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Destroying Social America
by Stephen Lendman
It's on the chopping block for elimination. Initiatives began decades ago. Republicans, Democrats and Obama are in lockstep. They're waging war on vital safety net protections.
In 1996, Clinton's Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) became law. Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) ended.
Time limit harshness replaced it. Five years and out became policy. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) mandates it. States get diminishing amounts of federal funding.
Fixed block grants provide it. They're permitted to administer policy freely. They take full advantage during harder than ever hard times.
To qualify, recipients must work or train for jobs. Single mothers with small children are cheated. Millions are left on their own high and dry.
Fabricated US/Israeli Intelligence on Ghouta Gas Attack
by Stephen Lendman
John Kerry repeated Colin Powell's infamous moment. He did so multiple times. He lied claiming Syria launched Ghouta's gas attack.
Clear evidence shows otherwise. Insurgents bear full responsibility. Previous articles explained. They did so in convincing detail. More will follow.
On September 21, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) headlined "Former British Ambassador: Israel deceived US with fabricated evidence on chemical weapons use in Ghouta."
Former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig John Murray, said Israel lied. It manufactured fake evidence. It wrongfully blamed Syria for Ghouta's gas attack. Murray called Kerry's accusations "sheer lies."
Rogue State America
by Stephen Lendman
Oxford Dictionaries call rogue states "nation(s) or state(s) regarded as breaking international law and posing a threat to the security of other nations."
They're authoritarian or despotic and ruthless. They stop at nothing to achieve aims. They spurn human and civil rights. They possess weapons of mass destruction. They sponsor state terrorism.
William Blum's done some of the best research. His books include "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower
He documented how from 1945 through 2005, America tried or succeeded in toppling over 40 governments. It crushed dozens of popular movements. It slaughtered millions of people doing so.
It condemned countless others to immiseration, agony and despair. According to Blum, US policies are "worse than you imagine."
"If you flip over the rock of American foreign policy (throughout) the past century, this is what crawls out:"
"invasions, bombings, (subversion), overthrowing governments, suppressing (popular) movements for social change, assassinating political leaders, perverting elections, manipulating labor unions, manufacturing 'news,' death squads, torture, (chemical), biological (and nuclear) warfare, (radiological contamination), drug trafficking, mercenaries," police state repression, and war on humanity writ large.
To win dirty war in Syria, Obama admin ignores Al Qaeda chemical weapons program
Michael Collins
Al Qaeda has a chemical weapons program, revealed in a United States Attorney's case, reported on CBS (see video). This has real implications for the Obama administration's Syria policy of supporting rebels that include Al Qaeda groups. It also raises questions as to who perpetrated the chemical weapons attack near Damascus on August 21.
In their rush to war, the Obama administration downplayed the importance and the numbers of Al Qaeda fighters involved in the attack on Syria. Kerry told Congress that Al Qaeda constitutes just 15% to 25% of the rebels attacking the Syrian government. That's at odds with many observers of the war who maintain Al Qaeda is the best performing fighting force among the rebels. The dominance of Al Qaeda was demonstrated this week when the Al Nusra faction in Syria attacked and expelled the "good rebels" in the Turkish border town of Azaz.
Obama Intends War on Syria
by Stephen Lendman
Obama intends waging war on Syria. Russia's heroic efforts delayed it. An uneasy calm before the storm prevails.
Shock and awe attacks are planned. They could come any time. Pretexts are easy to create. False flags are longstanding US policy. So are Big Lies. Regime change is prioritized. Obama intends getting it one way or another.
In mid-September, Russia, China, and other Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members and observer states met in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Vladimir Putin said "military interference from outside the country without a UN Security Council sanction is inadmissible."
Rohani Seeks Rapprochement
by Stephen Lendman
On September 19, Iranian President Hassan Rohani addressed Americans and US officials directly. He did so responsibly.
His Washington Post op-ed headlined "Why Iran seeks constructive engagement." More on that below.
America and Iran are polar opposites. Obama represents the worst of rogue governance. Hypocrisy substitutes for democracy. War on humanity is official policy. Peace is verboten.
In contrast, Iranian President Hassan Rohani combines diplomacy, political acumen and scholarship. He's known as the "Diplomat Sheikh." He earned master's and doctoral law degrees.
Syrian Insurgents Battle Each Other
by Stephen Lendman
Even media scoundrels took note. More on that below. A previous article discussed opposition elements in disarray. Syrian National Coalition (SNC) internal disputes show it's unable to function effectively. Leadership is weak.
The SNC is an artificial construct. It lacks legitimacy. It resembles a gang that can't shoot straight. On July 8, self-styled prime minister Ghassan Hitto resigned.
He did so after four months in office. He did it two days after SNC members elected Ahmad Asi-al Jarba president.
The post was vacant since Mouaz al-Khatib resigned in April. He cited frustration over lack of enough international support, internal divisions, and disarray among "rebel" factions.
Bernanke Stays the Course
by Stephen Lendman
Helicopter Ben surprised. Tapering was expected. Not now, he said. Reasons why include concern about economic strength.
He's worried about how higher rates will impact global over-indebtedness.
When tapering was announced weeks earlier, these and other uncertainties were known. Why change policy now? Doing so makes Bernanke look like a taper tiger.
On January 31, his term expires. He's expected to step down. Perhaps he'll stay the course until he does so. The longer it remains unchanged, the greater the future mess. The Wall Street Journal headlined "Fed Stays the Course on Easy Money," saying:
"Seeing a more uneven economic climate than they expected and the potential for fiscal discord in Washington, Federal Reserve officials got cold feet Wednesday and decided to keep their signature easy-money program in place for the time being."
Evidence Shows Insurgents Responsible for Gas Attack
by Stephen Lendman
On September 18, Russia Today (RT) headlined "Russia to provide UNSC with data for chem weapons' use by Syrian rebels."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said:
"We have plenty of reports on chemical weapons use, which indicate that the opposition regularly resorts to provocations in order to trigger strikes and intervention against Syria." "There’s a lot of data. It’s widely available on the Internet. This data is presented in the report, which our experts put together in association with the use of chemical weapons in Aleppo in March this year."
Anti-Assad Death Squads Responsible for Gas Attack
by Stephen Lendman
Assad's wrongfully blamed for Ghouta's gas attack. Evidence shows insurgents bear full responsibility. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was clear and unequivocal, saying:
"We have the most serious grounds to believe (Ghouta's attack) was a provocation." Assad had nothing to do with it.
"There is no answer to a number of questions we have asked, such as where the weapon was made - at an official factory or using homemade methods," Lavrov added. Clear evidence shows insurgents have sarin and other toxic chemicals. Pentagon contractors trained them in their handling and use.
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