U.S. government killed a CIA contractor and wounded another American in an attack on the intelligence agency’s office in Kabul, officials said Monday
U.S. defense official resigns over alleged 'Jason Bourne' death squad in Afghanistan: A senior U.S. defense official who allegedly set up a spy network of ‘Jason Bournes’ to help track and kill Islamic militants has resigned from the Air Force but maintains his innocence.
Security worsens in Afghan capital: Deadly shooting incident inside CIA office is latest in a series of brazen attacks in Kabul.
US commander says 800 more US trainers heading to Afghanistan by March: The number of American military trainers in Afghanistan will increase by 800 by next March, a jump of nearly 25 percent in the U.S. commitment there, the top commander in charge of training said Monday.
US kills 3 people in Pakistan: A non-UN-sanctioned US drone strike has killed at least three people in Pakistan's South Waziristan's tribal region on the Afghan border, local intelligence officials say.
Pakistan PM warns US on 'negative messaging': Yusuf Reza Gilani tells Washington to desist from levelling accusations that stokes anti-Americanism in his country.
Three killed in roadside blast: - A roadside bomb in northern Iraq killed three people on Monday, while in Baghdad gunmen wounded two government officials in failed assassination attempts, officials said.
Turkish Air forces strike Kandil Mountain: The Turkish Air Force struck blows on Monday night in the Kandil Mountain in northern Iraq, the Sabah newspaper reported.
Iraq to buy US warplanes worth around $3 billion: Country has found itself flush with cash, reaping windfall profits as world oil prices remain above projections
6 killed as Syrian forces mount raids on dissent: As China expressed its concern at the wider implications of the turbulence, the United States warned of signs that President Bashar al-Assad's opponents were turning to violence.
Thousands of Syrian Army defectors join militias : The militias were believed to be aligned with the Free Syrian Army, commanded from neighboring Turkey. The sources said between 3,000 and 5,000 fled the Syrian Army, some of them with their weapons.
Syria: Rebels Using IDF Arms: According to the report, quoted by IsraelDefense.com, a Peugot 404 car carrying weapons was seized in Homs. The car was allegedly found to be carrying Israeli-made machine guns and hand grenades, as well as explosive charges and sophisticated communications devices.
Syria accuses West for 'total chaos': Syria accused the West of trying to unleash "total chaos" that would lead to the break-up of the country, as rights groups said Syrian forces strafed political dissidents with machineguns yesterday.
Fearing Change, Syria’s Christians Back Assad: Abu Elias sat beneath the towering stairs leading from the Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya, a church high up in the mountains outside Damascus, where Christians have worshiped for 1,400 years. “We are all scared of what will come next,” he said turning to a man seated beside him, Robert, an Iraqi refugee who escaped the sectarian strife in his homeland.
Two killed as Yemen's defence minister survives bombing: Yemeni Defence Minister Mohammad Nasser Ali survived an attack on his convoy in the southern city of Aden, government officials said on Tuesday. Two members of his entourage were killed in the attack, officials said.
Battle for Sirte continues as civilians flee town under siege: Snipers defending Muammar Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte held off an advance on Tuesday by interim government forces, as the last bastion of support for Gaddafi fought to keep the new government out.
Libya's City of Bani Walid Crushes Rebel Advance: Bani Walid residents reject NATO-proxy rule, defeats rebels at their gates.
UN: Libya's Bani Walid, Sirte still unaccessible: Humanitarian assistance led by the United Nations still could not get access to the Libyan city of Bani Walid and Sirte, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya Panos Moumtzis said here Monday.
Tuareg tribes clash with new Libyan forces: sources: Tuareg tribesmen fought skirmishes at the weekend with armed groups affiliated to Libya's interim government, two sources with local contacts told Reuters, a clash that highlighted the challenges Libya's new rulers face in winning over fractious tribes.
20,000 Missiles Reported Missing From Libya: Al-Qaida is active in the region, and security officials fear that the missiles will be used to target U.S. commercial planes. Due to the safety risk, some in Congress are now calling for all American passenger jets flying overseas to have the same protection as military planes.
Former Rebels’ Rivalries Hold Up Governing in Libya: When the fighters who ousted Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi find caches of weapons from his arsenals, they do not entrust them to Libya’s new provisional government. Instead, they haul them back to their hometowns, like Misurata, Zintan, Yafran or Rujban. And when they capture members of the Qaddafi government, the fighters say, they cart them home as well.
Spoils of war: Exclusive: Libya assures UK firms on key role in rebuild: Britain's help in overthrowing Muammar Gaddafi will never be forgotten and British companies can expect to play an instrumental role in rebuilding Libya, a senior diplomat told executives on Tuesday.
Libyan justice minister: Lockerbie case 'closed': Scotland has asked Libya's new authorities to help track down those responsible for the 1988 Lockerbie airplane bombing, but the country's transitional justice minister told reporters Monday "the case is closed."
Fact or fiction? Yemen president accused of tricking Saudis: Neither the US nor the Saudis were aware of his planned departure, said the official, calling it a “clever, canny” trick by the president. “We are not happy at all,” he added.
Al-Jazeera and the triumph of televised propaganda: Al-Jazeera - the Qatari news channel that in the space of 15 years established itself in the Arab world as an innovative news outlet - suddenly embarked in a vast intoxication campaign to overthrow the regimes of Libya and Syria through any means.
Exporting democracy one gun at a time: US, Bahrain in talks on $53mn arms deal: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which is part of the US Department of Defense, has notified the Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the government of Bahrain, the German defense news website defpro.com reported on Thursday.
US consolidated domination of global arms market in 2010: The United States consolidated its domination of a shrinking global arms market in 2010, signing 21.3 billion dollars in new weapons orders with foreign countries, according to the latest edition of an annual report on conventional weapons transfers by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Saudi woman to get 10 lashes for driving a car: Activist Samar Badawi says Shaima Ghassaniya was found guilty Tuesday of driving without the government's permission. No laws prohibit women from driving, but conservative religious edicts have banned it.
Bunker Busted: Israel planning Iran nuke plant strike? : Video - As the U.S. continues to stand by Israel, Washington's now coming under fire for new revelations of its dealings with the country. It's claimed the White House sold dozens of bunker-buster bombs to Tel Aviv - weapons best suited for destroying underground nuclear facilities in Iran.
'Why is Israel allowed to have nukes?': In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Erdogan noted that Israel is the only player in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons and asked, “Why is it that countries banning Iran from having nuclear weapons don't also ban Israel from having nuclear weapons?”
Erdogan: UN sanctions on Israel could aid Mideast peace process: In interview with TIME, Turkish Prime Minister says sanctions are promoted when dealing with Iran and Sudan, but taboo with regards to Israel.
What a joke: U.S. condemns Israeli plan for new illegal construction beyond Green Line: EU, Palestinians also denounce Israel's plan for 1,100 new homes in occupied Jerusalem's contested Gilo neighborhood.
Israel must annex West Bank settlements, right-wing MKs tell Netanyahu: In letter to premier, leaders of several Knesset factions say Israel must retaliate against the Palestinians' 'unilateral' statehood bid at the UN, or risk losing its deterrence
U.S. lawmaker: Palestinians must return to peace talks or suffer possible divestment: U.S. State Department waits for Palestinians' 'official response' to Quartet proposal; U.S. Congress members suggest reevaluation of U.S. financial assistance to Palestinian Authority.
Explosion destroys Egypt-Israel pipeline: The blast happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the region near the town of al-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula but there were no reports of any casualties, AFP quoted the sources as saying.
Freed US hiker 'has Israeli father': Joshua Fattal, one of the American hikers seized by Iran and released earlier this week after two years in captivity, is Jewish and has an Israeli father, it can now be revealed.
Fidel Castro calls Obama UN address 'gibberish': "Has any nation been excluded from the bloody threats of this illustrious defender of international peace and security?" Castro said of Obama, whose UN quotes he cited extensively in his column
French left marks historic Senate vote victory: France's left wrested the Senate from the right in indirect elections Sunday, taking the majority of seats in the upper house of parliament for the first time in more than 50 years -- a blow to conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Canadians protest 'murderer' Cheney's visit: Shouting "Shame, Shame!" and "Arrest Dick Cheney!" raucous protesters shoved and grabbed at people who paid $500 apiece to hear the former US vice president speak in Canada.
Concern over U.S. snoops drives Canadian political party to cloud-based encryption: One of Canada's largest political parties is using cloud-based Salesforce.com in the U.S. to store information about voters and interact with them, but worries that U.S. government snoops could peek at sensitive information under U.S. law prompted the Canadian party to use a strong encryption approach.
Ogden, Utah police first-in-nation to use surveillance blimp: A patrol car fitted with all of the police extras cost $40,000; a surveillance blimp will cost well below that -- possibly as low as $15,000; after that, it is $100 a week to keep it filled with helium and charge its electric batteries; the police in Ogden, Utah, decides this is a good deal
German Army’s Peak Oil Report Predicts Rising Oil Prices, Another Recession and The Demise of Banks: Last year two military planning organizations went public with studies predicting that serious consequences from oil depletion will befall us shortly
The Human Cost of a Global Crisis: Grim warning from global agencies as ILO fears 40m jobs could be lost by 2012. Undernourished total at 1bn, says Red Cross
by Guardian reporters and agencies
Strikes and protests mount against austerity in Greece: “Today, it is no longer safe for us to go onto the streets,” a politician of the Greek ruling party PASOK told the Frankfurter Rundschau. “We are the government and we are alone.”
Wall Street Donated $41 Million to Supercommittee Members: Members of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction have received $41 million from the financial sector during their time in Congress, according to a new report. At least 27 current or former aides for the “supercommittee” members have lobbied on behalf of financial firms.
Michael Moore At Occupy Wall Street 9-26 - Video -
Protester allegedly arrested for filming ‘Occupy Wall Street’: Christina Gonzales, an “Occupy Wall Street” protester, told Democracy Now that she was arrested by the New York Police Department for filming the demonstration, which has now lasted 10 straight days.
Wells Fargo accused of forging loan documents: A Las Vegas attorney who represents people facing foreclosure has accused Wells Fargo of forging loan documents. The allegation is the latest sign that efforts to hold mortgage lenders accountable are escalating in Nevada.
Shock Doctrine at U.S. Postal Service: Is a Manufactured Crisis Behind Push Toward Privatization?: Postal workers say the much touted crisis facing the U.S. Postal Service isn’t what it seems. Rather, they point to a 2006 law that forced the USPS to find enough money to fund 75 years of retiree health benefits over just a 10-year span.