At the Line of Control in Kashmir – Civilians not allowed on the Indian side

Indian Occupation forces continue to target and kill civilians across the LOC in Kashmir with increasing intensity and frequency. In contrast to the silent acquiescence of the Trudeau Liberals, a Canadian delegation of human rights activists led by Zafar Bangash, director of the Toronto-based Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought, visits the region on an independent fact-finding investigation.

Villagers warmly greet Canadian delegation | Crescent international

The road from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), snakes through some of the most breath-taking scenic areas toward Chakothi, the check point on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. To the left of the road is the Neelum River, its clear blue flowing majestically toward Muzaffarabad where it meets the Jhelum River at a point called sangam (meeting point). To the right are towering mountains of the Himalayan range where rock falls are common. Some drivers are quite reckless and it is a miracle that vehicles do not plunge into the river below or get into accidents on the twisting road.

Profiteering from US aggression against Iran

By SARAH ANDERSON

Merchants of Death – Lithograph by Mabel Dwight

CEOs of major U.S. military contractors stand to reap huge windfalls from the escalation of conflict with Iran. This was evident in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. assassination of a top Iranian military official . As soon as the news reached financial markets, these companies’ share prices spiked, inflating the value of their executives’ stock-based pay.

I took a look at how the CEOs at the top five Pentagon contractors were affected by this surge, using the most recent SEC information on their stock holdings.

NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan

This map provides a general look at the active NATO-led military infrastructure in Afghanistan. Click to enlarge | southfront.org

NATO Summit: Rearmament despite dissension

NATO increases operational readiness and targets China

BERLIN/BRUSSELS (german-policy-com) – In spite of fierce internal conflicts, NATO is enhancing its operational readiness, is preparing its next expansion and is setting its sights on China as a new “challenge.” These are the main results of the war alliance’s anniversary summit, which ended in London yesterday, with the participation of the heads of states and governments of the member countries. As early as next year, NATO will be able deploy 30 army, air force and naval units in a war within a 30 day maximum. At the London summit, North Macedonia, which is about to join the Alliance, was represented for the first time. In the future, NATO will extensively concern itself with China, however not exclusively confrontational, as Washington would have wanted. The conflict with Turkey did not escalate, even though the dissension between Ankara and various other allied states, by no means, had been resolved. In fact, the Turkish government has implicitly been given a blank check for its heavily criticized activities in the occupation of Northern Syria.

US primes NATO to confront Russia, China

By M. K. BHADRAKUMAR

(November 27) – The December 3-4 summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in London resembles a family reunion after the acrimony over the issue of military spending by America’s European allies. 

The trend is up for defence spending across European Allies and Canada. Over $100 billion is expected to be added to the member states’ defence budgets by end-2020.

More importantly, the trend at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting at Brussels on November 19-20, in the run-up to the London summit, showed that despite growing differences within the alliance, member states closed ranks around three priority items in the US global agenda — escalation of the aggressive policy toward Russia, militarisation of space and countering China’s rise.

China in the crosshairs of Halifax War Conference

By TONY SEED

(November 23) – On November 22, the opening day of the 11th annual Halifax International Security Forum (HISF), “a new year-long initiative focused on China” was announced by HISF President Peter Van Praagh via press release.

Toronto rally and march defends the rights of the Kashmiri people

More than 250 people participated in a rally and march at the Ontario legislature on October 19, to affirm the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination in the face of a brutal military occupation and lock-down by the Indian state which has lasted for more than 80 days. The action was held on the eve of the federal election to demand that whichever party comes to power, it must speak out and condemn the Indian government’s brutal campaign of state-terror and violence in Kashmir. India launched this assault after Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, giving Kashmir a degree of autonomy, was rescinded, on August 5 by the Modi government.