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

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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

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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

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“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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.