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US and Israeli ICC Prosecutions? Don't Bet on It
by Stephen Lendman
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established to prosecute culpable individuals for crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. Its mandate calls for "end(ing) impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern."
US and Israeli officials are guilty of the highest of high crimes. Yet none of their officials ever were held accountable - not by their own courts or the ICC.
The international body operates on the principle of complementarity. It can only prosecute when governments won't or can't - even against officials of non ICC-member countries like America and Israel.
RussiaNATO Provocations Blasts Increasing
by Stephen Lendman
US-dominated NATO heads increasingly closer to direct confrontation with Russia - reckless imperial madness risking possible nuclear war.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced deployment of US troops and heavy weapons (including nuclear ones) in Eastern European countries closer to Russia's borders than ever before - an unprecedented belligerent act.
A US-dominated NATO 40,000-strong rapid reaction force is being established to counter a nonexistent Russian threat - including falsely claiming it may use intermediate-range nuclear weapons, an outrageous charge officials making it know is blatantly false.
Greece Announces Referendum on Bailout Terms
by Stephen Lendman
Greece has a choice: renounce its odious debt, exit the Eurozone, reinstitute the drachma currency, end austerity, regain national sovereignty including monetary and fiscal policy control, accept transitional pain, or stay trapped in the euro straightjacket assuring endless debt peonage, greater austerity and virtual indentured servitude of the entire population to Troika diktats.
Following an emergency Friday cabinet meeting, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced a July 5 national referendum to decide up or down on accepting or rejecting harsh new austerity measures Troika officials demand.
"After five months of hard negotiations, our partners unfortunately ended up making a proposal that was an ultimatum towards Greek democracy and the Greek people," he said on national television.
Troika Rejects Greek Bailout Extension
by Stephen Lendman
Rape involves violating the physical integrity of another person's body forcibly. Washington and Troika powers do it to nations.
They target ones they control or intend to. Greece is in the eye of a financial storm. Its June 30 bailout deadline approaches. Eurozone finance ministers rejected Athens' extension request until after a July 5 national referendum to decide up or down to accept or reject Troika terms.
Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem/Eurogroup chair said "(t)he Greek government has broken off the process. However regrettable, the program will expire on Tuesday."
Previous articles explained Troika officials made demands no responsible government would accept.
Attempted US Color Revolution in Armenia?
by Stephen Lendman
On June 19, Armenians began protesting an announced 17 - 22% electricity price increase amounting to about $85 more annually for most Armenians.
Utility and other price increases happen often in countries worldwide - not generally a cause for large street protests continuing for days, at times violent resulting in police using water cannons and making mass arrests.
So-called Electric Yerevan in Armenia's capital bears disturbing similarity to Ukraine's EuroMaidan uprising, recent Macedonian protests, ongoing Ecuadorean ones, earlier ones in Venezuela, and numerous other past US attempted color revolutions - some succeeding, other failing.
They're staged for the same reason - wanting independent governments replaced with pro-Western ones Washington controls.
Leaked US-Led Iranian Nuclear Deal Sweeteners Less Than Meet the Eye
by Stephen Lendman
On June 25, AP News headlined"Iran would get nuclear help in proposed deal." Ahead of a June 30 deadline likely to extend into July, AP reported obtaining a leaked document offering so-called US concessions claiming aid for Iran's nuclear industry.
Details are in one of several technical appendices. It has numerous points on which parties disagree.
An eight-page Civil Nuclear Cooperation document includes ways P5+1 countries are willing to compensate Iran for closing parts of its nuclear program Tehran finds unacceptable.
On Tuesday, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected unacceptable terms - including freezing nuclear research, inspecting military sites and gradual sanctions relief instead of immediately if and when final agreement terms are reached.
Some Good News from Palestine
by Stephen Lendman
There's precious little any time. Vicious Israeli persecution horrifically affects life in Occupied Palestine creating intolerable conditions for millions.
In the Negev alone, Israel destroys 1,000 Arabs homes annually on the phony pretext of building without permit permission.
Israeli security forces kidnap Palestinians for wanting to be treated like human beings. Hundreds of Palestinians are imprisoned uncharged and untried. Others are tortured to extract confessions for crimes they didn't commit.
Soldiers target farmers in their fields, fishermen at sea and children at play or going to or from school. They commit cold-blooded murder with impunity.
Israel wages wars of aggression at its discretion. Thousands of Palestinians harmed don't matter. An endless cycle of violence and oppression continues without letup. The world community does nothing to stop it.
Over the past year, investors reacted with their pocket books. The UN Conference on Trade and Development's (UNCTAD) World Investment Report indicated foreign investment in Israel plunged nearly 50% in 2014 - hitting the lowest level in more than a decade, from $11.8 billion in 2013 to $6.4 billion in 2014.
Naked aggression on Gaza along with BDS effectiveness are key reasons why. Report co-author Roni Manos said "(w)e believe that what led to the drop in investment in Israel are Operation Protective Edge and the boycotts Israel is facing."
Slicing and Dicing Greece to Pay Bankers
by Stephen Lendman
Western societies are banker occupied territory. Financialization let monied interests scam ordinary people of incomes, savings, jobs, homes, overall welfare and futures.
Profits alone matter. Paying bankers first is standard practice. Eurozone straightjacket membership mandates rules no just societies would tolerate, including foregoing the right to:
• control their own money to monetize debt freely;
• legislate fiscal policies to stimulate growth; and
• devalue their currency to make exports more competitive.
Tiny Greece is forced to accept the same system as economic powerhouse Germany - no matter the obvious inequities.
It's debt entrapped way beyond its ability to repay. The more bailout help it accepts, the deeper the financial hole it digs.
WHEN JOHNNY CAME HOME
Allen L Roland. Ph.D
A heart centered approach to assist combat veterans with PTSD has not only proved effective but has led to inner transformation for many combat veterans in the past five years. I present a composite of two graduates of the Healing the Wounded Hearts (Band of Brothers) program in Northern California where Johnny finally came home to a life of meaning , value and framed in gratefulness: Allen L Roland. Ph.D
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is estimated that at least 40% of combat troops suffer from Post traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) ~ a disorder that an individual is diagnosed with after being directly exposed to an extreme traumatic event such as witnessing an actual or threatening death experience, serious injury, or someone who has been fatally injured. PTSD can also be triggered by a threat to one’s physical integrity or learning, or witnessing an unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or being threatened of death or injury by a family member or other close associate.
Pentagon Declares Truth-Telling Journalists Unprivileged Belligerents
by Stephen Lendman
According to the Department of Defense Law of War Manual, journalists aren't just civilians. They "may be members of the armed forces, persons authorized to accompany the armed forces, or unprivileged belligerents."
Section 1031 of the FY 2010 Defense Authorization Act replaced the designation "unlawful enemy combatant" with "unprivileged enemy belligerent." Language changed but not intent or lawlessness. Obama embraces the rogue Bush agenda on steroids.
Designating truth-telling journalists "unprivileged belligerents is one step away from criminalizing their work ordering their arrest, disappearing them or eliminating them altogether for explaining what everyone needs to know on issues mattering most and not tolerating high crimes of state.
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