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Israel Redefines Terrorism
by Stephen Lendman
Rogue states make their own rules, mindless of inviolable international laws, norms and standards. On October 19, Israel’s repressive counter-terrorism bill passed its 2nd and 3rd readings - criminalizing legitimate resistance as terrorism, expanding regime authority to counter it extrajudicially.
Any activity can now be called terrorism or terrorist-related, innocent Palestinians subject to possible longterm imprisonment. Charity officials providing aid to anyone linked to or associated with Hamas or legitimate resistance groups can be arrested, charged and prosecuted.
Children wearing clothing bearing the Hamas name face arrest, detention, and grueling interrogations amounting to torture. The law authorizes Big Brother surveillance, more intrusive than already, replicating how the NSA operates, monitoring all phone and online communications. Israeli Law Professor Yael Berda called the measure “scary and undemocratic…criminalizing an entire population for identifying with an organization that Israel considers terrorist (true or false)” - first introduced in 2011, redrafted several times, never brought to 2nd and 3rd readings until now, required for passage.
It expands the definition of terrorism to virtually anything considered a (real or invented) threat to public safety, well-being, property, infrastructure, the economy, religious sites or the environment.
Baghdad OKs Russia Bombing ISIS in Iraq
by Stephen Lendman
A previous article cited the Turkish Anadolu (News) Agency, saying Baghdad authorized Russia to bomb ISIS elements crossing from Syria into Iraq, according to its parliamentary security and defense committee chief, Hakem al-Zameli
He confirmed it, saying “Iraq agreed with Russia, which leads the (Baghdad-based intelligence sharing) joint data center, to hit the ISIL militants heading from Syria into Iraq” - despite Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph (“Fighting Joe”) Dunford warning Iraqi officials not to permit it, during his hurried trip to confer with them last week, saying they may lose so-called US aid, the kind letting ISIS capture and control large parts of the country. Russia’s intervention in Syria and now Iraq changes things dramatically in the region and potentially globally - challenging Washington’s imperial agenda significantly for the first time, throwing it into disarray, compounded by Jordan agreeing to cooperate with Moscow militarily against ISIS.
Israeli Forces Invade Palestinian Hospitals
by Stephen Lendman
Israel’s war on Palestine is a clear example of extrajudicial brutality, trampling on fundamental human rights, attacking defenseless people unaccountably, getting away with mass murder and other atrocities.
Under international law, hospitals are safe zones, protected spaces, off limits for military and police attacks and invasions.
The 19th century Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick (incorporated into the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols) mandates caring for them along with medical personnel and chaplains, without any distinction as to nationality.
Israel systematically breaches all international laws with impunity, operating like America, observing its own rules alone, no matter how lawless.
Hundreds of UK Scholars Support Palestinian Rights
by Stephen Lendman
Their names appeared in a full-page London Guardian ad - the accompanying text saying:
“A Commitment by UK Scholars to the Rights of Palestinians
As scholars associated with British universities (343 names listed), we are deeply disturbed by Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the intolerable human rights violations that it inflicts on all sections of the Palestinian people, and its apparent determination to resist any feasible settlement.
Responding to the appeal from Palestinian civil society, we therefore declare that we will not:
● accept invitations to visit Israeli academic institutions;
● act as referees in any of their processes;
● participate in conferences funded, organised or sponsored by them, or otherwise cooperate with them.
We will, however, continue to work with our Israeli colleagues in their individual capacities.
We will maintain this position until the State of Israel complies with international law, and respects universal principles of human rights.”
Obama Supports Police Brutality
by Stephen Lendman
Killer cops throughout America operate unaccountably - agents of wealth, power and privilege exclusively, rampaging against ordinary people ruthlessly, mostly victimized Blacks and Latinos.
Fatalities at their hands are on track to exceed 1,000 this year - more than double phony FBI reported numbers.
Official “justifiable homicides” are cold-blood murder in the vast majority of cases. Victims tell no tales, only witnesses when available.
Evidence is overwhelming. US streets are battlegrounds, Black and Latino youths prime targets, suffering disproportionately, victimized by racist injustice. State-sponsored criminality rages at home and abroad. Corpses piling up attest to America’s ruthlessness.
Brookings on Russia’s Formidable Air and Sea Power
by Stephen Lendman
Notorious corporate financed pro-war think tank Brookings represents America’s dark side. On October 23, it sent a shot across the Pentagon’s bow, headlining “Russia’s military is proving Western punditry wrong,” woefully underestimating Moscow’s formidable power, far greater than Western experts imagined.
“Russia has shown that it has the capability and capacity (not to mention willingness) to employ its conventional forces to achieve” strategic objectives, said Brooking. It lied calling them “limited,” far from it in a campaign committed to contain, neutralize and eliminate ISIS and other takfiri terrorists - so far in Syria, beginning shortly in Iraq, as well as similar Central Asian objectives.
Brookings estimated Russian warplanes are flying from 48 - 96 daily sorties - “a significant number…with recognizable successes” - a far different assessment from fabricated Pentagon and media reports about hitting the wrong targets, bombing hospitals and killing civilians, no verifiable evidence supporting bogus claims provided.
Latest NYT Big Lie: Russia Responsible for Syrian Refugee “Surge”
by Stephen Lendman
Times reporting shifts from the absurd to the contemptible to the outrageous in virtually every article on geopolitical issues. Why anyone wastes time and money reading it they’ll have to explain.
It’s a Lying Machine - a house organ for administration, Pentagon and corporate interests exclusively, the public be damned.
It’s painful enough for critics sifting through a sea of misinformation, distortion and Big Lies. Legitimate journalism is verboten, propaganda featured, readers willfully deceived.
According to , Russian airstrikes caused “surg(ing) civilian flight.” It lied, claiming its “warplanes attacked the village of Ter Ma’aleh, killing at least a dozen people and sending most of the residents into hurried exile.”
Boycott Israel: Resistance Works
by Stephen Lendman
BDS activism has had remarkable successes since its July 2005 founding - coincidentally around the same time I began writing in retirement at age 70.
I’m a proud cultural BDS member. I urge everyone to get involved for justice. Its global boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign is the most effective form of civil resistance against longstanding Israeli occupation harshness, colonialism, and apartheid - continuing without letup until Palestinian liberation is finally achieved. Dramatically declining Israeli military exports represent one of many BDS success stories - down 53% from their 2012 level (from $7.5 to $5.5 billion in 2014 - and an estimated $4 - 4.5 billion in 2015).
NYT Perpetuates the Myth about Obama Killing Osama
by Stephen Lendman
Its latest Big Lie headlined “How 4 Federal Lawyers Paved the Way to Kill Osama bin Laden” - failing to explain how killing a dead man is impossible. Resurrection wasn’t one of his skills, or anyone else’s.
It claimed “four administration lawyers developed rationales intend(ing) to overcome any legal obstacles” to killing, not capturing, him.
The New York Times ignored its own July 11, 2002 account, headlined “The Death of bin Ladenism,” saying:
“Osama bin Laden is dead. The news first came from sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan almost six months ago: the fugitive died in December (2001 of natural causes) and was buried in the mountains of southeast Afghanistan.”
Neocon House Speaker Paul Ryan
by Stephen Lendman
Ryan awakened Thursday morning one step away from succeeding John Boehner as House speaker - ousted by a palace coup. He wasn’t conservative enough for hardline Republicans.
As expected, House members elected Ryan as his successor, receiving 236 votes, a comfortable margin of victory - winning in the Republican dominated body after Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy withdrew his candidacy and Ryan bested Rep. Daniel Webster (unrelated to the 19th century statesman/politician by the same name) decisively - by a 200 - 43 margin among Republican members alone.
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