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Moral expediency. The US, Israel and Al Qaeda in Syria
by Phil Greaves
Recent Israeli airstrikes on Damascus have once again shed light on a defining western-led policy when it comes to the Middle East: strategic moral expediency. Once again, the counterproductive, and age-old policy of: “the enemy of my enemy: is my friend,” crops up in the realm of western foreign policy in the Middle East.
What is so counterintuitive for most, or, what most of the western “news” media are subverting or pretending not to recognise: is the recent Israeli strikes prove outright that Israel, acting on behalf of the US, is fighting on the same side as Al Qaeda in Syria. Western efforts to bolster supposed ‘moderate rebels’ have clearly only bolstered what has always been the main demographic of the militant ‘opposition’: Salafi/Jihaddi inspired and fomented militias, that do not espouse anything close to democracy. Apart from the obvious clash of religious ideology, strategically speaking, actually ousting Assad is where the radical Islamic militants and Bibi may differ. Bibi and Co. would no doubt be more than happy to see a much weakened Assad Government stay in some sort of power, and allow the Syrian conflict to rumble on for twenty years. Ideally, for Israel and the US the aim is a ‘Balkanized’ array of weak statelets. What Israel and the US do not want, is a strong and stable Syria, or Levant, or Greater Middle East for that matter; unless those ‘strong’ states fall under the auspices of the USA. (eg: KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Jordan, Turkey et al)
Truth-tellers and justice-seekers, don’t give up!
Stuart Littlewood
William Cook in his masterly way tells us not to give up http://mycatbirdseat.com/2013/05/38222-the-truth-tellers-lament-in-a-time-of-darkness/ even if "overwhelmed by darkness of the times".
And he reminds us that "sixty-five years ago this May 14, the world body admitted to its membership the state of Israel even as that self-declared state was in the process of invading, destroying and leveling 418 towns and villages owned by the people of Palestine who suffered death or expulsion out of their homeland to live without human rights anywhere in the world."
His eloquence is designed to stiffen the sinews. But some weary truth-tellers and justice-seekers simply don't want their sinew stiffened any more. For years they've given the Palestine thing their best shot, their family life has suffered... and for what?
While Media Looks for Encampments, Occupy Helps Build the Popular Resistance
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers
Yesterday, a media outlet contacted us to be on a show about how Occupy had “fizzled coming into this year's May 1.” The media keeps looking for encampments or last year’s protests and is missing how popular resistance is growing and demonstrating all over the country.
This year there were actions in many cities on May Day. On Occupy Washington, DC we have reports from New York, NY, Denver, CO, Portland, OR and Richmond, VA as a few examples among many.
Allison Kilkenny, the movement writer for the Nation, got it right when she wrote, “Now is actually the time when the most exciting grassroots workers’ actions are taking place.” She points to the low-wage worker, fast food and non-unionized workers actions as examples. As you will see in this weekly report there are many more examples of the growing popular resistance.
America and Israel: Imperial Partners in Crime
by Stephen Lendman
Longstanding ties remain firm. Both nations are imperial partners. Naked aggression is official policy. Regime change in Syria is planned. Daily events head inexorably toward full-scale intervention.
The latest incident ups the stakes. On May 4, The New York Times headlined "Israel Bombs Syria as the US Weighs Its Own Options," saying:
An unnamed US official said "Israel bombed a target in Syria overnight Thursday. (Washington) consider(s its own) military options, including carrying out (its) own airstrikes."
According to Reuters, "(t)he attack took place on Friday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet approved it in a secret meeting on Thursday night…."
Honduras: State-Sponsored Death Squad Terror
by Stephen Lendman
Adrienne Pine is American University Professor or Anthropology. She's worked in Honduras. She's written about state-sponsored violence.
Her book "Working Hard, Drinking Hard: On Violence and Survival in Honduras
Her recent article headlined "Militarization Ramped up in Honduras," saying:
"On February 8, 2013, the Honduran government announced that it would be sending its military to patrol the streets of its two largest cities: San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, the capital."
Honduras is Latin America's murder capital. Pine calls it "the most violent country on the planet." Its murder rate is 92 per 100,000.
The VA Monologue
by Lynn Petrovich
“I don’t want to shock anyone here, have people dashing out of the room; but the VA is a socialized health care system. [So] that’s socialized medicine in the US. Anyone here want to bring up an amendment to eliminate the VA? Didn’t think so.” - Senator Bernie Sanders on the floor of Congress 7/15/2009
Professional athlete Mia Hamm was born with a club foot. Despite that fact, her feet literally corner-kicked Mia’s amazing rise to fame as one of the greatest soccer stars in history:
- At the age of 15, the youngest member of the US National team;
- Leading the University of North Carolina Tar Heels to 4 straight national championships;
- Helped the US win the first (ever) World Cup of Soccer;
- Winner of two Gold medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics;
- Scoring more goals (149) than any other female soccer player in the world;
- An inspiration to millions of girls across the globe.
Silence Really Is Betrayal and ‘Progressives’ Really Aren’t Progressive
By Larry Pinkney
“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”
–Martin Luther King Jr.
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
–Malcolm X [el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz]
Much of the leadership of the so-called ‘progressives’ in the U.S. has for the past five years amply and repeatedly demonstrated what can only be accurately described as crass opportunism and hypocrisy.
US-Style Free Trade in Good Hands with Michael Froman
by Stephen Lendman
On May 2, Obama named Froman his new US trade representative. He's a former Harvard law school classmate. He's currently a key adviser. More on him below.
He replaces Ron Kirk. He served from March 2009 - March 2013. He's joining Gibson Dunn. It's a prominent US law firm. It advises global clients. It's ranked among the top 20 doing it. It's prominent attorneys and alumni include Theodore Olson and Ken Starr.
Kirk said he wants to stay "engaged in global commerce." He wants the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement completed by yearend. It's a trade deal from hell.
Public Citizen's Lori Wallach heads its Global Trade Watch division. It monitors destructive trade deals like TPP. She calls it "NAFTA on steroids." It's been cleverly misbranded.
Andy P. Hart: Suicide or Murder
by Stephen Lendman
On May 1, Truthout's Jason Leopold reported Hart's "apparent suicide." He represented a number of Guantanamo prisoners. More on that below.
Key questions remain unanswered. Why would a federal public defender kill himself? Where and when did he die?
Was an autopsy performed? If so, by whom? Why has no information been revealed? Why wasn't his death immediately announced? Apparently several days passed before it was. Why the secrecy?
An alleged suicide note and thumb drive perhaps containing information on his cases remains concealed. Why? Hart's alleged suicide appears suspicious. It's unclear whether he or someone else took his life. A previous article discussed Internet activist Aaron Swartz's death. Suicide or murder was asked?
US Hatched Terror Plots
by Stephen Lendman
Terrorists "R" us. Washington bears full responsibility. Numerous schemes are planned. Some are alleged and foiled. Others involve violent plots. Media scoundrels convict innocent people in the court of public opinion.
Later they're wrongfully accused and prosecuted. Juries are intimidated to convict. Imprisonment follows. Culprits remain free. One scheme leads to others. Numerous political prisoners fill America's gulag.
Even The New York Times was candid. At least party so. Most often it's part of the guilt by accusation chorus. On April 28, 2012, it headlined "Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the FBI," saying:
"THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in recent years — or so it has seemed."
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