Spirit vs. Profit

Rebel Newsflash: Spirit vs. Profit (plus 99 more items)

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• Spirit vs. Profit
• BP, Illusion of a False Spill
• Shadow Banking Makes a Comeback
• Modern Day Mind Control of The People
• Beyond apartheid
• A new paradigm for Gulf security
• Terror's Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone
• Jailhouse Letter from Ed Steele Explains How He Was Framed
• General Petraeus: Neocons' Favorite for President
• Interview with Archbishop Theodosios (Atallah) Hanna
• Israel's Friends at Westminster Legislate to Protect Vilest Criminals
• The Obama Election and Our Cultural Shift
• Hasbarapocalypse — Leaked Frank Luntz Memo: Israeli Public Diplomacy in US on Flotilla Failed Dismally
• International labor report's omissions reveal pro-Israel bias
• Latest documents advocating the ban of depleted uranium
• Can Kyrgyzstan Become a Democracy in Russia's Backyard?
• Human Rights Watch flotilla stance mirrors that of US, Israel
• Jew puts Holocaust on trial
• It's Not About Oil
• Writing the Last Chapter
• If Kosovo, Why Not Palestine?
• Madness of McCarthyism - A Primer for Israel
• 'This Time We Went Too Far' – Book Review
• Combatants for Peace
• The Lockerbie bombers's
• Friday: 1 Iraqi Killed, 33 Wounded
• False Flag Cyber Attack Could Takedown The Internet
• This Week at War
• Women prepared to break the siege of Gaza
• Jesse Ventura Talks with Alex Jones About Government Harassment of His TV Show
• What do we Have in common with Stanley McChrystal?
• Obama's Afghan War in Perspective
• Steve Watson: Google Launches Cover-Up of 'Google' Spies' Story
• Apartheid Plain and Simple
• Haters Go After the 'Ground Zero Mosque'
• Cry Havoc
• Palestinians Remain Split, US Doesn't Adjust
• Stop Calling Them Heroes
• US and South Korea Impose New Sanctions on North
• Predators All
• Obama's "Post-Racial" Anti-White Regime
• Vietnam's forgotten war victims
• Jews, Judaism and Slavery
• Israel's Danny Rothschild and the Plundering of Iceland
• Why Kosovar Independence Is Good for Serbia
• Lying Jewess screams rape
• AIPAC: The Voice of America
• Gaza's strawberries spoil under siege
• Thursday: 13 Iraqis, 3 Foreign Contractors Killed; 18 Iraqis, 15 Contractors Wounded
• Haneen Zoabi: "The largest threat to democracy is Zionism"
• The Spies Were No Joke
• Ocean Energy Institute Founder Says New Hurricane Will Require Gulf Evacuation
• Summer Reading
• "Offensive" Against the Bedouins
• Pastor John Hegee, an Israeli Echo, Gets an Earful from Protesters
• Who's Aiding Judaisation?
• Jewish leaders ask Obama to denounce Farakhan
• Obama's economic intervention
• Chicago: "The National Capital of Police Repression"
• A Refugee's Daily Life In Azza Camp Bethlehem
• Seven Jews control the entire US media
• Al-Shabab: A regional threat?
• Redundant but Dangerous Language
• Somaliland: A radical change?
• Writing for the Future – Book Review
• Resistir e Vencer - To Resist is to Win
• The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle – Book Review
• The New Warlord of Oz 
• The National Security Product
• UN Chief Dilly-Dallying on Panel to Probe Israeli Killings?
• Solving for Y
• To Henry Mercer, A True Romantic
• Myth-Debunking Snopes Obscures Israel's Role in 9/11
• The Freedom Charter or the second Nakba?
• Daniel Pearl immortalized
• The Old System of Humanity by Design is Collapsing into a "High Tech Kill Grid"
• The Jewish al-Qaeda spokesperson
• The Consumption Gap
• What Do Militaries Actually Practice During War Games?
• Neocon invaders today are crusaders of yesterday
• The Slow Death of Palestinian Democracy
• Soccer Explains Nothing
• The Truth About Africom
• Where Black Rules White
• Obama Joins UN Effort to Dictate Acceptable Behavior on the Internet
• Operation Roll Back Kuwaiti Freedom
• Wednesday: 16 Iraqis Killed, 32 Wounded
• Wednesday: 40 Iraqis, 1 US Soldier Killed; 64 Iraqis Wounded
• New Weapons
• Stealing Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat
• WSJ: Why Israel hasn't bombed Iran (Yet)?
• Elena Kagan supports plagiarism of felllow Jews
• NYT: Race Differences Real, Significant
• "You're Going to Be on Glenn Beck Tonight...."
• Netanyahu: Ambiguous Intentions For Peace
• Something Wonderful Happened
• Talking peace in the Philippines
• Palestinian Children Under Occupation
• The story of a people's resistance told in "Budrus"
• No Help From Washington

Spirit vs. Profit Posted: 24 Jul 2010 09:28 AM PDT We Germans are known to be weird but good car makers, which is the reason why it shouldn't come as a surprise when I tell you that we own a psychic octopus named Paul who accurately predicted the outcome of the World-football-championship-semi-final . By means beyond my intellectual reach did he conclude that the German team, high on the agenda as cup winner and particularly cherished in the betting world, would be licked by Spain whom nobody believed capable to lick anybody in any case. Well, I loved him for it! And I was even more delighted when his prediction turned out to be true.

BP, Illusion of a False Spill Posted: 24 Jul 2010 07:47 AM PDT The 'disaster' in the Gulf of Mexico is beyond a false flag; it's an illusion. What I'm about to reveal will more than likely go by the wayside, and the charade will continue. The reason for writing this is not for attention, games, or folly, but to expose the biggest scam in the 21st century, and to relieve some aching hearts. There is no need for fear as this is a staged event. I cannot reveal my sources, they do go straight to the top, but hopefully what I write will echo inside of each person reading this as the truth.

Shadow Banking Makes a Comeback Posted: 24 Jul 2010 12:44 AM PDT Credit conditions are improving for speculators and bubblemakers, but they continue to worsen for households, consumers and small businesses. An article in the Wall Street Journal confirms that the Fed's efforts to revive the so-called shadow banking system is showing signs of progress. Financial intermediaries have been taking advantage of low rates and easy terms to fund corporate bonds, stocks and mortgage-backed securities. Thus, the reflating of high-risk financial assets has resumed, thanks to the Fed's crisis-engendering monetary policy and extraordinary rescue operations.

Modern Day Mind Control of The People Posted: 23 Jul 2010 11:58 PM PDT Alex Jones goes through a short news blitz to end the week out.

Beyond apartheid Posted: 23 Jul 2010 11:09 PM PDT Israel's decision to force all prospective Israeli citizens to declare loyalty to "a Jewish and democratic state" is not only racist, but designed to further institutionalise the dispossession of Palestinians. It is ironic that the oath should include the term democracy as the law itself is a blatant exercise in state coercion.

A new paradigm for Gulf security Posted: 23 Jul 2010 08:35 PM PDT Seen through the prism of geopolitics, interactions related to security in the Arabian Gulf are - in principle - closely connected to the reality of more general regional security. This perspective can also be expanded to include the impact on the wider scope of regional and international policies.

Terror's Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone Posted: 23 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT A recent exposé in the Washington Post shows that if you have a security clearance and are comfortable being part of a lucrative "self-licking ice cream cone" — a process that offers few if any benefits while perpetuating its own existence — then the "war on terror" is definitely for you! The conclusion that the Long War against Islamic militants abroad can be enriching for a host of "counter-terror" contractors at home leaps out of the Post's "Top Secret America," a comprehensive three-part series by Dana Priest and William M. Arkin on July 19, 20 and 21.

Jailhouse Letter from Ed Steele Explains How He Was Framed Posted: 23 Jul 2010 05:46 PM PDT After being held incommunicado for nearly a month, Idaho attorney Edgar Steele was finally able to get a letter out of the Spokane County Jail, where he is being held on shaky federal charges of "murder for hire." He maintains that a confidential informant (CI) in the feds' employ lied to the authorities regarding the alleged plot in order to cover up the theft of tens of thousands of dollars in silver coins the CI had stolen from Steele sometime earlier.

General Petraeus: Neocons' Favorite for President Posted: 23 Jul 2010 02:26 PM PDT As we move past the mid-term elections, the question as to the Republican candidate for the presidency in 2012 will come to the fore.  Obama's approval rating is falling.  And given the economic situation it is very unlikely that there will be any significant improvement in how he is viewed by the voters.  Even if increased federal spending might be able to keep the unemployment level stationary or lower it slightly for the short term—i.e., until the 2012 election—the ballooning deficit will still turn substantial numbers of voters against him because of their fears of what will happen in the future.  On the other hand, any type of austerity program, or even the elimination of  stimulus funding, would probably lead to increased unemployment in the short term—at least up to the 2012 election.  In short, Obama is quite vulnerable in 2012.  However, he still has substantial support, and despite his escalating problems, he would likely defeat any candidate without widespread appeal, especially those whose strength does not go beyond the conservative Republican base.

Interview with Archbishop Theodosios (Atallah) Hanna Posted: 23 Jul 2010 01:08 PM PDT Let me be clear on this subject, there will be no Palestine without Jerusalem as its capital. It is ridicules to imagine Palestine without Jerusalem, because it beats in the heart of every Palestinian. In addition to that, Israel tries to change the features of Jerusalem through its development projects like the light train, the malls or the parks. They are trying to make Palestinians foreigners in their own city. According to international law, Jerusalem is still an occupied city, thus it has no right to change anything in it. Whatever is the final agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the Palestinians should have the free right of entry to their city without any restrictions; also they must have the right to live in it, build their homes and resides in Jerusalem without the interference of anybody. The Palestinian in Jerusalem is in his city and his country and not a stranger and the treatment of the Palestinian as a outsider is by itself a racist action.

Israel's Friends at Westminster Legislate to Protect Vilest Criminals Posted: 23 Jul 2010 11:58 AM PDT Israelis wanted for war crimes can sleep easier thanks to their friends and admirers in the British Establishment. Yes, our brand-new coalition government intends providing a safe haven for the vilest of criminals.

The Obama Election and Our Cultural Shift Posted: 23 Jul 2010 11:30 AM PDT Senator Jim Webb (D-Virginia) has written an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal attacking the diversity-industrial complex.  It's rare to see such an honest look in a major paper at what "diversity" really means. The NAACP believes the tea party is racist. The tea party believes the NAACP is racist. And Pat Buchanan got into trouble recently by pointing out that if Elena Kagan is confirmed to the Supreme Court, there will not be a single Protestant Justice, although Protestants make up half the U.S. population and dominated the court for generations.

Hasbarapocalypse — Leaked Frank Luntz Memo: Israeli Public Diplomacy in US on Flotilla Failed Dismally Posted: 23 Jul 2010 11:19 AM PDT The Israel Project (TIP), an American Hasbara outfit, commissioned Republican political consultant Frank Luntz to examine the effectiveness of Israel's public diplomacy in the US on the Flotilla debacle. TIP gave the memo to the Prime Minister's Office, where someone promptly leaked it to Chico Menashe, Channel Ten TV News diplomatic affairs correspondent.

International labor report's omissions reveal pro-Israel bias Posted: 23 Jul 2010 09:41 AM PDT Every June, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) releases its Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights. According to a press release that accompanied the 2010 publication (which reports on events in 2009), "the Middle East remains among the regions of the world where union rights are least protected." The report describes repression meted out to Palestinian workers and trade unionists by both the Israeli authorities and the Palestinian factions. But ITUC's omissions and brevity both disguise the complexity of life for Palestinian workers, and reveal some of the union confederation's own biases.

Latest documents advocating the ban of depleted uranium Posted: 23 Jul 2010 08:50 AM PDT To all those and their associates who remain in denial about the ill-effects of DU in order to keep it as a deadly nuclear tool in the DOD arsenal, let me submit for their and everyone else's edification some recent documents gathered from reliable government and non-government sources. I have relied on these impeccable sources partially to provide totally independent information for study. According to the UK Uranium Weapons Network, now submitting its evidence to the Iraq War Inquiry, "The UK Uranium Weapons Network (UWN) announced today that it has submitted its report on British military use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition in the 2003 Iraq War to the Chilcot Inquiry.

Can Kyrgyzstan Become a Democracy in Russia's Backyard? Posted: 23 Jul 2010 08:01 AM PDT In recent weeks, Kyrgyzstan has offered little in the way of good news. Once regarded as the best hope for democracy in Central Asia, the country's government was thrown out in a coup last April. Just months later, the southern part of the country descended into communal warfare, sending tens of thousands fleeing, many across the border into Uzbekistan. Seventy-five thousand people are still displaced. Amid the violence, Kyrgyzstan's hopes for democracy seemed like a distant fantasy.

Human Rights Watch flotilla stance mirrors that of US, Israel Posted: 23 Jul 2010 07:33 AM PDT Supporters of Israel often accuse Human Rights Watch (HRW), one of the most prominent human rights organizations in the world, of having an anti-Israel bias or even being anti-Semitic. For instance, a recent lengthy article in The New Republic accused the group of paying "disproportionate attention to Israeli misdeeds." Similarly, Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz has said that HRW exhibits a "willful blindness when it comes to Israel, and its enemies have completely undermined the credibility of a once important human rights organization." Indeed, there is no shortage of other similar critiques of the organization by supporters of Israel.

Jew puts Holocaust on trial Posted: 23 Jul 2010 07:30 AM PDT It isn't abortion. It isn't illegal immigration. No, it isn't sex either. No, it isn't health problems, it isn't personal finance and it isn't marriage or anything like that. It's not crime, fraud, war or racism. It isn't 9/11 and it isn't Kennedy's death. It also isn't Martin Luther Kings death. None of those things. We, as adults, are allowed to ask questions about all of them. Well, maybe not 9/11 but we still discuss it openly. We are not allowed to question the Holocaust and the 6 million Jews that were killed. NO Questions allowed. WE know the facts.

It's Not About Oil Posted: 23 Jul 2010 06:27 AM PDT The common themes of Mark Hackard's informative articles are that the US elites oppose the spirit of the East due to liberal ideology and old school national interests. The former argument I agree with; the latter, on the other hand, seems to imply that those ruling America actually care about its citizens, or at least those which happen to be corporate shareholders. One will search in vain for a "rational"-that is, economic-reason for the Iraq War, which couldn't be paid for if you stole all the country's oil for a hundred years.  As for the petroleum companies, The Israel Lobby revealed that they have actually traditionally opposed a bellicose foreign policy in the Middle East, preferring to peacefully conduct business with whoever happens to be in power

Writing the Last Chapter Posted: 23 Jul 2010 05:48 AM PDT The plight of the Palestinian Arabs has been well documented and their cause kept alive by the indestructible spirit of this courageous and proud people. Those who were supposed to disappear from history refused to go away. They endured, struggled, and resisted all attempts to make permanent their dispossession and occupation. The story of Palestine and its people has been written, and narrated in many books, but Ramzy Baroud's "My Father was a freedom fighter" is not just another book telling the story of Palestine as a sub-plot of 20th century political history, but a unique and necessary Palestinian-centered narrative. Most accounts of the Palestinian experience inevitably focus on the rise and fall of empires, international political intrigue, great power rivalry, and changing global political landscapes with the Palestinians appearing almost always as mere spectators at best, and sometimes a dispensable nuisance.

If Kosovo, Why Not Palestine? Posted: 23 Jul 2010 05:37 AM PDT On July 22, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on the following question posed to it by Serbia: "Is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo in accordance with international law?" By a 10-4 majority, the court ruled that, because "general international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence", Kosovo's declaration of independence in February 2008, coordinated with and supported by the American and most EU governments and subsequently recognized by 69 countries, "did not violate general international law." The clear implication is that no declarations of independence violate international law and that all are therefore "legal".

Madness of McCarthyism - A Primer for Israel Posted: 23 Jul 2010 05:32 AM PDT 'We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.' -- (Edward R. Murrow)

'This Time We Went Too Far' – Book Review Posted: 23 Jul 2010 05:23 AM PDT Finkelstein explains how Hamas's acceptance of a two-state solution (on pre-1967 borders), and the June 2008 ceasefire brokered by Egypt, presented Israel with "a daunting challenge". Israel would need to provoke Hamas into resuming its attacks "and then radicalize or destroy it, thereby eliminating it as a legitimate negotiating partner or as an obstacle to settlement on Israel's terms". Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni wanted a period of calm but said any extended truce "harms the Israeli strategic goal, empowers Hamas, and gives the impression that Israel recognizes the movement". Israel's strategic goal, Finkelstein suggests, was to retain the valuable parts of the West Bank.

Combatants for Peace Posted: 23 Jul 2010 04:30 AM PDT A group of former Israeli and Palestinian fighters publicly choose peace over arms.

The Lockerbie bombers's Posted: 23 Jul 2010 04:30 AM PDT What are the implications of BP's alleged role in al-Merghani's controversial release?

Friday: 1 Iraqi Killed, 33 Wounded Posted: 23 Jul 2010 04:17 AM PDT Only one Iraqi death was reported today, but 33 Iraqis were wounded in new attacks. Three U.S. soldiers who were wounded at their base in Nasariya as well. Iraq trudged on without a new government, but U.S. President Barack Obama urged Iraqis to hasten its formation, while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke on the phone with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Iraqiya-head Ayad Allawi. One officer was killed and 13 Iraqis were wounded in a car bomb blast in Kirkuk. The chief of police was among the wounded, but his son was the officer killed. Nine wanted men were captured south of the city.

False Flag Cyber Attack Could Takedown The Internet Posted: 23 Jul 2010 03:59 AM PDT An increasing clamour to restrict and control the internet on behalf of the government, the Pentagon, the intelligence community and their private corporate arms, could result in a staged cyber attack being used as justification. Over recent months we have seen a great increase in media coverage of inflated fears over a possible "electronic Pearl Harbor" event, with reports claiming that the U.S. could be "felled within 15 minutes".

This Week at War Posted: 23 Jul 2010 03:17 AM PDT Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates arrived in South Korea on July 21 to display their commitment to that country's defense. In March, a North Korean torpedo sank the South Korean corvette Cheonan, killing 46 sailors. Last month, South Korea took its case to the U.N. Security Council but was unable to get much satisfaction -- China, with North Korea's stability its paramount concern, blocked the Security Council from explicitly naming North Korea as the perpetrator.

Women prepared to break the siege of Gaza Posted: 23 Jul 2010 03:12 AM PDT The Maryam, an all-female Lebanese aid ship, currently docked in the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli, is getting ready to set sail for Gaza in the next few days. The ship, which aims to break Israel's siege on the Palestinian territory, will carry about fifty aid workers, including some US nuns keen to deliver aid to the long-suffering women and children of Gaza. "We were all drawn to the project ... united by a feeling of stark injustice," says Samar Hajj, one of the organizers of the Maryam, which is named after the mother of Christ.

Jesse Ventura Talks with Alex Jones About Government Harassment of His TV Show Posted: 23 Jul 2010 01:58 AM PDT In an exclusive interview on the Alex Jones Show today, Jesse Ventura will talk about the U.S. military's attempt to undermine his popular TruTV show, "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura." Jesse was prevented from filming a stand-up in front of the Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery for an episode on government involvement in the JFK assassination. Despite the military ban, Ventura managed to film the segment. "I did it anyway," he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

What do we Have in common with Stanley McChrystal? Posted: 23 Jul 2010 01:13 AM PDT Despite the international media's preoccupation with the world cup, news of the rupture in the relationship between commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal, and the American administration, and then his dismissal, occupied a significant share of media attention.  Most of the media, however, avoided raising the real questions and were only satisfied with responding to curiosity about the dispute between Joseph Biden and McChrystal and the "deep disappointment" expressed by US Chief of Staff, Michael Mullen over the issue.  The media focused on what was called McChrystal's criticism of President Obama, although the focus should be, from a purely American perspective, and as expressed by head of the Senate foreign affairs committee, John Kerry, "our first priority should be our mission in Afghanistan and our ability to proceed with skill".

Obama's Afghan War in Perspective Posted: 22 Jul 2010 11:09 PM PDT Practically everyone now understands that the war in Afghanistan is going very badly. This is not because the Taliban and other "insurgent" forces are strong and their foreign foes weak. It is because of the Afghans' indomitable spirit of independence that is only intensified by each civilian death due to house raids or bombs. Republican Party chair Michael Steele says "This [war] isn't something the U.S. wanted to engage in." But it should be clear how we arrived at this point.  And since sometimes we forget how many outrages have led to it, and how the disastrous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are part of a continuum, let me try to sum it up.

Steve Watson: Google Launches Cover-Up of 'Google' Spies' Story Posted: 22 Jul 2010 10:06 PM PDT The ongoing saga with Google censorship has continued today as it emerged that once again the search engine giant removed a key term from it's trends pages. Alex Jones yesterday asked his readers and listeners to send the term 'Google spies' to the top of the trends charts in the latest effort to fight back against the company's censorship of his films on YouTube. The term related to a story we prepared detailing how Google is intimately linked with US intelligence and has a history of censorship and surveillance. Within a short time the term had hit the top spot with the "volcanic" status added (see below -- click for enlargement). As you can see, the effect of the term being pushed to the top of the trends charts is that bloggers and journalists pick up the story and begin to document it. A snowball effect ensues and millions of people all over the world are more likely to be directed toward the story. However, within half an hour the term had been completely removed by Google and resulted in no news story links. These actions replicated Google's activity in the days beforehand when it removed other terms such as 'The Obama Deception', 'Infowars', 'Fall of the Republic' and 'Google Censorship' -- which had all become some of the most searched topics on the internet. This is the epicentre of the infowar.

Apartheid Plain and Simple Posted: 22 Jul 2010 07:41 PM PDT As if the preponderance of discriminatory laws already swelling the Israeli legal system were not enough, the Israeli parliament — the Knesset — is slated to debate a fresh installment of anti-Arab draft laws aimed at "reasserting the Jewish nature of Israel". One of these draft laws, tabled by a pro- settler party called Habayt ha Yahudi, or the Jewish Home, would force all citizens and would-be citizens of Israel to declare their loyalty to Israel as a Jewish state. The draft law specifically targets Palestinians married or wishing to marry other Palestinians who are already Israeli citizens — ie Palestinians living in Israel proper.

Haters Go After the 'Ground Zero Mosque' Posted: 22 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT Nothing illustrates the utter craziness of our society in the post-9/11 era than the controversy over the "Ground Zero mosque." To begin with, the proposed Islamic center – not a mosque, but the Muslim equivalent of the YMCA – a nonprofit foundation wants to build in New York City isn't at "ground zero," it is four blocks from the site of the World Trade Center. But that doesn't deter demagogues like Newt Gingrich and various other unsavory opportunists from making it into a political issue. Never mind the fact that there is already a mosque four blocks away from the site of the World Trade Center (see here), which has been there for many years. If we follow the "logic" of Newt and his fellow crusaders, then this should be torn down – along with all the other hundreds of mosques in New York City. And don't forget Washington, D.C., the site of the attack on the Pentagon: surely symbols of the "enemy" religion must be banned there, too.

Cry Havoc Posted: 22 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT The decision of the International Court of Justice, made public on July 23, that the unilateral declaration of independence by the provisional government of Kosovo "did not violate any applicable rule of international law" was both predictable and shocking. Predictable, because the ICJ panel considering the case included judges from nine countries that had already recognized the "independent republic of Kosovo." As deliberations began in December 2009, ICJ president Hisashi Owada even blurted out that the decision would be vague — which was interpreted at the time as confirmation that the court was under tremendous political pressure.

Palestinians Remain Split, US Doesn't Adjust Posted: 22 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT Last summer, a tight consensus formed in Washington around Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's plans to build up state-like institutions in the West Bank and revive the territory's sagging economy from the lingering effects of the Second Intifada. But the strategy – while still overwhelmingly popular in the West a year into its implementation – is facing strong criticisms: Experts on Palestinian politics are now questioning its effectiveness and whether, with Gaza still isolated, the agenda is counter-productive to forming an eventual, unified Palestinian state.

Stop Calling Them Heroes Posted: 22 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT Consider a strange aspect of our wars since October 2001: they have yet to establish a bona fide American hero, a national household name.  Two were actually "nominated" early by the Bush administration — Jessica Lynch, a 19-year-old private and clerk captured by the Iraqis in the early days of the American invasion and later "rescued" by Army Rangers and Navy Seals, and Pat Tillman, the former NFL safety who volunteered for service in the Army Rangers eight months after 9/11 and died under "enemy" gunfire in Afghanistan. Both stories were later revealed to be put-up jobs, pure Bush-era propaganda and deceit.  In Lynch's case, almost every element in the instant patriotic myth about her rescue proved either phony or highly exaggerated; in Tillman's, it turned out that he had been killed by friendly fire, but — thanks to a military cover-up (that involved General Stanley McChrystal, later to become Afghan war commander) — was still given a Silver Star and a posthumous promotion.  Members of his unit were even ordered by the military to lie at his funeral, and he was made into a convenient "hero" and recruitment poster boy for the Afghan War. Both were shameful episodes, involving administration manipulation and media gullibility.  Since then, as TomDispatch regular and retired lieutenant colonel William Astore points out, U.S. troops as a whole have been labeled "our heroes," but individual heroes have been in vanishingly short supply.

US and South Korea Impose New Sanctions on North Posted: 22 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT The United States and South Korea will impose new sanctions on North Korea in an effort to crackdown on the North's participation in arms proliferation and increase pressure on Pyongyang after the sinking of a South Korean warship. The new sanctions – which were introduced Wednesday during U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's two-day visit to Seoul – were announced ahead of next week's large-scale war games in which 8,000 U.S. and South Korean troops are scheduled to participate.

Predators All Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:18 PM PDT Recently, I went to see Predators, a sequel to the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Predator, about a group of American Special Forces commandos in the Central American jungle who find themselves being hunted by an extraterrestrial, the Predator. Predator was not that good a movie, but the premise was interesting. It was ripped off and developed nicely in Star Trek: Voyager with the Hirojan race of hunters. I thought Predators might further develop the premise because I had heard that it was set on the Predator planet and because it was directed by the versatile and talented Robert Rodriguez.

Obama's "Post-Racial" Anti-White Regime Posted: 22 Jul 2010 05:07 PM PDT The former black community organizer of ambiguous origin, touted by a sycophantic, anti-White media as the "post-racial" president, is anti-White. Is anybody other than deracinated Whites surprised? In Obama team's panic over losing whites, Pat Buchanan writes: Panic. The White House fears it is losing white America because of a false perception that it harbors a bias against white America.

Vietnam's forgotten war victims Posted: 22 Jul 2010 04:48 PM PDT When Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, visited Vietnam on Thursday she extolled the country's "unlimited potential" and strong trade relations with the US. But the words must have rung hollow for Ngyuen Ngoc Phuong, who has seen his potential destroyed by American chemical poisoning. Phuong, 19, was born long after the US cut and run from the Vietnam war, evacuating its last remaining personnel by helicopter from the roof of its Saigon embassy in 1975.

Jews, Judaism and Slavery Posted: 22 Jul 2010 04:32 PM PDT Jewish writer Solomon Grayzel in "A History of the Jews" "Jews were among the most important slave dealers" in European society.  Jews were the major ship chandlers in the Caribbean.  Jews were expelled from many places for their business practices in this trade. In Curacao in the 17th century and Barbados and Jamaica in the 18th century and in most of the French, British and Dutch colonies the Jews dominated the slave trade or were major traders.    When their host country was at war with one of their trading partners the Jews would continue to trade, merely changing the names of their ships as the port of call required.

Israel's Danny Rothschild and the Plundering of Iceland Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:01 PM PDT The Israeli-Rothschild connection to the plundering of Icelandic banks has become clearer and deserves to be noted. On June 23, it was reported that the Tchenguiz Discretionary Trust (TDT is the parent company headed by Victor Tchenguiz in Israel) had agreed to settle by handing over frozen Somerfield cash to administrators of failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing on June 23, 2010.

Why Kosovar Independence Is Good for Serbia Posted: 22 Jul 2010 12:33 PM PDT Hashim Thaci had a very good day. The former rebel commander and current prime minister of Kosovo heard today that his country's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia was legal. The International Court of Justice in The Hague, the most established world judicial institution, released its long-awaited ruling this morning, and the prime minister and his entourage watched the announcement live from Washington. At several points, according to a minister who was present, they broke into applause. More than a decade after NATO bombs released the mainly Albanian province from Serbia's grip, Kosovo is finally emerging from the legal limbo of being a United Nations protectorate guarded by NATO.

Lying Jewess screams rape Posted: 22 Jul 2010 10:35 AM PDT "An Arab man convicted in Israel of rape because he pretended he was a Jew when he had consensual sex with a Jewish woman has called the verdict racist. Sabbar Kashur, 30, was found guilty of "rape by deception" by the Israeli court and sentenced to 18 months in jail. According to the complaint filed by the woman, the two met in a Jerusalem street in 2008 and had sex that day. When she discovered he was not Jewish, but an Arab, she went to the police. Kashur was arrested and charged with rape and indecent assault, but the charges were later replaced by a different charge of "rape by deception".

AIPAC: The Voice of America Posted: 22 Jul 2010 09:18 AM PDT There can be no doubt, at least as far as Middle East Policy is concerned, that AIPAC is the Voice of America. Although I have heard AIPAC pronounced in two distinct ways, one of which is A-PAC, I have chosen to pronounce the acronym with the same initial sound as in the word 'aisle'. To me, this pronunciation is more appropriate, because the use of the A for America sound is subtly misleading. The organization has nothing to do with A for America, it is all about I for Israel. In the graphic illustration near the end of this video, had the mathematical relationships been absolutely accurate, either the Orange would have filled the screen or the pea would have been invisible. The discrepancy between the power AIPAC wields, compared to the rest of the American population, is immense, and that power benefits one nation: Israel.

Gaza's strawberries spoil under siege Posted: 22 Jul 2010 08:58 AM PDT The northern Gaza Strip area of Beit Lahiya is famous for its agriculture. The climate, the sandy clay soil and the fresh water supply create an ideal environment for growing fruit here, and the practice has become a deeply-engrained way of life for Beit Lahiya farmers like Abdulfattah al-Khateeb, who has been growing strawberries here for more than 25 years. Although the Gaza Strip is amongst the most densely-populated places on earth, here luscious green fields spread out in vast tracts. Yet it is clear that as Abdulfattah gazes out onto his land his minds is troubled: Abdulfattah's concern is unique in that it is not with growing his crops, but rather whether his crops will be able to reach the market once they are grown.

Thursday: 13 Iraqis, 3 Foreign Contractors Killed; 18 Iraqis, 15 Contractors Wounded Posted: 22 Jul 2010 07:47 AM PDT Updated at 9:22 p.m. EDT, July 22, 2010 Three foreign contractors were killed during a mortar or rocket attack on Baghdad's international Green Zone. At least 15 more were wounded in the attack. At least 13 Iraqis were killed as well and 18 more were wounded in other violence. Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (SIIC) urged Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to step aside and allow someone else to take over the premiership. Also, a new study supports anecdotal evidence that Fallujah is suffering from an increase in cancer and birth defects, perhaps caused by mutagenic and carcinogenic agents used during the war.

Haneen Zoabi: "The largest threat to democracy is Zionism" Posted: 22 Jul 2010 07:12 AM PDT On 13 July, the Israeli Knesset voted by a large margin to strip the parliamentary privileges of Haneen Zoabi, a member of the Palestinian Israeli party Balad. The measure was a punishment for Zoabi's participation in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. As described in the Israeli daily Haaretz, during the raging debate, Member of Knesset (MK) Anasatassia Michaeli rushed toward Zoabi and handed her a mock Iranian passport with Zoabi's photo on it. "Ms. Zoabi, I take your loyalty to Iran seriously and I suggest you contact Ahmadinejad and ask him to give you an Iranian diplomatic passport that will assist you with all your diplomatic incitement tours, because your Israeli passport will be revoked this evening," said Michaeli, who is a member of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's explicitly anti-Arab Yisrael Beiteinu party ("Knesset revokes Arab MK Zuabi's privileges over Gaza flotilla," 13 July 2010).

The Spies Were No Joke Posted: 22 Jul 2010 06:11 AM PDT For many, the arrest of 12 Russian spies in the United States was a signal that the drama of the Cold War had returned as farce. Much fun was had examining the activities of the "illegals" in the United States (they seemed to have accomplished little more than garnering invitations to think-tank lunches). But as innocuous as those details seem, the West would do well to pay attention to just how closely the methods and intentions of Russia's current intelligence agency, the SVR, replicate those of Soviet-era intelligence agencies.

Ocean Energy Institute Founder Says New Hurricane Will Require Gulf Evacuation Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:22 AM PDT The U.S. National Hurricane Center has warned that a weather system near Cuba, centered between islands of Acklins and Great Inagua, may move into the Gulf of Mexico this weekend, reports Bloomberg this morning. "I am still worried about how it will move the oil slick into the coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi," meteorologist Jim Rouiller said. In response to the approach of the tropical cyclone, BP workers in the Gulf of Mexico have stopped drilling a relief well and are preparing to evacuate, reports the BBC. On Wednesday, National Incident Commander Thad Allen said a tropical storm in the area could push back the timetable 10 to 14 days.

Summer Reading Posted: 22 Jul 2010 03:00 AM PDT It is that time of year when we depart for summer vacation. We head for the woods and mountains. Unless we planned to visit the Gulf, we head for the beach. Oh, what the hell. Even if we planned to visit the Gulf, let us head for the beaches. All the beaches I have seen there look pretty clean. So let us hit the beaches there, too. It is cheap! America is a vast continental country, so we have various locales to infest during summertime vacation. I prefer the beach, but maybe you prefer the mountains or even wander off to one of our great cities to tour. Barack Obama headed off to Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island in Maine for a few days. Good for him. Unfortunately, he came back.

"Offensive" Against the Bedouins Posted: 22 Jul 2010 02:55 AM PDT Of late someone is pushing for a violent resolution of the many years of conflict between the Bedouins in the Negev and the state. Voices are heard of a new tsunami rolling toward us, it is already a major offensive, against the Bedouins wherever they may be. Each day settler associations working against us pop up, such as Regavim (the movement for the protection of national lands – AIC). The State Attorney's Office comes out against academics who "cooperate" with the Bedouins. And it appears that an orchestrated campaign to uproot the "unrecognized" villages is beginning.

Pastor John Hegee, an Israeli Echo, Gets an Earful from Protesters Posted: 22 Jul 2010 02:38 AM PDT On the evening of July 21, 2010, the Pastor John Hegee-led Christians United for Israel (CUFI) held a "summit" at the convention center in Washington, D.C. However, outside, human rights activists from CODEPINK, Jewish Voices for Peace, and others, were staging a protest action. Their press release stated: "That no matter what your faith, you should 'not support' Israel's policies of annexing East Jerusalem, constructing the Apartheid Wall, and laying siege to Gaza."

Who's Aiding Judaisation? Posted: 22 Jul 2010 12:19 AM PDT   Since 1860, when the American Jewish tycoon Judah Touro donated $60,000 -- a fortune for that time -- towards the construction of the first Jewish settlement outside the old walls of Jerusalem, public and private American funds have aided the creation and territorial expansion of Israel. Israel today is the foremost recipient of US aid. According to a USAID green paper, between 1946 and 2008 Israel has received more aid than Russia, India, Egypt and Iraq. In fact, the US has poured more money into Israel than it did into the Marshall Plan for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. However, a recent New York Times article adds a new dimension to the story.

Jewish leaders ask Obama to denounce Farakhan Posted: 21 Jul 2010 11:45 PM PDT Louis Farakhan's letter to Abe Foxman, national director Anti-Defamation League on June 24, 2010 – has really pinched Jewish Lobby's nerves – that's major Jewish involvement in African slavery. After running a smear campaign against Minister Farakhan for decades – recently the leaders of several Jewish organizations has called on US President Barack Obama for public denunciation of the leader of the Nation of Islam for his so-called 'anti-Semitism' for asking Abraham Foxman to have honest discussion over Jewish role in Black slavery. Dr. Raphael in his book "Jews and Judaism in the United States: A Documentary History" (1983) wrote: "Slave trading was a major feature of Jewish economic life in Surinam which as a major stopping-off point in the triangular trade. Both North american and Caribbean Jews played a key role in this commerce; records of a slave sale in 1707 reveal that the ten largest Jewish purchasers (10,400 guilders) spent more than 25% of the total funds (38,605 guilders) exchanged".

Obama's economic intervention Posted: 21 Jul 2010 11:12 PM PDT To what extent should a government intervene in economies? Is the Obama administration interventionist? And in an election year to what extent is the move politically motivated?

Chicago: "The National Capital of Police Repression" Posted: 21 Jul 2010 10:01 PM PDT That's what Frank Donner called Chicago in his 1990 book, "Protectors of Privilege." As an ACLU attorney, he explained how city police and US intelligence agencies targeted alleged internal subversion, and while it operated "was the outstanding example of it its kind in the United States (in terms of) size, number, and range of targets or operational scope and diversity." He referred to "wide-open, no-holds-barred style surveillance" (and vigilantism), unmatched anywhere in the country - (institutionalized) guerrilla warfare against substantial sectors of the city's population," using illegal, criminal methods, including intimidation, physical confrontation, and flagrant abuse, at times involving torture. That was then. What about now?

A Refugee's Daily Life In Azza Camp Bethlehem Posted: 21 Jul 2010 09:54 PM PDT The density of the Azza Camp in Bethlehem, Palestine is so small that you can personally say hello to all 2,000 people living inside of the camp that is less than one kilometer. Half of the Palestinians living inside these confines are children under the age of ten. I myself asked to play soccer with two of the boys.

Seven Jews control the entire US media Posted: 21 Jul 2010 08:52 PM PDT These seven Jews collectively control ABC, NBC, CBS, the Turner Broadcasting System, CNN, MTV, Universal Studios, MCA Records, Geffen Records, DGC Records, GRP Records, Rising Tide Records, Curb/Universal Records, and Interscope Records, and the Jewry want to continue lying  to us by saying that they have no hold on what we read, the music we listen to, the movies we watch and the biased perversities we are subjected to on our tv screens each and every day?

Al-Shabab: A regional threat? Posted: 21 Jul 2010 07:51 PM PDT Is al-Shabab taking its fight beyond Somalia and into the Horn of Africa and does it pose a regional threat?

Redundant but Dangerous Language Posted: 21 Jul 2010 07:41 PM PDT Each time Israel fails to keep its 'side of the bargain', the Palestinian Authority responds with the same redundant language. The cycle has become so utterly predictable that one wonders why the Palestinian Authority officials even bothers protesting Israeli action. They must be well aware that their cries, genuine or otherwise, will only fall on deaf ears. They know that their complaints could not possible contribute to a paradigm shift in Israel's behavior, or the US position on it.

Somaliland: A radical change? Posted: 21 Jul 2010 07:11 PM PDT Although the international media has under-reported it, the world has recently witnessed a major event in the Horn of Africa - a free, fair and generally peaceful election in Somaliland. On July 2, Isse Yusuf Mohamud, the chairman of Somaliland's election commission, announced that Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo, the leader of the opposition Kulmiye Party, won the presidential election with 49.59 per cent of the 538,246 votes cast. The incumbent president, Dahir Riyale Kahin, came a distant second with 33.23 per cent of the votes.

Writing for the Future – Book Review Posted: 21 Jul 2010 07:04 PM PDT Most Palestinians, Arabs and their sympathizers know all too well that turning Palestine into Israel involved a truckload of falsification, but few know the extent and detail of the deception, or the full spectrum of the lived history that was submerged in the process. In "Hidden Histories," Jerusalemite Basem L. Ra'ad takes the reader on a time and space travel that shuttles between the ancient Cana'anite civilization and occupied Palestine today, affirming the demographic and cultural continuity of the Eastern Mediterranean over successive millennia.

Resistir e Vencer - To Resist is to Win Posted: 21 Jul 2010 06:44 PM PDT Resistir e Vencer, to resist is to win, a simple phrase from the life of Gusmao describing the struggle in Timor-Leste. Today there are various meanings attributed to the idea of resistance and struggle. In a recent article by Ramzy Baroud, Baroud discusses resistance with a remarkable degree of clarity and precision. His main point commences with the observation. "Resistance is not a band of armed men hell-bent on wreaking havoc. It is not a cell of terrorists scheming ways to detonate buildings. True resistance is a culture. It is a collective retort to oppression."

The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle – Book Review Posted: 21 Jul 2010 06:28 PM PDT Israel is an amazing place as one puts together the implications from Start-Up Nation. It is a fount of free enterprise can-do entrepreneurial spirit. There are no resistances, although something called an Intifada concerned the authors somewhat, without being specified as to what it is/was. There are no freedom fighters nor insurgents, no guerrillas nor rebellions. For that matter there are no Palestinians as the word has been expunged from the authors' vocabulary completely (unless it was in a boring anecdotal section that I skim read and missed - not likely). Israel, except for a few wandering Arabs, was "largely a barren wasteland."

The New Warlord of Oz  Posted: 21 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT The Order of Mates celebrated beside Sydney Harbour the other day.  This is a venerable masonry in Australian political life that unites the Labor Party with the rich elite known as the big end of town. They shake hands, not hug, though the Silver Bodgie now hugs. In his prime, the Silver Bodgie, aka Bob Hawke or Hawkie, wore suits that shone, wide-bottomed trousers and shirts with the buttons undone. A bodgie was a Australian version of the 1950s English Teddy Boy and Hawke's thick grey-black coiffure added inches to his abbreviated stature.

The National Security Product Posted: 21 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT Those who are agonizing over whether Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri was a double agent or just an agent or whether he was kidnapped or a defector are really missing the point.  Amiri was just a small cog in the Greatest Show on Earth, the $100 billion a year US intelligence community.  United States intelligence is a huge and expensive bureaucracy and the information it produces must be consumed even when it does not necessarily make Americans safer.  More important than that, it is a product that must have enough bells and whistles to impress Congress, the media, and the White House to keep the money flowing.   What that all translates to is that every success, no matter how minor or even debatable, must be spun and promoted to the fullest while every failure must be concealed. The tendency to do so is not unique to the intelligence community and one has only to look at the military's contrived narratives relating to Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch, both of which were completely fictitious but supportive of a tale of heroism and self-sacrifice that the Pentagon was promoting.

UN Chief Dilly-Dallying on Panel to Probe Israeli Killings? Posted: 21 Jul 2010 06:00 PM PDT When the Security Council condemned the killings by Israeli military forces of nine Turkish civilians on a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza last May, it also released a presidential statement "taking note" of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's proposal for an international investigation of the incident. But nearly two months later there are no signs of the proposed "prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation."

Solving for Y Posted: 21 Jul 2010 04:00 PM PDT The first time we spoke she walked past me, pointed at my feet without breaking her stride, and sternly said, "Good shoes." By the time I thought of something to say back she was on the other side of the building. It'd be weeks later before we would first make eye contact. Was I, the lowly magazine assistant, allowed to say things to her? I had no idea, but I was desperate to find out. I went into her office with a stack of photocopies she didn't need and took a look at her watch. It was a Must de Cartier Vermeil Tank with a manila yellow face and worn leather band akin to what Jackie Kennedy sported during the Camelot years. I had some knowledge of wrist wear and took advantage of the opening. "Is your watch vintage!?" I rabidly asked in a half-mumble, half-shout. What an exceptionally in-the-know reference, she's going to love me for this, I thought. Next I'll ask her if she scored it on eBay or, better, at the iconic LA re-sale shop Decades. I'm a genius!

To Henry Mercer, A True Romantic Posted: 21 Jul 2010 04:00 PM PDT Which evokes a romantic memory better, a fragrance or a melody? The latter, I am sure, despite the times I've felt a tug at my heart when some sweet young thing breezed by me followed by the aroma of Chanel no 5, the favorite scent of my first great love back in the fifties. Music and lyrics are a hell of a combination for nostalgia nuts like myself. In fact they are as lethal as a left-right combination from the great Ray Robinson, the original Sugar Ray, whose boxing during the 40s, 50s and even 60s turned a brutal sport into what's known as the sweet science. I recently purchased a book, a catalogue really, about the complete lyrics of Johnny Mercer, to go with my other books on Cole Porter's words, Irving Berlin's, Lorenz Hart's and Oscar Hammerstein 11.

Myth-Debunking Snopes Obscures Israel's Role in 9/11 Posted: 21 Jul 2010 02:58 PM PDT Snopes.com, officially known as the Urban Legends Reference Pages, has since its humble inception in 1995 come to be regarded as one of the most trusted debunkers of conspiracy theories on the internet. Described by one of its many fans – it apparently has over 6 million visitors per month – as "the grand-daddy of all fact-checking sites," Snopes is downright cavalier, however, in its attitude to facts surrounding Israel's role in the 9/11 attacks. In its large section on urban legends relating to 9/11, Snopes purports to debunk a claim that "four thousand Israelis employed by companies housed in the World Trade Center stayed home from work on September 11, warned in advance of the impending attack on the World Trade Center." A click on the link under "Israelis" brings the curious reader to an entry titled "Absent without Leave," in which the "four thousand Israelis" have suddenly and inexplicably been replaced by "four thousand Jews."

The Freedom Charter or the second Nakba? Posted: 21 Jul 2010 02:02 PM PDT Imagine this, imagine that Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress negotiated a deal with the South African Apartheid regime and settled for a "two-state solution."  Imagine Mandela negotiating with the Apartheid regime a land deal in which less than 15% of current day South Africa went to the black South Africans, the remaining 85% to the inherently racist Apartheid government and its people.

Daniel Pearl immortalized Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:28 PM PDT On May 27, 2010 – Ben Obama signed the Daniel Pearl Act 2009 into law giving the Israel Lobby to control the distribution of USAID to foreign countries, the major receiver of which happens to be the Zionist entity – based on the State Department's report on human right violations. Interestingly, the US was blasted in the United Nations Human Rights Report 2010. Named after the pro-Israel Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl, an Israeli citizen, who was kidnapped and killed in Pakistan allegedly working for Israeli Mossad.

The Old System of Humanity by Design is Collapsing into a "High Tech Kill Grid" Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:12 PM PDT Alex breaks down the collapse of our society by design into a high tech system of control that will only breed on the discrution of man.

The Jewish al-Qaeda spokesperson Posted: 21 Jul 2010 11:07 AM PDT Gadahn was born Adam Pearlman, the son of musician Phil Pearlman. He is the grandson of a prominent urologist; who was also on the Board of Directors of the Anti-Defamation League. According to Gadahn, he was a "zealous supporter" of Israel. Pearlman is an American senior operative, cultural interpreter, spokesman and media advisor for  Al-Qaeda. Since 2004, he appeared in a number of videos produced by Al-Qaeda as "Azzam the American" . Gadahn "converted"to Sunni Islam in 1995, at the age of 17, but once a Jew and a shill - always a Jewish shill.  It is interesting how news coverage of this man always fails to mention his Jewish heritage.

The Consumption Gap Posted: 21 Jul 2010 10:42 AM PDT Global rebalancing has not gone according to script. It was 10 years ago this summer when, as chief economist for the investment bank Morgan Stanley, I first argued that an unbalanced world was in need of major realignment. Back then, America was the New Economy that others could only dream of. Japan was about to enter its second lost decade. Developing Asia was reeling after a devastating crisis. And the lingering symptoms of Euro-sclerosis were painfully evident.

What Do Militaries Actually Practice During War Games? Posted: 21 Jul 2010 10:37 AM PDT After a meeting in Seoul Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae-Young announced that the United States and South Korea would conduct massive joint naval drills this weekend. The exercises will include the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington as well as 20 other ships and submarines and 100 aircraft. According to the joint statement, the drills are "designed to send a clear message to North Korea that its aggressive behavior must stop, and that we are committed together to enhancing our defensive capabilities." The political message sent by exercises like these is certainly clear enough, but are they actually practicing anything?

Neocon invaders today are crusaders of yesterday Posted: 21 Jul 2010 09:46 AM PDT In a quick and brief review of one of the most unsuccessful wars in which the west was ever engaged, we cannot help noticing their great mistakes. We see rashness, overrated self-confidence, depreciation of enemies, lack of foresight, ignorance of the difficulties to be surmounted. The soldiers were diverted from their main object, and wasted their forces in attacking unimportant cities and killing innocent people mistaken for alleged enemies. This might strike a lot of people as descriptive of the allied western forces under the American leadership in their war on terrorism, but ironically enough, I was shedding little light on an older matter, I was referring to the medieval crusades.

The Slow Death of Palestinian Democracy Posted: 21 Jul 2010 09:30 AM PDT Palestinian municipal elections were supposed to be held last week. Instead, they were canceled. A statement released by the Palestinian Authority claimed the cancellation was "in order to pave the way for a successful end to the siege on Gaza and for continued efforts at unity" between Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, and the government in the West Bank.

Soccer Explains Nothing Posted: 21 Jul 2010 09:05 AM PDT One night in Johannesburg during the World Cup, I was chatting with an English friend over a bottle of South African red about the impending England-Germany game. My friend is an august figure, a well-traveled political commentator, never happier than when weighing the chances of war in Iran. At first, he made some ironic remarks about the England team. But pretty soon, he couldn't resist the temptation: He stuck out his arms in imitation of the outstretched wings of a Royal Air Force plane from World War II. He was an England fan preparing for a game against Germany, and that's what England fans do.

The Truth About Africom Posted: 21 Jul 2010 08:45 AM PDT I feel fortunate that I can say that I was present at the inception of U.S. Africa Command (Africom), the U.S. military headquarters that oversees and coordinates U.S. military activities in Africa. Starting with just a handful of people sitting around a table nearly four years ago, we built an organization dedicated to the idea that U.S. security interests in Africa are best served by building long-term partnerships with African nations, regional organizations, and the African Union. At the same time, however, there has been a great deal of speculation and concern about Africom. We believe our work and accomplishments will continue to speak for themselves.

Where Black Rules White Posted: 21 Jul 2010 07:51 AM PDT Without having any place to stay, Prichard generally had to live off of the kindness of the natives.  This was one thing that didn't disappoint him: Of the peasant's attitude towards the stranger in the more remote districts, I have nothing to say but good.  His virtue of hospitality is beautiful.  His politeness is beyond reproach.  He is Nature's gentleman in many ways, and though he is poor in worldly goods, he is rich in some of the higher qualities.

Obama Joins UN Effort to Dictate Acceptable Behavior on the Internet Posted: 21 Jul 2010 07:17 AM PDT The United States — along with the UK, China and Russia — have agreed to work together under the globalist umbrella of the United Nations to determine "norms of accepted behavior in cyberspace," according to Computer Weekly. France, Germany, Estonia, Belarus, Brazil, India, Israel, Italy, Qatar, South Korea, and South Africa are also involved in the effort. Robert Knake, a cyberwarfare expert with the Council on Foreign Relations, says the signed agreement represents a significant change in U.S. posture. Participation of the U.S. demonstrates the Obama administration's strategy of diplomatic engagement, according to Knake.

Operation Roll Back Kuwaiti Freedom Posted: 21 Jul 2010 06:18 AM PDT In a region where reprisals against journalists who fail to toe the government line may include imprisonment and torture, Kuwait has been a welcome exception. The country consistently ranks as having the freest media in the Arab world, in both Reporters Without Borders' and Freedom House's indices of press freedom. With a population of only around 3 million, it has more than 15 daily newspapers that publish editorials and columns from local politicians, activists, academics, and analysts. But Kuwait's relatively liberal media and public dialogue is just that: relative. It's also in decline.

Wednesday: 16 Iraqis Killed, 32 Wounded Posted: 21 Jul 2010 05:46 AM PDT At least 16 Iraqis were killed 32 more were wounded in various attacks across the country. The worst violence collapsed a building in Diyala province, which has suffered several attacks in the last few days. Six people were killed and 14 more were wounded during a car bombing in Abu Saida. The blast occurred near a mosque and brought down a residential building.

Wednesday: 40 Iraqis, 1 US Soldier Killed; 64 Iraqis Wounded Posted: 21 Jul 2010 05:46 AM PDT Updated at 8:24 p.m. EDT, July 21, 2010 At least 40 Iraqis were killed 64 more were wounded in various attacks across the country. The worst violence collapsed a building in Diyala province, which has suffered several attacks in the last few days. A U.S. soldier was also killed in Diyala when a roadside bomb blated his vehicle. Meanwhile, Deputy U.K. Prime Minister Nick Clegg called the 2003 invasion of Iraq illegal. Also, five U.S. governors revealed their secret trip to Iraq.

New Weapons Posted: 21 Jul 2010 04:22 AM PDT Regardless of the reporter independence and effective possibilities to reliably report the war facts, the direct effects of a war are often written in measurable terms: number of dead and wounded people, buildings and infrastructures damaged, etc. Such an approach it is far to be easy when one should study the long-time effects of war on population health. This is due, in great extent, to the inherent difficulties in carrying out in-site studies, which are also oppugned by occupying forces, and to the very nature of these studies that need long periods of follow-up, high number of samples, people highly skilled for data-gathering, and so on.

Stealing Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat Posted: 21 Jul 2010 02:46 AM PDT On the wake of US Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, Andrew Shapiro, assurances of the solid commitment of the US administration to the security of Israel, and I quote, " preserving Israel qualitative edge" is his top priority, one can only wonder how true and solid Obama's determination is to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. With no doubt in my mind, I do believe that Obama is committed to preserving a two state solution whereby, Israel and Palestine can engage in a peaceful marriage that will last for centuries to come. This can only happen without sacrificing the security of Israel that continues to play a fundamental part in the shaping of current and future political and military map of the region.

WSJ: Why Israel hasn't bombed Iran (Yet)? Posted: 21 Jul 2010 01:10 AM PDT Professor Bret Stephens, a fellow with the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, wrote an apologetic column in the Israel Hasbara (propaganda) Wall Street Journal (July 20, 2010) – to provide some 'genuine' excuses for Israeli fears to start its most deadly war with the Islamic Republic alone.

Elena Kagan supports plagiarism of felllow Jews Posted: 21 Jul 2010 01:01 AM PDT When the Jewess Elena Kagan was  extensively questioned  during her Supreme court hearings about her tenure as Dean of Harvard Law School, her role in a controversy involving charges of plagiarism against fellow Jewish Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz (which emerged while she was head of Harvard Law School has been ignored. When Senator Jon Kyl asked about her basic approach to judging, Kagan said: "My deanship was a good example ... the kind of consideration (bias and corruption) that I've given to different arguments, the kind of fairness (tribalism) that I've shown in making decisions."

NYT: Race Differences Real, Significant Posted: 21 Jul 2010 12:53 AM PDT The NYT on very recent human evolution. Ten thousand years ago, people in southern China began to cultivate rice and quickly made an all-too-tempting discovery — the cereal could be fermented into alcoholic liquors. Carousing and drunkenness must have started to pose a serious threat to survival because a variant gene that protects against alcohol became almost universal among southern Chinese and spread throughout the rest of China in the wake of rice cultivation.

"You're Going to Be on Glenn Beck Tonight...." Posted: 20 Jul 2010 11:43 PM PDT We've had some back and forths on Glenn Beck, but stories like this give him a soft spot in my heart. A fuzzy video of an Agriculture Department official opened a new front Tuesday in the ongoing war between the left and right over which side is at fault for stoking persistent forces of racism in politics.

Netanyahu: Ambiguous Intentions For Peace Posted: 20 Jul 2010 11:32 PM PDT Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told EU diplomat Catherine Ashton that he is "willing to take political risks for peace,".  However, he is unwilling to make definitive statements on settlement construction plans. As a 10-month freeze on new settlement construction reaches its end in late September, Netanyahu is deliberately vague when discussing the settlements' future in order not to jeopardize direct talks with Palestinians.

Something Wonderful Happened Posted: 20 Jul 2010 10:32 PM PDT I've just returned from Minneapolis, having attended the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA at the invitation of the denomination's Israel Palestine Mission Network. The PC(USA) is at the epicenter of the struggle of the Christian community in the U.S. to come to terms with the challenge of the Israel-Palestine conflict. A victory had already been achieved before the start of the Assembly.  Overtures from presbyteries from around the country urging action on justice for Palestinians would amount to over 40% of the actions considered by the Assembly. These included revisiting the 2004 decision to undertake phased divestment from companies implicated in the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and an overture affirming that Israel's actions meet the United Nations definition for the crime of Apartheid.

Talking peace in the Philippines Posted: 20 Jul 2010 10:17 PM PDT Benigno Aquino III, the newly-installed president of the Philippines, won the office by the largest plurality in the nation's history. Perceived as a lacklustre senator for years, the son of the nation's two icons of democracy now has Filipinos believing that he may just be able to work miracles.

Palestinian Children Under Occupation Posted: 20 Jul 2010 09:56 PM PDT The Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations is a Beirut, Lebanon-based organization engaged in "strategic and futuristic studies on the Arab and Muslim worlds, (emphasizing) the Palestinian issue." In July 2010, it published the latest in its "Am I Not a Human?" series titled, "The Suffering of the Palestinian Child under the Israeli Occupation," saying: Palestinian children grow up "under the Israeli occupation, surrounded by cruelty, oppression, killing, starvation and destruction." Yet, like all children, they dream of playing and living normally and safely. Instead, their father may be dead or in prison, their brother killed, their home destroyed, and their mother forced to give birth at an Israeli checkpoint, risking her and the newborn.

The story of a people's resistance told in "Budrus" Posted: 20 Jul 2010 09:45 PM PDT Event-based storytelling is an infamous form most prominent in the science fiction sub-genre of the Space Opera. The main failing of the style is the general inability of event progression to effectively substitute for character development. Budrus is an event-based story without all but the most minimal character development, yet it still succeeds by compellingly capturing a moment. Director Julia Bacha combines conventional point-and-shoot with in situ interviews, beautiful and sometimes chaotic footage of protests, maps, graphics and a bit of expository text to piece together a lovely film exploring the evolution of the West Bank village of Budrus' resistance to Israel's wall, and its reclaiming of its destiny.

No Help From Washington Posted: 20 Jul 2010 09:37 PM PDT Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials in the government of Mohamed Abbas often complain they spend more time negotiating with American rather than Israeli governments. This has been particularly true of late. Since Israel's all-out assault on Gaza nearly a year and half ago, Palestinian officials have discontinued all direct talks with the Israelis and have been talking to the Americans. US presidential envoy George Mitchell has been closely engaged in the region since May 2010, but his efforts have not proved fruitful.

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