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Kerry's Peace Plan: Worthless
by Stephen Lendman
PLO secretary-general Yasser Abed Rabbo criticized Kerry's plan. The PA will ignore its "worthless framework," he said. It mocks legitimacy.
It's totally one-sided. It ignores Palestinian rights. Peace depends on fixed borders, he said. They must be within pre-1967 lines.
Including East Jerusalem is essential. Rabbo dismissed Kerry's land swap deal. It includes placing Israeli Arabs within what's called the Little Triangle. It's in central Israel. It's along its side of the Green Line.
Kerry proposed including this land within a new Palestinian state. In return, Israel would annex settlements, related areas and more.
They're in Area C. It comprises over 60% of West Bank land. It includes its most valued parts. Israel considers it sovereign territory. International law calls it stolen.
Legislating Tyranny
by Stephen Lendman
Police state lawlessness reflects official US policy. Numerous examples explain. Congress opposes fundamental freedoms.
It terrorizes most people. So do rogue US administrations. Washington is more ruthless today than ever.
Waging war on humanity is much worse. It's ongoing globally. It's reflected in congressional legislation.
Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF - September 2001) approved open-ended permanent wars. They rage out-of-control. They do so at home and abroad.
The FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) targets freedom. It prioritizes militarism and permanent wars. It authorizes over $600 billion for global belligerence, mass killing and destruction.
It's a portion of what America spends overall. Around $1.5 trillion or more annually goes for domestic and foreign militarism.
Palestinian Children in Cages
by Stephen Lendman
Israel willfully, systematically, maliciously and lawlessly abuses detained Palestinian children. They're treated like adult prisoners.
Mercy isn't Israel's long suit. Nor are peace, equity, justice or respect for fundamental human and civil rights.
Israel spurns them repeatedly. It's standard practice. It remains unaccountable for grave crimes against humanity.
The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) calls torture and ill treatment of any kind morally, ethically and legally incompatible with democratic values.
PCATI "advocates for all persons - Israelis, Palestinians, labor immigrants, and other(s)." It does so to "protect them from torture and ill treatment by" Israeli interrogation and enforcement authorities.
It does it in accordance with rule of law principles and other democratic values. It challenges longstanding lawless Israeli practices.
War Criminals By Default
By Alan Hart
My last thought for 2013 is that for their failure to co-operate and coordinate to make the United Nations work to stop the slaughter and destruction in Syria, the leaders of the five permanent and controlling members of the Security Council - the U.S, Britain, France, Russia and China - are war criminals by default.
And I agree with an end of the year review comment by Basma Atassi for Al Jazeera. As more videos emerged of atrocities, “the international community’s inaction continued to give Syrians the message that their human worth is insignificant. The perpetrators (on all sides) have a free ride to kill and the victims have no place to go for justice.”
The perfect storm in Turkey - corruption, conflict, conspiracy
Michael Collins
The Republic of Turkey is consumed by intense conflict, conspiracy charges, and underlying financial problems that simply won't go away. A perfect storm is brewing in Turkey. (Image-summer protests, Turkey)
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government and supporters are charged with a secret gold-for-oil deal with Iran. The deal, in violation of trade sanctions against Iran, enriched the PM's ministers and other key supporters involved (including the PM's son), according to prosecutors. The deal also involved misreporting billions of dollars in trade, which, in turn, resulted in Turkey overstating national income and understating its current account deficit.
A more ominous charge focuses on Erdogan's open support of a wealthy Saudi known for funding al Qaeda and the PM's alleged support of Al Qaeda fighters engaged against the Syrian government. Just today, we saw this headline: Turkish governor blocks police search on Syria-bound truck reportedly carrying weapons . Erdogan is a strong supporter of the Syrian rebels, assumed recipients of the weapons.
Military Madness, The TPP and The Empire
By Timothy Gatto
I spent almost 21 years in the military so it should be no surprise when I tell you that I still spend a lot of time thinking about it. What is surprising however, is that I generally have a negative view of the military, from the time I spent in it, and all that has happened since I left. It is really hard for me to adequately express my opinions about the military to people that have never served in the military and it is just as difficult to express my views to someone that did serve.
Why would I want to write about it then? It is probably because the military has been such a large part of my life, and because it is an exceptional reflection of our nation's dysfunctional political system and also our morally bankrupt foreign policy. I would like to start by examining the American people's view of the military.
Vladimir Vladimirovich and the Grey Lady
by Robert Bonomo
Bill Keller, editorialist for The NY Times and former executive editor of the paper, has recently penned a strong attack on Vladimir Putin arguing that Putin’s leadership “deliberately distances Russia from the socially and culturally liberal West”, describing the Kremlin’s policies as “laws giving official sanction to the terrorizing of gays and lesbians, the jailing of members of a punk protest group for offenses against the Russian Orthodox Church, the demonizing of Western-backed pro-democracy organizations as ‘foreign agents’, expansive new laws on treason, limits on foreign adoptions.”
Lynne Stewart Arrives Home
by Stephen Lendman
She's free at last. On New Year's day, she arrived at LaGuardia Airport. Deliverance took much too long. She's back where she belongs. She's home with loved ones, friends and supporters.
"It's just really wonderful," she said after being released. "I'm very grateful to be free. We've been waiting months and months and months."
"It's a great way to start the new year," said her husband Ralph Poynter.
She's a dedicated human rights activist. She'll work for the rights of other political prisoners. Many remain unjustly confined longterm in parallel universe hell.
Will Lebanon survive 2014? Should it?
Franklin Lamb
Beirut
Another week, another terrorist bombing. It’s beginning to look a lot like that here in Lebanon these days. Another apparent suicide bomber detonated a car rigged with explosives in the southern suburbs yesterday killing at least five people and injuring at least 77. The health ministry released a statement just a short while ago reporting that an additional 67 people were treated in hospitals for wounds and released, while 10 people remained hospitalized with more severe injuries.
Many who thought their team and its local and international supporters were invincible appear to be rethinking recent events. More are realizing that their enemies are also skilled and fearless fighters and not at all afraid to die for their religion, or related causes, and may well be growing in number as they view the results of their handiwork.
Peace Process Hypocrisy Continues
by Stephen Lendman
On January 2, John Kerry arrived in Israel. It's his 10th visit since becoming Secretary of State. He's manipulating sham peace talks.
He's doing it disgracefully. He's Israel's man in Washington. He operated the same way throughout his Senate tenure.
His conflict resolution plan is one-sided. It favors Israel. It deplores peace. So does Netanyahu. Multiple rounds of talks for years produced nothing.
Israeli settlement expansions continue. Around 1,400 new units will be announced. Netanyahu delayed doing it until Kerry returns home.
Palestinians never had a legitimate peace partner. They have none now. Longtime Israeli collaborators represent them.
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