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Huge US Arms Deal for the Saudi Dictatorship
Stephen Lendman
According to Reuters, the White House “is close to completing a series of arms deals for Saudi Arabia totaling more than $100 billion, a senior White House official said on Friday, a week ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit to Riyadh.”
The Saudi dictatorship is one of the world’s most ruthless, repressing its own people, terror-bombing Yemen, blockading its coastline to prevent vital humanitarian aid from reaching starving, ill and injured civilians.
According to an unnamed White House source, the arms deal could exceed an astonishing $300 billion over the next decade.
US and Turkey: The Balkanization of the Middle East
James Petras
Introduction
For the past 20 years Washington has aggressively pursued the age-old imperial strategy of ‘divide and conquer’ throughout the Middle East, Southwest Asia and East Africa. Frustrated at its inability to control national policy of various independent nation-states, Washington used direct and indirect military force to destroy the central governments in the targeted nations and create patchworks of tribal-ethno-mini-states amenable to imperial rule. Tens of millions of people have been uprooted and millions have died because of this imperial policy.
Washington’s strategy of fragmentation and secession follows closely the “Greater Israel Plan” set forth by Israeli politico-military writer Oded Yinon in February 1982 and published by the World Zionist Organization. Yinon maintained that the key to Israel’s domination of the Middle East rested on fostering ethno-religious and regional divisions. Following the Yinon Plan, in the first instance, Tel Aviv signed accords with Jordan and Egypt to break-up Arab regional support for the Palestinians. It then proceeded to fragment what remained of Arab-Palestine into small warring enclaves between the West Bank and Gaza. Israel then sub-divided and settled wide swatches of the West Bank with the collaboration of the corrupt ‘Palestinian Authority’ under Mahmoud Abbas.
The Charade of Russian US Election Hacking
Stephen Lendman
In US judicial proceedings, beyond a reasonable doubt is the highest standard of proof required.
In civil litigation, it’s either proof by a preponderance of evidence or by what’s clear and convincing - establishing a high probability of truth.
In criminal cases, the high proof standard of reasonable doubt is especially important because a defendant’s freedom or possible execution is at stake.
The same high standard is most important when one nation accuses another of criminal actions. War could follow false accusations accepted as factual.
Last March, neocon Dick Cheney called alleged foreign interference in America’s election an “act of war” - despite none occurring, baseless accusations alone.
In judicial proceedings, if prosecutors can’t prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, jurors or judges are obligated to exonerate defendants.
Cholera Hits Yemen
Stephen Lendman
During conflict-free times, Yemenis are the region’s poorest people, struggling daily to get by.
Since Bush/Cheney launched drone war on the country, continued by Obama and Trump, hugely exacerbated by US/Saudi terror war and blockade, a humanitarian catastrophe unequaled anywhere else exists, potentially millions of Yemenis at risk of perishing if things aren’t resolved.
And now cholera, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s an infection of the small intestine, caused by contaminated food or water.
Symptoms include uncontrolled watery diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, rapid heart rate, and abdominal cramps, among others. Untreated severe cases can cause death.
In recent weeks according to the WHO, at least dozens of Yemenis perished from the disease. Over 2,700 suspected cases occurred - perhaps many more cholera-related deaths and illnesses than known or officially reported.
Macron: Neoliberal Reactionary, Dangerous Psychopath
Stephen Lendman
Viva la dirty business as usual with him as president. A former Rothschild banker, economy minister, French communists say he embodies bourgeoisie reactionary values, supports imperial rampaging, rising to the presidency from “formidable mobiliz(ed) propaganda and communication (employed by) monopoly capital.”
Open, free and fair elections are anathema in America and other Western countries - often rigged so wrong candidates don’t win.
According to YourNewsWire, France’s “election was rigged…Le Pen voters lost their ballots…by the millions (last) Sunday.”
“Up to one third of all ballots sent out to voters, an estimated 60% of Le Pen ballots, were destroyed at the time of mailing.”
Only her ballots showed up damaged or destroyed, none for Macron. They were tampered with before mailing so they wouldn’t be counted when received back - the handiwork of France’s establishment to assure their candidate triumphed.
Revving Up War on Trump
Stephen Lendman
Instead of criticizing him for the right reasons, media scoundrels bash him for the wrong ones.
Dark forces in Washington want him weakened, delegitimized, ousted, and replaced by neocon Pence, an easily controlled establishment figure, their sinister agenda in good hands with him as president.
Acting as press agents for power, media scoundrels support what demands condemnation. At war with Trump throughout the campaign, their hostility continues with him as head of state. Firing James Comey is a pretext for revving up war on him, a convenient issue with legs, not going away any time soon, even after a new FBI director is named.
A nasty confirmation fight could follow announcing someone America’s deep state opposes. Meanwhile, Comey’s sacking has been the dominant media story since his May 9 dismissal.
Macron Sworn in as French President
Stephen Lendman
Far from a popular choice, his election was dubious, possibly rigged, discussed in a previous article - assuring continuity, not badly needed constructive change.
Falsely called fascist and other pejoratives, Western media savaged Le Pen. Her agenda explains why, wanting French sovereignty restored, ending control by Brussels, Berlin and Washington, including over its monetary and fiscal policy by exiting the euro straightjacket, the franc replacing it the way things used to be.
She opposes involvement in US-dominated NATO, supports improved relations with Russia - anathema notions to France’s establishment and other Western governments.
She supports worker rights and women’s rights. She opposes deplorable Hollande regime policies, ones Macron intends continuing, serving monied interests, opposing beneficial social change.
Massive Global Malware Attack
Stephen Lendman
Financial war and cyberwar can be more destructive than standing armies, able to cause enormous harm to many millions worldwide, severely damaging and halting government, commercial, and personal online activities.
A statement by US Rep. Ted Lieu (D. CA), House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees member, said the following:
“The massive malware attack that hit multiple countries has caused chaos and has shut down vital institutions such as hospitals. It is deeply disturbing the National Security Agency likely wrote the original malware.”
North Korea’s Concern for Self-Defense
Stephen Lendman
North Korea’s geopolitical policies and America’s are world’s apart. Pyongyang never attacked another country, threatens none now.
America wages permanent wars, raping and destroying one nation after another, threatening all sovereign independent countries with regime change.
Its agenda is humanity’s greatest threat. The DPRK has just cause for concern about another US launched devastating war on the Korean peninsula.Its nuclear and ballistic missile programs are for defense, not offense, deterrents to possible US aggression. Without them, the survival of the state is jeopardized.
If Washington recognized its government, normalized relations, and ended decades of hostility, Pyongyang would have no need for powerful weapons.
Trump Administration Shakeup Coming?
Stephen Lendman
The world’s most powerful position can be its most lonely, frustrating, unrewarding and dangerous when US dark forces oppose the chief executive’s agenda, key parts thereof - or if the incumbent is perceived to be too independent.
The “mess” Trump said he inherited is America’s debauched system, its ruthlessness, its war on humanity at home and abroad, its deep state power, presidents either serving its interests or else.
They either go along with the system or face its harshness - able to weaken, delegitimize or oust them from office - by forced resignation, impeachment or more sinister means.
No wonder Trump gave family members key advisory positions, people he trusts, unsure about others. A weekend Axios report said he’s mulling possible “sweeping” changes over disappointment with cabinet and staff members - a possible “huge reboot,” perhaps replacing chief of staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon, White House counsel Don McGahn, and press secretary Sean Spicer, according to unnamed administration sources.
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