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The West's selective morality in Mali
By Khalid Amayreh
The ongoing Malian crisis looks quite minor when compared with far more tragic crises plaguing other part of the world. Yet, we have seen France, with the solid backing of the international community, embark on a bloody crusade to dislodge Islamist fighters from the sub-Saharan African country.
To be sure, the Islamist fighters in that region, particularly those affiliated with al Qaeda, are not quite sinless. However, it is sufficiently clear that whatever evil these people have or may have committed pales into insignificance when contrasted against the genocidal atrocities and injustices taking place in countries such as Myanmar, Syria and occupied Palestine.
Will Washington grasp the hand being offered by the Iranian people?
Franklin Lamb
Tehran
Truth told, this American observer has attended his share of international conferences and has traveled in more than 70 countries. But never has he visited such a complex country, evolving culture, and striving energized society, populated by idealistic people of great warmth, sense of humor and caring for those in need as he experiences in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Except when traveling in his own country.
Being in Iran during these tense times is to experience an epiphany. Which is that Iranians and Americans have so very many needs and interests in common-yes even in our religious beliefs- that both peoples should immediately repair our countries relations and return to the days when 60,000 Iranian students studied in the US and thousands of Americans lived and worked in Iran- all in singular harmony and with myriad mutual benefits.
The People Are a Superpower, The Movement as a Wave Rising Up and Constantly Shaping the Shore
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers Co-directors, ItsOurEconomy.US
“Every wave on the ocean that has ever risen up and refused to lay back down has been dashed on the shore, but it is the very purpose of a wave to rise up, because once it rises up above the horizon it finally has the perspective to see that it's not just a wave, that it's a part of a mighty ocean. And the sharpest rock on the wildest shore can never break that ocean apart, they can never wear that ocean down, because it's the ocean that shapes the shore.” Tim DeChristopher, March 3, 2011, after being convicted for an act of climate justice.
Tim DeChristopher’s words ring true as we look at the transformational movements that fight for justice – economic, social and environmental – against corporate power which brings injustice on all fronts. If you have not heard DeChristopher’s remarkable speech on the courthouse steps you can listen to it here. He is due to be released from a halfway house this April.
Can Black America Survive ‘Drone Man’ Barack Obama?
Larry Pinkney
“They realize at last that change does not mean reform, that change does not mean improvement.” - Frantz Fanon
Perhaps the more encompassing and pertinent question is not only can Black America survive the ‘Kill List,’ NDAA signing, slick-talking, corporate Trojan Horse, predator drone man Barack Obama; but can this nation as a whole, and Mother Earth herself survive him?
Frankly, whether we survive or not remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: If we are to survive and regain our rightful places as a part of the global human family we must exercise political and social conscience and consciousness as critical thinkers. We must be principled. We must quickly cease allowing ourselves to be perpetual pawns of the ‘color’ game, which game implies that if a person is black, then he or she must be given a pass no matter what he or she does. This is folly. Malcolm X [el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz] was absolutely correct when he said, “Wrong is wrong no matter who does it or says it.”
Israeli Gaza Airstrikes Violated Laws of War
by Stephen Lendman
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said so. Rarely does HRW do the right thing. Exceptions prove the rule. Most often it's a reliable imperial partner.
Connections in high places and corporate funding keep it that way. Services rendered in return are expected. Conflicts of interest are rife.
HRW and likeminded sources followers rely on operate like their scoundrel media counterparts. They do it deceptively. They produce one-sided or quasi-real reports on issues mattering most.
Exceptions occur. Even then they fall far short. On February 12, HRW headlined "Israel: Gaza Airstrikes Violated Laws of War." More on its report below.
International laws of war are clear. They unambiguous. UN Charter provisions explain under what conditions attacking another nation is justified. No others apply.
LAPD High Crimes
by Stephen Lendman
Michael Ruppert is a former LAPD cop. He knows its dark side well. He witnessed it firsthand.
Its rap sheet includes corruption, abuse of power, complicity with CIA drugs trafficking, unjustified arrests, beatings, murder, perjury, witness tampering, evidence planting, frame-ups, coverups, racism, sadism, and other crimes.
It wants its dirty secrets kept hidden. They're ugly and longstanding. Many examples bear witness. In March 2000, news reports revealed LAPD Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) unit criminality.
It included unjustified arrests, beatings, drug dealing, witness intimidation, murder, evidence planting, frame-ups and perjury.
Disappearing Prisoners: Official Israeli Policy
by Stephen Lendman
Israel is a rogue terror state. It's a serial abuser. It spurns rule of law principles. It mocks democratic values.
It tolerates no criticism. It targets anyone challenging its authority. It does so against anyone considered threatening. Jews are as vulnerable as Muslims.
Pyongyang has a perfect right to make nukes
By Khalid Amayreh
I am not a fan of the ultra-authoritarian North Korean regime. It is a regime free-minded people can hardly live under its tyrannical rule. But this is not the issue.
The issue is whether such a regime, or any regime, dictatorial or otherwise, has a right to develop nuclear weapons to deter external threats, real, potential or even imagined.
Palestinians wary of Obama
Khalid Amayreh
Will this year see the resumption of peace process negotiations?
President Obama’s upcoming visit to Israel-Palestine is being termed a “last chance visit” to revive the moribund peace process and save the two-state solution from looming demise.
Israel has already pre-empted the visit by announcing plans to build thousands of additional Jewish settler units near Ramallah in the heart of the West Bank. The expansion of the settlement of Beit Eil and other colonies throughout the West Bank is seen a calculated message of defiance to the US administration, say Palestinian officials.
Obama's Failed State
by Stephen Lendman
Obama's State of the Union address didn't surprise. It reflected rogue leadership. It was beginning-to-end demagogic boilerplate.
Defending the indefensible took center stage. Rhetoric substituted for progressive policies. Bombast assured business as usual.
Priorities include waging war on humanity, force-fed austerity, ignoring public needs, institutionalizing a repressive police state apparatus, and cracking down hard on non-believers.
Doing so assures growing despotism, lawlessness, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, hunger, and deprivation.
Obama's address targeted Medicare. He called "medical care for the aged….the biggest cause of the nation's longterm debt."
He lied. Military spending, imperial wars, Wall Street bailouts, other corporate handouts, and tax cuts for the rich and business bear full responsibility.
Falsely blaming Medicare for Washington's malfeasance reveals bipartisan rogue leadership. It's indicative of what's to come.
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