« Iranian Nuclear Program Framework Deal Postmortems | Obama's Dirty War on Yemen Murdering Civilians » |
by Stephen Lendman
Throughout his tenure, he's waged one war after another at home and abroad.
From militarized killer cops, police state ruthlessness, and his kill list to drone murders and mass slaughter from 30,000 feet.
Obama and Bush II made America more than ever a pariah state.
He's a neocon masquerading as a populist leader. His rap sheet exceeds the worst of his predecessors. He's hard-right, reactionary, belligerent, pro-business, and pro-war.
He's soulless, anti-progressive, anti-populist, anti-labor, anti-fairness, anti-dissent, anti-democratic, anti-rule of law principles, anti-freedom, anti-civil and human rights, anti-environmental sanity, and anti-government of, by and for everyone equitably.
His proxy war on Yemen is his latest atrocity. Millions of lives are at risk.
Countless thousands may die before conflict ends. Human suffering is immeasurable.
Saudi General Ahmed Asiri said its terror-bombing "must be accompanied by a ground campaign."
"There may be a limited ground campaign in specific areas and at a certain time, but you should not expect an automatic ground invasion."
Expect mass slaughter ahead - with full Obama support and encouragement.
His preliminary framework nuclear deal with Iran is suspect. Whether final terms treat Iran fairly is very much open to question.
America's duplicitous history proves it can't be trusted - not now, not ever.
Sanctions relief is very uncertain. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said they'll be lifted on reaching a final deal.
Not according to Washington. Administration officials said they'll be incrementally ended based on confirmation of Iranian compliance.
Any lifted will automatically be reimposed based on real or fake claims about Tehran backtracking.
Iranian President Hassan Rohani said "(t)hose who stated that Iran’s enrichment is a threat to the region and the world have admitted today that enrichment in Iran is no threat to anyone."
"I, hereby, declare in a straightforward manner now that enrichment and all nuclear-related technologies are aimed only at Iran’s development and will not be used against any other countries."
The whole world knows Iran threatens no one. Its nuclear activities are peaceful, lawful and no different from programs in other countries not criticized.
Rohani said framework agreement terms call for ending all sanctions "on the very first day of the implementation of the deal" if consummated by June 30 or later.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's language was similar saying:
EU nations "will terminate the implementation of all nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions, and the US will cease the application of all nuclear-related secondary economic and financial sanctions, simultaneously with the IAEA-verified implementation by Iran of its key nuclear commitments."
It means months, not immediately, after consummating a final deal - if one is reached.
Many uncertainties remain - including interpretations of terms reached to resolving outstanding differences.
The specter of war on Iran exists. Hawkish Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said:
"The military option (against Iran) certainly will remain on the table. One of my jobs is to make sure all options are on the table."
Military action could follow bogus claims about Iran violating agreement terms.
Or failing to be able to prove a negative about its nuclear program remaining entirely peaceful.
When America intends war, reasons are invented out of whole cloth as justification - Big Lies by any standard.
Propaganda wars precede hot ones. Fear-mongering proliferates for weeks or months before attacking.
War plans against Iran were prepared years ago. Updating them followed as conditions warranted - including use of new weapons for maximum destructive power.
Obama's confrontation with Moscow risks WW III. It combines vicious propaganda, positioning increasing numbers of US combat forces in Eastern Europe, and conducting provocative military exercises close to Russia's borders.
NATO chief General Philip Breedlove is a real-life doomsday Gen. Jack D. Ripper. He hypes a nonexistent Russian threat.
He wants information war on Russia ahead of maybe going hot. He's part of the lunatic fringe making US policy.
He wants NATO nations using "all (their) tools." He lies about nonexistent "Russian aggression."
He and likeminded US gunslinger generals may launch WW III. He's readying for the unthinkable.
On April 2, Stop Nato headlined "NATO's Spearhead Force Ready for War in Europe."
It's new. It's a Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) brigade "able to deploy within 48 hours and will eventually include 5,000 troops."
It's part of NATO's Response Forces (NRF). It's a high-readiness land/air/sea/special forces combat unit able to deploy quickly as needed.
It targets Russia. It risks judgmental error or provocative actions leading to direct confrontation.
US-dominated NATO's only enemies are ones it invents. Russia bashing risks open conflict - possible unthinkable nuclear war.
With gunslinger US generals in charge, it's more than ever possible.
On April 3, Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying:
"We are witnessing with dismay and indignation an unrestrained anti-Russian campaign, which is unfolding in the United States."
The US national media and leading political research centres splash, as if at a command, russophobic pasquinades, diligently portraying Russia as an enemy and instilling hatred towards all things Russian in ordinary people."
"Veteran 'knights of the Cold War,' like Robert Scales, a retired general, who in March openly called for 'killing Russians,' or Wesley Clark, the former top commander of NATO forces in Europe, are straining at the leash."
"Back in 1999, Mr Clark all but provoked a large-scale conflict when he ordered an attack on Russian airborne assault troops who arrived at the Pristina airport in Kosovo before the Americans."
"Addressing the Atlantic Council in Washington a couple of days ago, he again blew the whistle about the so-called (nonexistent) 'Russian threat,' demanding immediate supplies of weapons to Kiev to be used against Donbass and openly lauding (Nazi) Bandera supporters."
"It should be said, however, that statements made by those odious characters are only slightly more offensive than what we hear from US officials."
"Echoing the retired US-NATO general’s odes to Hitler’s collaborators, US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that attempts to defend the right to speak Russian were 'Russia’s linguistic nationalism,' "
"To put it differently, Russians and Russian-speakers in other countries, including in Ukraine, are to blame just because they speak Russian and think in Russian."
"In a word, those are propanganda-spewing loudspeakers working hard on Washington’s political assignment."
Lunatics in Washington are laying the groundwork for war on Russia - madness if launched, risking nuclear armageddon.
Today is the most perilous time in world history. Daily events should scare everyone.
Peacemakers are scorned. Warmakers win peace prizes. Rewarding them assures endless wars.
Now more than ever it's vital to work for peace. Either end destructive wars or perish. There's no in between.
-###-
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs