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By Andrew Gavin Marshall
We live in a corporate culture, where most of us have worked or currently work for corporations, we spend our money at corporate venues, on corporate products, watch corporately-owned television shows and movies, listen to corporate-sponsored music; our modes of transportation, communication and recreation are corporately influenced or produced; our sports stadiums and movie theaters are named after car companies and global banks; our food is genetically altered by multinational conglomerates, our drinking water is brought to us by Coca-Cola, our news is brought to us by Pfizer, and our political leaders are brought to us by Exxon, Shell, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase.
In this global corporate culture it is often difficult to take a step back and look at transnational corporations, beyond what they represent in our culture, and see that they are, in fact, totalitarian institutions with power being exercised from the top down, with no democratic accountability, legally bound to be interested only – and exclusively – in maximizing quarterly short-term profits, often to the detriment of the environment, labor, human rights, democracy, peace and the population as a whole.
by Stephen Lendman
She was Washington's 67th Secretary of State. She served from January 21, 2009 - February 1, 2013. She's arguably America's worst.
From 2001 - 2009, she was US Senator from New York. In 2008, she challenged Obama for the Democrat party's presidential nomination.
Supporters urge her to run again in 2016. She's noncommittal. When asked, she says "I am not thinking about anything like that right now."
She also said she'll "do everything (she) can to make sure that women compete at the highest levels, not only in the United States but around the world."
Husband Bill urges her to run. Some suspect she already made her move.
by chycho
Let’s continue our conversation from Part 1.
One of the most amazing aspects of the African resource wars is that within their own countries, most western powers have been able to stifle opposition for their participation. An incredible achievement considering the state of their economies and the number of wars that they have been involved in in the last two decades (2011–present, 2003–2010, 1990–2002).
Let’s take France as an example since it appears to have the backing of its citizens in taking the lead role in the recent wars which are set to determine the future of Africa.
by Stephen Lendman
Munich's Security Conference is held annually. This year marks the 49th session. Dozens of countries participated. Hundreds of world leaders attended.
They included heads of state, foreign affairs and defense ministers, as well as other senior figures. Active engagement was prioritized. Current and future security challenges were discussed.
In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin took full advantage. He pulled no punches. He sharply criticized US foreign policy. He called it:
"very dangerous (in its) uncontained hyper-use of force - military force - in international relations, force that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts." US imperialism, he stressed, "overstepped its national borders in every way."
Speech by Laurent Louis - Posted by Michael Collins
"It is about time to stop lying to us and treating people like imbeciles."
Tearing Down the Empire Project: This speech represents a moment of extreme truth for the NATO powers. The United States, Great Britain, France and the lesser powers have been throwing their weight around Asia and Africa without regard to the norms of civilized behavior Their drill includes attacking countries that pose no threat to any NATO member; engaging in ruinious sanctions as a negotiating tool; threatening war; and, engaging in military actions as a matter of routine. Laurent Louis, a Belgian MP and crusader for human rights, spoke to parliament and laid out the truth behind naked aggression and the lies that justify it. Michael Collins
(Originally found at Kenny's Sideshow)
============
LAURENT LOUIS, MP: Thank you, Mr President. Dear Ministers, dear Colleagues.
Belgium is indeed the land of surrealism.
This morning we learned from the media that the Belgian army is incapable of fighting some extremist soldiers having radical Islamist beliefs existing within its own ranks but who cannot be dismissed for lack of legal means.
However, at the same time, we decide to help France in its war against "Terror" by providing logistical support for its operation in Mali. What wouldn't we do in order to fight against terrorism outside our borders? I just hope we took care not to send for this anti-terrorist operation, in Mali, these much talked about Belgian Islamists soldiers!
I seem to be joking, but what is going on in the world today does not make me laugh at all. It doesn't make me laugh, because without any doubt, the leaders of our Western countries are taking the people for imbeciles with the help and support of the Media which are nothing more today than an organ of propaganda of the ruling powers.
Around the world, military actions and regime's destabilization are becoming more and more frequent. Preventive war has become the rule.
And today, in the name of democracy and the fight against terrorism, our states grant themselves the right to violate the sovereignty of independent countries and to overthrow legitimate leaders.
by Stephen Lendman
It shouldn't surprise. Washington and Israel are longstanding imperial partners. Significant regional operations are jointly planned.
It's done well in advance. It's for strategic advantage. Operations are part of a greater regional agenda.
On February 1, TIME magazine headlined "The Fallout from the Air Raid on Syria: Why Israel is Concerned," saying:
"Israeli warplanes struck several targets inside Syria overnight Tuesday, including a biological weapons research center that was reportedly flattened out of concern that it might fall into the hands of Islamist extremists fighting to topple the government of Syrian president Bashar Assad, Western intelligence officials tell TIME."
by Stephen Lendman
It's been that way for years. Iran fully complies with Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) provisions. Its nuclear program is peaceful. US intelligence says so. Annually it repeats earlier assessments.
Washington, other Western countries, and Israel know what they won't admit publicly. So do media scoundrels. They target Iran unfairly. They report what's not true.
They hype fear. They spread Big Lies. They claim non-existent existential threats. They do it for political, not security reasons. Iran threatens no one. It hasn't attacked another country in centuries. Its neighbors have no reasons for concern.
by Stephen Lendman
Since last weekend, Israel attacked Syria multiple times. Doing so was premeditated, unprovoked aggression.
Fundamental UN Charter provisions were violated. Israeli officials refused comment. For days, America was silent.
On January 30, anonymous US officials said Israeli officials informed Washington in advance.
Make no mistake. All significant regional belligerent actions reflect joint US/Israeli policy. It's longstanding.
by Stephen Lendman
On January 31, the UN International Fact-Finding Mission on Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory published damning findings.
Access them in full through the following link.
They revealed multiple international law violations. Settlements compromise fundamental Palestinian human rights.
Violations are "interrelated." They comprise "part of an overall pattern of breaches."
They're "characterized principally by the denial of the right to self-determination and systemic discrimination against the Palestinian people which occur on a daily basis."
Franklin Lamb
Damascus
There are more than 9000 of them. Predominately young but of all ages. Volunteers everyone. Often risking their lives just to come for a twelve hour work-shift, as many as seven days a week at the Syrian Arab Republic Red Crescent Society (SARCS) Emergency Operation center.
Located at The New Zahera (blooming flowers) Hospital in Damascus just to the south of Yarmouk refugee camp, SARCS has its main emergency response teams HQ. It is here where Syrians, some Palestinians and even a few from the region and the West receive training as qualified para-medics. Maybe two-thirds of those this observer spent a day with a few days ago are students and graduates. Nationalists all, and in the main, but not everyone, supporting the government, but sympathetic towards whomever can end the killing and return life even to “pre-events normalcy”.
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