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Stasi's New Incarnation
by Stephen Lendman
Stasi was East Germany's secret police. It suppressed opposition to Stalinist power. It was one of the most repressive state apparatuses in modern times.
When East Germany collapsed in 1989, Stasi had over 90,000 full-time employees. Another 300,000 were paid informants. They spied on East German citizens. Thousands of West German collaborators did so on theirs.
Stasi infiltrated NATO headquarters. Legendary spymaster Markus (Mischa) Wolf ran things. He did so for 34 years. He had Jewish roots. In the early 1930s, his family fled Germany. It did so to escape nazi persecution.
Syrian War Hits Beirut
by FRANKLIN LAMB
This observer’s neighbors seemed to believe, especially over the past year, as most of us did, that the war in Syria would, in one form or another, spill into our neighborhood, Dahiyeh, the Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut near the Shatila and Burj el Barajeh Palestinian refugee camps.
And now it has with a vengeance.
As this observer left his flat this morning and walked toward his motorbike on Abbas Mousawi Street en route to Shatila Palestinian Camp for a 10:30 a.m. appointment, at precisely 10:15 a.m. there was a tremendously loud blast. It seemed to shake our massive 12 story apartment building which had been rebuilt by the WAAD (“promise”) Hezbollah construction enterprise, from the mountain of rubble it was turned into in July of 2006. Leveled as most in the neighborhood were, by American weapons in the service of the Zionist regime still occupying Palestine.
Middle East Continues to Boil
by Stephen Lendman
A previous article called it the curse of oil and gas. Independent countries are targeted. Washington's war on Syria rages.
It's been ongoing for 28 months and counting. It continues because America, key NATO allies, Israel, and rogue Arab states pour arms into Syria. They do so lawlessly. They're responsible for tens of thousands of deaths.
Dozens more die daily. Conflict persists. Obama bears full responsibility. Imported death squads serve US interests. Media scoundrels don't explain.
Here is What’s Going On in Canada, Part 1: Two Telltale Speeches by Stephen Harper
by chycho
I. Introduction: How Far We Have Fallen
For those watching from afar, Canada must seem an enigma. For decades we have been hailed as peace keepers, but have lately been busy flexing our muscles at every opportunity we get (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). We are known for our pristine environment, but have been accelerating the development of the dirtiest project in the world (pics). Knowing full well the devastating consequences of America’s War on Drugs, the very same day that Washington State and Colorado legalized the recreational use of Cannabis we introduced “tough new mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana.” We are the third largest water rich resource country in the world, but have recently suspended numerous water monitoring and preservation projects:
“DFO’s [Department of Fisheries and Oceans] Habitat Management Program – which monitored the effects of harmful industrial, agricultural and land-development activities on wild fish – is gone. DFO’s teams of experts on ocean contaminants in marine mammals, on marine oil pollution, and on oil spill countermeasures have all been disbanded. Gone too is the Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research – the only agency with the ability to adequately assess offshore projects. Nine out of 11 DFO marine science libraries will be shut. And the Experimental Lakes Area is closed.
Criticizing Venezuela's Maduro Irresponsibly
by Stephen Lendman
A previous article explained. President Nicolas Maduro granted Snowden asylum. He did so responsibly. He did it courageously. He wants him protected from unjustifiable US persecution.
"Who is the guilty one," he asked? "A young man who denounces war plans, or the US government which launches bombs and arms the terrorist Syrian opposition against the people and legitimate president, Bashar al-Assad?"
Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and other Latin American countries adopted the Cochabamba Declaration. It denounced France, Portugal, Italy and Spain for denying Evo Morales' plane airspace and landing rights. Doing so risked his life.
When Is a Coup not One?
by Stephen Lendman
"What's in a name," asked Shakespeare? A coup by any other name doesn't change things.
It isn't one when it's "our coup, a 'good cause' coup," said Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins. Western diplomats are scrambling to characterize it otherwise.
Coups are called "military interventions with good intent." Saying they reflect good v. evil struggles doesn't wash.
Merriam-Webster calls them "a violent decisive exercise of force in politics; especially the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group." The Oxford Dictionaries defines them as "sudden, violent, and illegal seizure(s) of power from a government.
According to Wikipedia:
A coup or putsch "is the sudden deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment - typically the military - to depose the extant government and replace it with another body, civil or military."
Unrest Continues in Egypt
Unrest Continues in Egypt
by Stephen Lendman
Washington's dirty hands are involved. Controlling what's ongoing continues. Doing so reflects iron fist imperialism. A White House statement claims otherwise. It's typical US-style disinformation. In full it states:
"Readout of the President’s Meeting with the National Security Council Regarding the Situation in Egypt"
"President Obama convened a secure conference call with the National Security Council today to review the very fluid situation in Egypt."
"The President condemned the ongoing violence across Egypt and expressed concern over the continued political polarization."
"He reiterated that the United States is not aligned with, and does not support, any particular Egyptian political party or group.
Decline and Fall - Skyjacking Edition - 7/8/13
Michael Collins
It appears that someone in Washington called several government officials in Europe to force the landing of a jet carrying the President of Bolivia. If that proves to be the case, the actions by all involved violate of the 2010 international protocol to help stop skyjacking. The protocol, signed by all but a few nations, says:
"Any person commits an offence if that person unlawfully and intentionally seizes or exercises control of an aircraft in service by force or threat thereof, or by coercion, or by any other form of intimidation, or by any technological means." 2010 Protocol Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Un-Lawful Seizure of Aircraft
Paranoia on Steroids
The president of Bolivia, Eva Morales, flew to Russia for an international energy conference. His plane landed and stayed at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport while he was at the conference. During the conference, Morales indicated that he would consider providing asylum for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. However, he didn't offer asylum or grandstand when he responded to a reporter's inquiry.
Venezuela Grants Snowden Asylum
by Stephen Lendman
On July 6, Russia Today headlined " 'Free from imperial persecution:' Venezuela offers Snowden asylum."
Days earlier, President Nicolas Maduro said asylum would be "seriously" considered if sought. Snowden deserves a "humanitarian medal," he added.
"If this young man is punished, nobody in the world will ever dare to tell the truth," he stressed.
He's a man of his word. It's official. Maduro granted Snowden asylum. He did so on Venezuela's Day of Independence.
Jobs Report Shows America in Decline
by Stephen Lendman
Headlines cheered America's June report. Bloomberg said "US Employers Added More Workers in June Than Forecast."
"Employment roared ahead in June." America's "economy is poised for faster growth as it shakes off the impact of tax increases and budget cuts."
The Wall Street Journal headlined "Job Gains Show Staying Power," saying:
June showed "solid promise." Doing so suggests "the economy might be strong enough to grow with less help from the Federal Reserve." More on that below.
Bond investors "rush(ed) to sell." Ten-year Treasuries spiked above 2.7%. In May, yields were about 1.6%. Friday's level was the highest since August 2011.
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