Human Rights Watch accuses Syria of ‘barrel bomb’ damage created by US attacks

Moon of Alabama (Feb. 27) – Human Rights Watch has been part of a sectarian, anti-Syrian propaganda campaign. It is hyping the “barrel bombs”, allegedly used by the Syrian government, as inhumane weapons. I have yet to see Human Rights Watch equally damning the indiscriminate use against civilians of improvised rockets by the Jihadist “moderate rebels.”

Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah and the ‘Iran-led Resistance Bloc’

In a startling attack, Hezbollah, the Lebanese national resistance organization, punished Israeli occupying forces in the Shebba Farms on Jan. 28 for its assassination of six of its members and an Iranian general inside Syria on Jan. 18. The number of Israeli casualties was 15 according to a report by Al Mayadeen TV.

By MAHDI DARIUS NAZEMROAYA*

The strategic equation in the Middle East is about to see major changes. It strongly appears that the Iranian-led Resistance Bloc or Axis of Resistance — comprised of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and a cross-section of Palestinian and Iraqi groups — is about to become more powerful than ever before.

What to think about Canadians being told what they think?

Discussion on Bill C-51, Anti-terrorism Act, 2015

On January 29, one day before the Harper government introduced its new anti-terror act in the parliament an article appeared in the Globe and Mail entitled “Canadians support increased security powers, poll suggests.” It is worth asking why such a dramatic headline would be used before the contents of the bill were revealed.

Word. White House denies interference in Venezuela – promises more of it

White House Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, February 20, 2015

To Question 1: “We, of course, do not interfere in Venezuela!”

Bill C-51, Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015: Government sanctions Black-Ops against Canadians

In an orchestrated circus of events, the Harper government tabled new legislation on January 30 to fight what it calls terrorism.[1] Bill C-51, called the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015 for short, is an Act to enact the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts. Its main feature is that it sanctions black ops against the peoples of Canada and other countries which is in fact tantamount to state terrorism.

US aggression against Venezuela: fact, not fiction

BY EVA GOLINGER*

(Feb. 25) – The U.S. has a substantial history of aggression toward Venezuela.

Recently, several different spokespersons for the Obama administration have firmly claimed the United States government is not intervening in Venezuelan affairs. Department of State spokeswoman Jen Psaki went so far as to declare, “The allegations made by the Venezuelan government that the United States is involved in coup plotting and destabilization are baseless and false.” Psaki then reiterated a bizarrely erroneous statement she had made during a daily press briefing just a day before [February 19]: “The United States does not support political transitions by non-constitutional means.”

Venezuela: More evidence of Canada’s dirty work

Rally in Ottawa, February 20, 2014 opposes Canadian and U.S. interference in Venezuela.

On February 13, when reporting on television about the thwarted coup against the Bolivarian government of Venezuela, President of the National Assembly Diosdado Cabello referred to a Canadian link. President Nicolás Maduro has alleged that the failed coup was organized and financed by the United States government.

Israel’s Netanyahu lied about Iran with infamous ‘clear red line’ threat, Mossad leak reveals

‘Leaks” have their own backstory. Coming just before Netayanhu’s appearance in front of a US Congress presided over by the greatest liars, can we believe it is all mere coincidence? – TS

Zero Hedge (Feb. 23) – It was just over 12 years ago when then Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke to the U.N. Security Council on February 5, 2003, and lied to a packed auditorium of world leaders and the entire world, making the case that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

Canadian diplomats trained in social media … in Washington

First published on September 14, 2014

Canadian Ambassador to Venezuela Ben Roswell reported (tweeted) on June 17, 2014 on the training of Canadian diplomats in social media and “direct” and “digital diplomacy.” The photo (right) clearly shows that the training is being conducted in Washington, USA, of all places.

Roswell is the leading practitioner and theorist in the Department of Foreign Affairs of “direct” and “digital diplomacy.” His interventionist activities are condemned in Venezuela. In a recent article, I pointed out:

“‘Digital diplomacy’ is a euphemism for cyberwarfare through the use of anti-social media as well as hacking and other means. The anti-social media such as the Twitter service being embraced by the Harper government is integrated with the U.S. state military and espionage agencies.”

It seems that Harper’s digital warriors are so delighted with their craven role as fifth columnists that they openly tweet and boast about it:

 

 Ben Rowswell @benrowswell

Follow

@mclaugm leading the charge on training Cdn Consuls-General on #socialmedia here in DC.

1:49 PM – 17 Jun 2014

Argentina: The Nisman murder and the AMIA bombing – oh what a tangled web we weave

Why would the Kirchner government, knowing that Nisman’s main claim could be easily refuted, have any reason to kill him?

By GARETH PORTER*

The evidence already available about Argentine Prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s death from a gunshot to the head creates a strong presumption that he was murdered.  He was about to present publicly his accusation that President Christina Fernández de Kirchner and her foreign minister, Héctor Timerman conspired to absolve Iran of the 1994 AMIA bombing and lift the Interpol red notices on the accused Iranians.

Word. US State Dept. spokesperson’s gibberish

US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki | AFP Photo/Nicholas Kamm

“Gibberish and gobbledygook refer to speech or other use of language that is nonsense, or that appears to be nonsense. It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, or forms such as language games or highly specialized jargon that seems non-sensical to outsiders.” – Wikipedia

The US State Department’s Jen Psaki’s briefings have been the occasion of commentary on this blog here, here and here. Last fall, RT  looked through Psaki’s briefings and collected her most seminal statements and responses to grillings from US journalists, albeit rare:

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Word. US State Dept. spokesperson on Venezuela, Ukraine and history

In Russia this is called “psaknut” (“to Psaki” or “Psakiing”), which means roughly “to say something stupid with an air of cleverness.” William Blum adds to the inventory:

“You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Your next stop … the Twilight Zone.” (American Television series, 1959-1965)

State Department Daily Press Briefing, February 13, 2015. Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki, questioned by Matthew Lee of The Associated Press.

Lee: President Maduro [of Venezuela] last night went on the air and said that they had arrested multiple people who were allegedly behind a coup that was backed by the United States. What is your response?

Venezuela: More on coup attempt

As in past coup attempts, the silence of the Canadian government is very telling. While the Harper government claims it opposes terrorism, this is totally unprincipled, as it has not said a word about the recent events in Venezuela.

Venezuelan Youth Day celebrated, February 12, 2015. (Click to enlarge)

The Venezuelan government recently brought to light another failed coup attempt by opposition forces. This attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government of Venezuela is part of the U.S. imperialists’ plan to impose themselves on the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean. The plot is said to involve members of the U.S. and UK diplomatic corps in Venezuela, while Canada has also been implicated in the plot through the alleged involvement of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

US fifth column: Pretext for regime change in Argentina?

The Politicization of the AMIA Investigation

A fifth column exists in Argentina. It should be noted that some of the individuals involved in this case are leftover elements from the period of the military dictatorship in Argentina that collaborated closely with the US.

By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya*

History has a strange way of replicating itself. Argentina has been going through a process similar to the post-1999 years, after Boris Yeltsin stepped down and Vladimir Putin took his place in the Kremlin as the president of the Russian Federation. While it has been struggling to throw off the foreign yoke, the Argentine federal government in Buenos Aires has been consolidating its economic and political power.

New anti-terrorism act: Irresponsible polling and media coverage

Polling firm Angus-Reid released a story on February 19 which claims overwhelming support among Canadians for the government’s new anti-terror legislation.

It goes so far as to say “Canadians are firmly supportive of Bill C-51” and that “ [n]early half of Canadians say [the] draft law ‘strikes right balance,’” while “fully one-third say it doesn’t go far enough.” It says that “less than one in five (19 per cent) worried that it (the legislation) goes too far, compromising freedom and privacy.”

Subversion of social movements: What the ‘Intelligence Community’ is reading – Part II

“Subversion of Social Movements by Adversarial Agents” was published in the International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence in March 2013. Written by former counterintelligence agent, Eric L. Nelson, it outlines thirteen “lawful or sometimes unlawful acts of subversion.” This is the second of two installments summarizing the covert and overt operations. For the first installment see here.

Hypocrisy, hysteria and historical falsification around the attacks against Charlie Hebdo

Freedom of speech of the reactionary ruling classes

By JEAN-DANIEL NOLIN

The terrorist attack against Charlie Hebdo has resulted in a huge wave of sympathy and opposition to terrorist attacks. These just actions are positions of principle, as are the demonstrations of Muslim peoples demanding that the Prophet Muhammad not be caricatured. Blasphemy is a social act – an act directed toward someone else and their beliefs, which all persons whether religious, atheist or agnostic must respect. Without this respect, there is no discussion possible.

As with any event, the bourgeoisie advances its pawns. It presents itself as democratic, defending of freedom of speech, for peace, etc. In reality, it is doing the exact opposite. It muzzles scientists, cuts subsidies to organizations critical of its policies, militarizes the police against its own people, engages more and more in military adventures, etc.

Harper government’s freedom of expression: A photographer and Palestine

Larry Towell

Many Canadians are concerned about the duplicity of Harper’s espousal of “Canadian values” of tolerance, balance, and so on, and its use of “anti-terrorism” to suppress democratic rights. The freedom of expression of those championing the cause of the Palestinians is a case in point. His cabal uses its power to declare that the struggle of the Palestinian people is illegal and, on this basis, declares that any support for this struggle is “anti-semitic” and a hate crime against Canadian values.

 Larry Towell, a prominent Canadian photographer, is one of the latest subjects of an attempt by the Harper government to dictate what can and cannot be said by Canadians at home – or abroad, as in his case.

Venezuela: A coup in real time

There is a coup underway in Venezuela. The pieces are all falling into place like a bad CIA movie. At every turn a new traitor is revealed, a betrayal is born, full of promises to reveal the smoking gun that will justify the unjustifiable. EVA GOLINGER’s article in Counterpunch, appearing before the exposé of an actual coup, the “bad CIA movie” in real time, illustrates how the monopoly media prepare the terrain and attempt to manipulate opinion in support of the subversion of U.S. imperialism and its agents. 

Seafarers protest Harper visit to Quebec City

Members of the Seafarers International Union (SIU) of Canada have been protesting the Harper government across the country as part of their fight against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union. 

U Mass’s outrageous anti-Iranian student program

Racism remains a tool with which the racist US elites attempt to manipulate the population and, along with anti-communism and disinformation, the major technique used to arouse support for the ruling elite’s imperialist foreign policy. During the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979-81, for example, blatant anti-Iranian racism was encouraged by the media and elite institutions. Iranian bus drivers were fired in Jersey City and an Iranian-born high school senior was prevented from delivering the valedictory address at a Jersey shore school because of teacher protests that her national origin made her unworthy. The editor of the Columbia Journalism Review, a major liberal intellectual journal, was fired simply for allowing into print an article that tried to explain Iranian hostility to the United States. President Jimmy Carter waited almost a month before voicing perfunctory criticism of violent acts against Iranians in the US. *

USA Today (Feb. 18) –  The University of Massachusetts on Wednesday backed off its controversial policy banning Iranian nationals from numerous science and engineering programs. The school said in a statement it will instead develop “individualized study plans to meet the requirements of federal sanctions law and address the impact on students.” The school said the new policy was developed after consulting with the State Department.

Amid international outcry, Venezuelan officials allege Blackwater, US and Canadian links to thwarted coup

By LUCAS KOERNER

Caracas, Feb. 16 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – New revelations  in Venezuela have linked U.S. private security firm Blackwater, now known as Academi, to the aircraft that was to be used as part of Thursday’s thwarted “Blue Coup” attempt.

The four-stage plan included economic war, an international media offensive against the Venezuelan government, political destabilization fomenting ungovernability, and finally the use of a Super Tucano aircraft to strike “tactical targets” in the capital, such as the Presidential Palace, teleSur, and military intelligence.

US: New York police add machine gun unit for ‘advanced disorder control and counterterror’

One of the serious concerns of Americans is that the Obama government seems to be creating a police state under the guise of protecting Americans from terrorism, involving major cities and states. Tom Engelhardt, editor of Tomdispatch.com, reports that New York Police Commissioner William J. Bratton recently announced the formation of a new 350-officer Special Response Group (SRG). New York City already has a police force of more than 34,000 – bigger, that is, than the active militaries of Austria, Bulgaria, Chad, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kenya, Laos, Switzerland, or Zimbabwe – as well as its own “navy,” including six submersible drones. The SRG will be trained in what Bratton referred to as “advanced disorder control and counterterror.” It will also, he announced, be equipped with “extra heavy protective gear, with the long rifles and machine guns – unfortunately sometimes necessary in these instances.” The squad would, Bratton added, be “designed for dealing with events like our recent protests or incidents like Mumbai or what just happened in Paris.”

For my Federation of University Students classmates

The historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, sent a message to the Federation of University Students on the occasion of an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of his admission to the University of Havana.

Whodunit: Argentina’s reconnaissance work against US and Israeli spy networks

By NIL NIKANDROV*

(Feb. 17) – Two recent high-profile suicides – one in France and another in Argentina – are very similar. A successful and well-liked French police chief by the name of Helric Fredou was found dead after launching an investigation into the terrorist attack on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo weekly. Official reports claim the officer shot himself in his office using his service weapon before he had completed his report on the high-profile terrorist attack in Paris. 

Discovering Iran: a travelogue

By SORAYA SEPAHPOUR-ULRICH 

Marcel Proust once said: “The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” During the past two decades, I visited Iran on numerous occasions staying 10-14 days at a time. This time around, I stayed for 2 months and heeding Proust, I carried with me a fresh pair of eyes. I discarded both my Western lenses as well as my Iranian lenses and observed with objective eyes. It was a formidable journey that left me breathless. 

For Washington: ‘What is inexcusable is Venezuela’s political independence’

An interview with John Pilger, conducted by Michael Albert.

teleSUR (Feb. 16) – Why would the U.S. want Venezuela’s government overthrown?

There are straightforward principles and dynamics at work here. Washington wants to get rid of the Venezuelan government because it is independent of U.S. designs for the region and because Venezuela has the greatest proven oil reserves in the world and uses its oil revenue to improve the quality of ordinary lives.

Why does CNN call Ukrainian troops ‘pro-American’?

Beijing, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) – On Monday, U.S. broadcaster CNN called Ukrainian troops “pro-American,” saying that the U.S. president is considering the possibility of supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine. The largest U.S. television news network called the troops of Ukraine “pro-American” because from the very beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, the United States has played a role in this process.

Venezuelean vigilance nips coup plot in the bud

Coup plotters planned on assassinating the Venezuelan president and installing a de facto government

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks at a public event in Caracas Feb. 12, 2015. A coup plot against the Venezuelan president was thwarted that day. | Photo: AVN

teleSUR (Feb. 13) – A coup plot against the Venezuelan government has been foiled, with both civilians and members of the military detained, President Nicolas Maduro revealed Thursday, Feb. 12, in a televised address.

Those involved were being paid in U.S. dollars, and one of the suspects had been granted a visa to enter the United States should the plot fail, Maduro said.

Evidence reveals Canada, UK involvement in Venezuela coup plot

The President of Venezuela’s national assembly Diosdado Cabello (L) and Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez.

(Feb. 13) – The president of Venezuela’s national assembly, Diosdado Cabello, presented further evidence of the right-wing plot to overthrow the Bolivarian government Friday evening.

Evidence presented on Venezuelan TV showed a video of the coup plotters, as well as the 10-year U.S. visa granted to one of the accused.