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Iran War Weekly

April 21, 2013

Hello All -- Following on the failure of the talks in Kazakhstan about Iran’s nuclear program, the United States and its allies renewed their non-diplomatic offensive against Iran this week.  Secretary of Defense Hagel was in the Middle East, most especially in Israel, to push a $10 billion program introducing more advanced offensive weapons into the Israel, Saudi, and UAE arsenals.  Like the trips of President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry made two weeks earlier, Hagel’s mission is both to reassure Israel and other regional allies that the United States still considers “all options on the table,” while at the same time  pressuring Israel to defer military action against Iran and to give sanctions and negotiations more time.

Here is the list of appearances/Protests of War Criminals for May, 2013. If any of these war criminals are in your area, please plan something around their appearance. We will be happy to help you get things started.  You may access posters and leaflets on our website - http://warcriminalswatch.org/index.php/downloadable-materials/173-posters-a-leaflets

Iran War Weekly

April 11, 2013

Hello All – As expected, last week’s negotiations in Kazakhstan between the P5+1 and Iran about the latter’s nuclear program ended in failure.  While leaders of the two sides have agreed to keep talking, no next meeting has been scheduled, and it is unlikely that there will be one until the conclusion of Iran’s presidential election, which will take place in June.

America and Israel: Imperial Partners in Crime (Part II)

by Stephen Lendman

In late January, Lebanese military sources reported multiple Israeli violations of Lebanon's airspace. One or more targets on the Syrian-Lebanese border were struck.

Around the same time, Israeli warplanes attacked a military research center in Jamraya. It's about 10 miles from the Lebanese border. Early Sunday morning, Israel struck it again.

Google Recognizes Palestinian Statehood

by Stephen Lendman

On May 1, Google recognized Palestine. It did so on its homepage. Earlier it referred to "The Palestinian Territories." More on that below.

On January 4, Abbas' presidential decree acknowledged the State of Palestine. It followed gaining UN nonmember observer status. 

So, wait. It wasn't the Syrian regime, but rather the Syrian rebels who used sarin nerve gas recently? That's the story being reported tonight by Reuters, from actually named sources among U.N. investigators. But will anybody notice? Or, with Israeli airstrikes already under way, and the neo-cons already demanding another new war, is the news too little, too late...again?

The week before last, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, reading from a letter sent by the White House to Congress, announced that the Administration believes that the Syrian government recently used chemical weapons against its own people. If true, it would be a move which President Obama had previously described as a "red line" and a "game changer" in the Administration's policy on the two-year old civil war still raging in that country.

READ THE REST AT BRADBLOG.

This past Saturday morning felt like mid-winter in Asheville, North Carolina, but was actually some weeks past tax day, and dozens of people were gathered in front of a federal building to say something about what federal income taxes are used for -- something much more unusual than one would expect.

Posters carried messages including: "War steals from the poor" and "Defund Militerrorism."  This in itself was not so unusual.  Opponents of war often use tax season to inform their friends and neighbors that roughly half of income tax dollars go to war preparation.  We could have the educations and health and happiness that other nations have if we didn't waste our money on the military, we say.  We'd have more and better jobs, and jobs we could feel better about, we tell people.

If only our taxes weren't put to such bad ends.

But the people gathered from across the country in Asheville on Saturday were in town for a meeting of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee.  They had gathered on Saturday morning to announce the awarding of grants of thousands of dollars to a long list of great humanitarian causes -- all the things we wish our taxes were going to.  For these people, this is in fact what their taxes are going to.  Many of them have put the dollars they owe in taxes into one of a number of funds set up for this purpose.  They can take their money back if they choose, but meanwhile the interest it earns goes to worthy causes of their choosing in the form of these grants announced in something more like a celebration than the usual tax-day lamentation that war opponents are all familiar with.

Following the announcements in front of the federal building, the small crowd stretched out in a long single-file line walking through Asheville, posters held high, making a tour of locations in the lives of the homeless and destitute, locations in need of the money that went to buy the bombs Israel was just then dropping on Syria.

Syria says Israel escalated crisis, claims it was not transferring weapons to Hezbollah, Jamraya facility, weapons depot and anti-aircraft unit targeted (VIDEO) - ABC Australia

Israeli strikes on Syria appear to be of broader political and military significance, much still unexplained about the effects and motivations of the attack - NYTimes.com

Why did Israel bomb Syria? - EA WorldView

Analysis: Israel may be ready for more active military role in Syria - NBC World News

Profile: Syria's top-secret Jamraya research centre - BBC News

A Look at the Missile Reportedly Targeted in Syria by Israel- ABC News

Lawmakers: Israeli strikes show Syrian air-defense vulnerability - The Hill's Global Affairs

Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV: Israeli jet shot down over Damascus - Ya Libnan

U.N. voices 'grave concern' at reports of Israel strikes in Syria - Yahoo! News

Lebanon condemns Israel's use of airspace to strike Syria - THE DAILY STAR

Iran calls for stand against Israel after Syria attack - Yahoo! News

Iraqi Shiite leader urges Syria to strike back at Israel - The Times of Israel

Egypt, Arab League condemn Israeli "attacks" in Syria - NOW

Opposition Syrian National Coalition Condemns Israeli Attacks - Naharnet

FSA: Our Operations Not Related to Israeli Attacks — Naharnet

Hagel, Livni and Free Syrian Army commanders reported to gather in D.C. at behest of Israel lobby | Mondoweiss

VIDEO: Syrian Government Statement in Response to Israeli Airstrikes in Damascus - YouTube

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Official: U.N. investigators have testimony that Syrian rebels used sarin gas, no details as to when or where sarin may have been used - Reuters

Turkish doctors say no nerve gas in Syrian victims' blood, The attack occurred in the northern village of Saraqeb on April 29  - GlobalPost

Lebanese Pilgrims Kidnapped by FSA Appear in Video, Families Say 'We Don't Want to See Any Turk after May 22' (VIDEO) - Naharnet

Relatives of hostages protest outside Turkish base - THE DAILY STAR

Lebanon wants Turkey, Qatar to help release hostages in Syria (VIDEO) - PressTV

FSA brigade pledges to fight Hezbollah's Qusayr advances - Alarabiya.net 

Katyusha Fired from Rebel Held Positions in Syria Hits al-Qasr as Shells Strike Akkar Towns in Lebanon - Naharnet

VIDEO: Syrian army gains control of strategic Qusayr suburban areas - YouTube

House intelligence chair: Hezbollah funding Syrian troops - MSNBC

Iran ready to "train" Syria army, commander says - NOW

Muslim Brotherhood opens direct link to rebels in Damascus - The National

Graduate from Saudi jihadi rehab program killed in Syrian jihad: "killed a large number of Christians before his acceptance by God" - Jihad Watch

To contact Bartolo email peaceloversingle@gmail.com

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.

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.

Obama Does Not Foresee U.S. Boots On The Ground In Syria - ABC News

VIDEO: Obama: No U.S. Ground Troops in Syria - YouTube

Egypt and Iran seek Syria political exit, a gradual transformation of power which would not force Al-Assad to step down - Ahram Online

Iraqi Shia fighters warm up to fight in Syria - Hassan Hassan

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Heavy explosions rock Damascus on Sunday, Blasts targeted a military research centre, Syrian state television blames Israel - Al Jazeera English

VIDEO: Explosions heard on Sunday in Damascus - Al Jazeera Blogs

Israeli Friday strike in Syria targeted missiles from Iran bound for Hezbollah - report - Yahoo! News

Hezbollah official says won’t let U.S., Israel gain control of Syria - THE DAILY STAR

Lebanese security forces: al-Nusra Front and Palestinian camp residents are entering and leaving Syria to fight the regime - al-akhbar

Turkish tourist town's new wave of visitors: Jihadists on their way in or out of Syria - NBC World News

More Weapons Trafficking to Syria Militants? - Syria Report

FSA Leader: We Won't Share U.S. Arms With Extremists (AUDIO) - NPR

FSA investigates residents’ claims of chemical weapons’ use in Qusayr - Alarabiya.net

Major Syrian salafi faction criticizes Jabhat al-Nosra, the statement it is written in the tone of honest advise for an ally who has committed a damaging mistake - Syria Comment

Syria’s Christians Fear Collapse of the State - Al-Monitor

The Syrian Army Tightens Grip over Jabhat al-Nusra Strongholds in Ghouta - islamicinvitationturkey

VIDEO: Assad makes a public appearance at Damascus university to unveil a statue to the martyrs - guardian.co.uk

E! Online's Twitter account hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army... sending out fake messages about Justin Bieber and Angelina Jolie - Mail Online

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2 YPG Kurdish fighters killed in clashes with FSA in Til Temir, 15 abducted in Efrin - ANF

PYD View On Tel Temir clashes with FSA - Transnational Middle-East Observer

VIDEO: FSA enroute to attack Afrin and liberate it from its Kurdish inhabitants - YouTube

To contact Bartolo email peaceloversingle@gmail.com

by Debra Sweet               The April month of protest against US drone warfare and surveillance ended very strongly in Syracuse Sunday with a protest of hundreds of us at Hancock Air Force Base, where drones — unmanned aerial vehicles — are piloted over Pakistan, Afghanistan, and perhaps Yemen, Somalia and other countries.  Picture the starkness of the political clash.

by Debra Sweet            President Obama seems to fear that the hunger strike of the Guantanamo prisoners endangers the United States' reputation. He doesn't want them to die. So we learned today when he was questioned by a reporter. See Obama's remarks, and pertinent commentary from Kevin Gosztola: Obama’s Deluded Remarks Ignore His Role in Keeping Prisoners at Guantanamo.

By Dave Lindorff

My mother died last Thursday at the age of 89. Her death, fortunately coming peacefully after she suffered a stroke during her sleep, followed a long mental decline caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

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.

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.

Latino countries urge Qatar to amend UNGA proposed draft on Syria, Sticky points are the National Coalition,  political solution and militarization of the conflict - KUNA

UN diplomat: Brahimi has resigned orally, Ban Ki-moon is not planning to replace him but will instead appoint a senior aide to Syria - KUNA

Russia's Lavrov opposed to UN Security Council delegation to Syrian refugee camps fearing no-fly zone - NOW

Catherine Ashton points out need for national reconciliation in Syria, According to her political dialogue is the only solution for ending the violence - The Voice of Russia

Brzezinski Joins Lugar Warning Against U.S. Role in Syria - Bloomberg

VIDEO: Brzezinski : If we become chief protagonist in Syria, we are going to be stuck - YouTube

VIDEO: FAIR TV: Syria Sarin Skepticism, why do some pundits seem to want to push for a U.S. military response? - FAIR TV

Syrian Air Defenses Pose Formidable Challenge - TIME.com

US Source: State Department or CIA May Serve as Conduit for Arming Syrian Rebels - The Majalla Magazine

Saudis Try to Quell Syria-Bound Jihad - WSJ.com

Moscow Ready to Talk to Free Syrian Army – Minister - RIA Novosti

Hezbollah Leader Defends Involvement in Syria - Al-Monitor

Syrian Internal Opposition Leader Notes 'Militarizing' of Political Approach - Al-Monitor

Russian Reporter Anastasia Popova Shows Beheadings by Syrian Rebels, Has Testimonies from Chemical Attack in Aleppo. Rebuffed by Pinheiro & Sellstrom? - Inner City Press

VIDEO: The stories of graphic videos in Syria by Anastasia Popova - LiveLeak.com

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World Press Freedom day: journalists being deliberately targeted in Syria - Telegraph

Journalist James Foley likely held by Syrian government, panelists reveal at Boston event - The Daily Northwestern

Evidence of 'executions' as Assad's forces launch offensives in Syria's west - Al Bawaba

Christian Refugees in Syria Forced Back to Iraq by War - Rudaw

Al-Qaeda sets up Sharia courts in Aleppo city - The Times

New Addition to the Syrian Islamic Front - Syria Comment

Clash between Two Terrorist Groups in Duma - SANA

Kurds building bridge to link Iraqi Kurdistan with Syrian Kurdistan - ekurd

Kurdish National Movement for Peaceful Change: Kurds in Syria Will Remain Syrians - SANA

VIDEO: Syrian rebels killed Turkish policeman - Local people reaction - LiveLeak.com

To contact Bartolo email peaceloversingle@gmail.com

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. 

False Flag Chemical Attack on Syria

by Stephen Lendman

It doesn't surprise. On April 27, WikiLeaks Supporters Forum headlined "Syria False Flag Chemical Weapons - Obama sets up America for invasion," saying:

The citizens of this country are in no mood to see U.S. military involvement in Syria.  Of course, it has already begun.  Consultation, secret assistance, and money given for “communications” (which allows other money for weapons) all contribute to the military effort.  For months, Hillary Clinton demanded that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad leave the country.  He hasn’t cooperated.  What does the toughest guy on the block do when you won’t cooperate?

                Two recent, but seemingly unrelated, news articles are worth reviewing more carefully, to see a common thread.

                The first concerns remarks made by special rapporteur with the UN Human Rights Council, Richard Falk. Following the horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon, Mr. Falk said this: “…the United States has been fortunate not to experience worse blowbacks, and these may yet happen, especially if there is no disposition to rethink U.S. relations to others in the world, starting with the Middle East.”

Assad forces on the offensive from Damascus to Mediterranean - Yahoo!7

Syrian Forces Strike Rebels in Wide-Ranging Assaults - NYTimes.com

Syrian forces tighten noose on Homs rebels - Yahoo!7

Fractured Syrian rebels scramble for cash as private sponsors dwindle - The Washington Post

For Some Syrian Rebels, It’s a Battle of the Brands -  WSJ

The Free Syrian Army is being taken over by groups of jihadist thugs - The Spectator

Syrian armed group clashes with Turkish border police killing one and injuring 11, activist says it may have included opposition fighters of the Free Syrian Army - todayzaman

VIDEO: FSA allegedly attacks Turkish border security - YouTube

Kidnappers say will release Lebanese Shiite pilgrims in exchange of 6000 female prisoners - NOW

Charbel: Release of Lebanese Shiite hostages in hands of Turkey, Qatar - THE DAILY STAR

Shia Muslims flee Damascus as death squads kill religious leaders in street - NZ Herald News

Belgium: Jihadists arrested, accused of torturing and beheading non-Muslims in Syria (VIDEO) - BARE NAKED ISLAM

Syrian Endowments' Ministry Condemns Sacrilege of Prophet Companion Hajar Bin Oudi in Damascus Countryside - SANA

VIDEO: Syrian rebels destroy tomb of Prophets companion - LiveLeak.com

Dispute Flares between Nusra Front and Other Militant Group in Aleppo - almanar.com

Power struggle growing among Syria militants over control of key infrastructure including oil plants and grain silos - PressTV

VIDEO: Syrian rebel-held Raqqa under attack - Yahoo! News

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VIDEO: Hagel: U.S. considering the option of arming Syrian rebels, "You look at and rethink all options. It doesn't mean you do or you will" choose them - CBS News Video

POLL: Americans want U.S. to keep out of Syria conflict,  Only 10% believe the United States should intervene - Chicago Tribune

POLL: In Middle East, public rejects arming Syrian rebels - CSMonitor.com

Even With U.S. Guns, Syria's Rebels Still Might Lose - Wired.com

U.S. delivers first non-lethal aid shipment to Free Syrian Army - The Cable

British defense minister urges caution over Syria's chemical weapons, action should be based on "very high quality evidence" - ITV News

Syria chemical weapons evidence 'too degraded' for proof - guardian.co.uk

Syrian Rebels Face Hurdles Proving Chemical-Attack Claims - WSJ.com

Moscow wants chemical arms probe limited to reported Aleppo incident, opposed to unfettered inspections of all facilities in Syria -The Voice of Russia

Interview with Syrian Information Minister: For Assad chemical weapons also a 'red line', His government "would never use" such munitions "if we had them" - CNN.com

Erdoğan: Assad forces used chemical weapons, not opposition - TODAYSZAMAN

Where Are Syria’s Chemical Weapons? - The Daily Beast

Al Arabiya Exclusive: Syria's peace envoy Brahimi to resign end of May - Alarabiya.net English

To contact Bartolo email peaceloversingle@gmail.com

by Debra Sweet.      From Reprieve, UK:     Tear gas and shotguns – Guantanamo detainee gives first inside account of raid. Younous Chekkouri, a detainee who has been cleared for release but remains held in Guantanamo, has given the first inside account of the raid carried out by prison authorities on Saturday 13 April.

Radicalize for Peace

The official storyline on the Boston Marathon bombing paints a picture of Tamerlan Tsarnaeva being "radicalized". 

The official storyline also ignores the fact that neither Tamerlan's all black backpack nor his brother Dzhokar's mostly white backpack resemble the blown up backpack which was black with a white rectangle on the top (probably a logo).  The official storyline also refuses to ask or answer any questions whatsoever about the presence of at least 7 individuals near the bombing site dressed as Craft International mercenaries.  At least two of these individuals are wearing black backpacks and at least one of these black backpacks has a white rectangle on the top similar to the one on the backpack that held one of the bombs.  This has all been documented by independent journalist David Lindorff at ThisCantBeHappening.net

http://www.thiscantbehappening.net/node/1718

 "Accountability For The Past, Democracy For The Future."

Communications Giants in Good Hands with Tom Wheeler

by Stephen Lendman

Obama's expected to pick Tom Wheeler as new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman. More on him below.

Tiptoeing Toward War on Syria

by Stephen Lendman

Events in Syria resemble the run-up to Obama's Libya war. Victims are called aggressors. Pretexts are created for intervention. 

Obama hasn’t made decision on arming Syrian rebels, W.H. says - WashingtonExaminer.com

Obama raised the bar for military intervention saying the international community must first agree that chemical weapons were used by the Syrian regime - WSJ.com

DOD Spokesman: The Pentagon remains "fully cognizant" of the threat posed by Islamic extremist groups inside Syria - TheHill on Facebook

FSA Chief Idriss frustrated by Obama’s caution, says to have enough information to answer questions of how, where and when chemical weapons were deployed - The Washington Post

Text of the Idriss letter to Obama - scribd.com

Too risky to fund Syrian rebels, Canada says - Money Jihad | Combating terrorist financing

VIDEO: FSA chief Salim Idriss Take A Trip To Syria - Brown Moses Blog

UN diplomats: UN-Arab League envoy to Syria wants to resign because peace efforts have failed - The Washington Post

Russian Navy ships ready to evacuate Russians from Syria - Russia & India Report

Russian plane wasn’t targeted in Syrian airspace – state news agency - RT News

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Assad showing renewed confidence makes a public appearance, number of defections has gone significantly down in recent months - Huffington Post

Free Syrian Army has fallen prey to gangsters and fanatics, BBC journalist talks to rebels who deserted FSA in outrage at the atrocities against ordinary people - Spectator

Kidnapped Syrian bishop in need of medicine - Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Syria's other war: Intra-rebel skirmishes - NOW

Syrian guerillas are ‘simple country folk with no clear ideology’ - captive journalist to RT - RT News

Syrian air strike against the Ahrar al-Sham brigade headquaters on Turkish border kills five - activists - The West Australian

As Fighting Rages in Damascus, Kurds Flee Their Neighborhoods - Rudaw

Syria’s Opposition Hopes to Win the War by Selling Oil - Yahoo! News

VIDEO: Syrian Rebels Eye EU Oil Trade - YouTube

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The growing power of Islamist fighters in southern Syria is causing alarm in neighboring Jordan - Reuters

Syria opposition denounces Hezbollah “threats”, warns against any intervention by the movement or by Iran  - NOW

Lebanese Sheikh Assir Returns from Qusayr, Says Had 'the Honor of Firing on the Criminals' - Naharnet

VIDEO: Lebanese Sheikh al-Assir filmed fighting in Syria - LiveLeak.com

Director of Syrian Refugees Office in Tripoli Says Escaped Assassination Attempt - Naharnet

Syrian war displaces 235,000 Palestinians says UN Agency, Lebanon is a major destination - digitaljournal.com

VIDEO: Syrian rebels burn Palestinian flag in Aleppo - YouTube

To contact Bartolo email peaceloversingle@gmail.com

And you thought corporate personhood was bad enough!  Lacey Kohlmoos, Senior Field Organizer, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, tells us that the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) will create corporate nationhood by empowering corporations to sue and overrule real nations, as well as incentivizing the offshoring of jobs, hurting food safety, damaging environmental protections, enriching drug companies at the expense of human health, banning some generic drugs, further deregulating banks, forbidding the breaking up of too-big-to-fail financial firms, and creating SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) despite its failure in Congress as a result of strong public opposition.

Total run time: 29:00

Host: David Swanson.
Producer: David Swanson.
Music by Duke Ellington.

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If you’re of a literary bent, you may already know the following statement. It was famously said by writer Mary McCarthy of fellow writer Lillian Hellman:

“Every word she writes is a lie, including ‘and’ and ‘the’.”

Read the rest at TSA News.