Woolrich London Killing: Terrorism or False Flag?

Woolrich London Killing: Terrorism or False Flag?

by Stephen Lendman

Reports said two assailants hacked a British soldier to death. He's been identified as Lee Rigby. He was killed in broad daylight. It was several hundred meters from southeast London's Woolwich Royal Artillery barracks.

Weapons included a machete type knife. Alleged attackers remained on the scene. They did so until police arrived 20 minutes later.

Why wasn't explained. Killers don't usually stay around to be captured. Both assailants were shot and apprehended. They were hospitalized for treatment.

One allegedly said "(w)e must fight as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Britain's ITV news aired an edited video clip. 

Allegedly an onlooker filmed it. How whoever did so happened to be on site wasn't explained. Odds against it are huge. So is remaining unscathed. Assailants don't take kindly to being caught in the act.

The clip showed a young Black man with blood dripping from his hands saying "(w)e swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you." 

"The only reason reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day."

"The British soldier is an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth."

ITV edited the statement. It said nothing about "do(ing) this because Muslims are dying every day." Unedited it said:

"There are many, many ayah (religious verses) throughout the Koran that says we must fight them as they fight us, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." 

"I apologize that women had to witness this today but in our land women have to see the same." 

"You people will never be safe. Remove your government. They don't care about you."

"You think David Cameron will get stuck in the street, when we start busting our guns?"

"You think your politicians are gonna die? not it's gonna be the average like you, and your children."

"So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back, so you can all live in peace."

Reports called what happened the first domestic Al Qaeda-inspired attack since the July 7, 2005 underground (so-called 7/7) bombings. 

A series of attacks targeted the city's public transport system. They came during the morning rush hour. They were for maximum disruption and casualties.

At precisely the same time, an anti-terror drill occurred. It simulated real attacks. It was no coincidence. 

The real attack was a false flag. It was done to heighten fear. At issue was enlisting public sentiment to keep Britain allied with Washington's imperial wars.

At the time, AP reported that Israel's London embassy warned Scotland Yard in advance. Israeli Army Radio said:

"Scotland Yard had intelligence warnings of the attacks a short time before they occurred."

No action was taken. Israel's then finance minister Netanyahu was told to skip a London economic conference. He was scheduled to speak.

Other officials were warned, not the public. Fifty-two people died. Over 700 were injured.

These type incidents automatically raise questions. Answers are needed before jumping to conclusions. The timing of Wednesday's killing is very suspicious.

It comes when Washington, Britain, other NATO allies, and Israel head toward full-scale war on Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry's traveling through the Middle East. 

A so-called June peace conference is scheduled. It's subterfuge. Prior peace initiatives failed. So will this one. Demanding Assad must go assures it. Washington's proxy war was launched to do so. Expect no change of plans now.

Kerry met with foreign ministers of 11 so-called Friends of Syria countries and opposition group representatives. He discussed Syria with Netanyahu in Jerusalem. 

Multiple Israeli provocations preceded his visit. On May 23, Haaretz said Israel's "maintaining intense intelligence activity in Syria and working with local villagers."

It's considering a covert Syrian "proxy force." It claims doing so will protect Israeli security. Israel's armed forces are very able on their own. 

A so-called proxy force, if established, is clearly provocative. It heads things closer to full-scale intervention. Washington and Israel partner in all regional belligerence. They jointly plan and implement conflicts.

Kerry's trip coincides with Washington's plan to ramp up support for so-called "rebels." He demands Assad must go. He's uncompromising. So is Obama. Full-scale conflict could erupt any time.

Manufactured pretexts make it easier. False flags are longstanding pre-war tactics. They're US/Israeli specialties. Britain's an active co-conspirator.

Muslim extremism was blamed for Wednesday's London killing. We've seen this all before. Expect heightened Islamophobia ahead. UK, US, other key NATO allies, and Israel benefit most. They'll take full advantage.

British MP George Galloway said "(t)his sickening atrocity in London is exactly what we are paying the same kind of people to do in Syria."

True enough. He omitted explaining what appears most important. 

Washington and complicit allies manufacture pretexts. They did so to justify proxy war on Syria. It's a short step to intervening full-blown. 

They've done it before. They manipulate public sentiment. They fabricated reasons to attack Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. They're doing so against Iran. 

They want public support. Stoking anti-Muslim rage enlists it.

Post-9/11, Bush's Afghan war was popular. Few knew what's now more apparent. Fewer understood Washington's imperial agenda. 

Multiple wars followed. New ones are planned. The entire region and beyond may become embroiled in conflict. Advancing America's imperium matters most. 

At issue is creating pretexts to do so. Perhaps London's incident is the latest. The fullness of time will explain more.

Prime Minister David Cameron convened an emergency meeting. Top advisors and intelligence officials attended.

UK Home Secretary, Theresa May, called an emergency Civil Contingencies Committee (COBRA) meeting. Cameron chaired it. It includes cabinet ministers and high-level security officials. It deals with terrorism and other major crises.

COBRA refers to the room where committee members meet - Cabinet Office Briefing Room A. A terrorist alert was imposed. Heightened security steps were taken. 

These measures don't commonly follow street killings. It doesn't matter how gruesome. Most incidents get scant coverage. Many go unnoticed.

This one suggests something bigger. What happened may be pretext for what's planned. It remains to be seen what follows.

Peter Eyre is a Middle East consultant, geopolitical analyst, investigative journalist, anti-war activist, and valued Progressive Radio News Hour guest. 

He jumped on the Woolrich incident. He discussed justifiable reasons to doubt the legitimacy of official reports. They have a distinct aroma. They fall short of truth and full disclosure. 

On May 23, Eyre headlined "Woolwich beheading: Security tightened at all London army barracks." His detailed analysis includes images.

"The gruesome scene of a decapitated actor with no police or paramedics at the scene and no blood," he said.

The "offenders are shot by armed police who are in attendance in the background but the murder scene has not been secured!!"

Many awakened "to this amazing Shakespearean play that has unfolded in Woolwich, London where all the actors were so bad they would not even qualify for an interview as an extra in some third rate movie!!"

Eyre asked if police "drag(ged) the (victim's) body around the corner?"

"BBC stated a man wearing a Help the Hero's T Shirt was hit by a car, then attacked and killed with a machete or sword by the cars occupants."

(S)o much vivid violence and yet still no blood at the scene…why?"

"(B)ecause the actors had not had time to splash it around before they filmed the scene."

"(I)t was however added later as the picture (in his article) shows…the blood is only on the pavement and not on the road!!"

"(D)o you think they attempted to copy the Boston Bombing but somehow did not get it right?"

Eyre suggested that blood on a signpost was "Tomato Ketchup!!"

Key is calling the incident Islamic terrorism. Doing so automatically raises suspicions. Most often, the usual suspects are patsies. They're props for planned state-sponsored mischief.

Expect UK, America, Israel and imperial allies to take full advantage. Police state harshness may increase. Waging war on Islam will continue. 

Doing so full-scale against Syria appears likely. What's long planned may erupt any time.

A Final Comment

UK media reports identified one alleged attacker. Twenty-eight year old Michael Abebolajo grew up in Romford. He comes from a Christian family. In 2003, he converted to Islam. 

A man who knew his family said they were very pleasant. Friends called him very quiet. In school, he was a good guy, they said. They were shocked to learn a former schoolmate faces murder charges.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

http://www.dailycensored.com/woolrich-london-killing-terrorism-or-false-flag/

Wall Street Journal Urges War on Syria

Wall Street Journal Urges War on Syria

by Stephen Lendman

Perhaps publishing it was strategically timed. It comes with John Kerry in the Middle East. He'll be there through Sunday.

He met with foreign ministers of 11 so-called Friends of Syria countries and opposition group representatives. In Jerusalem, he discussed Syria with Netanyahu. 

At the same time, the suspicious Woolrich London killing occurred. Another article suggested a possible false flag. The Journal op-ed urges war on Syria. So did others discussed below.

On May 22, Journal editors gave Jack Keane and Danielle Pletka feature op-ed space. They took full advantage. They headlined "How to Stop Assad's Slaughter."

Keane's a retired general. Formerly he served as US Army's vice chief of staff. Pletka is the American Enterprise Institute's (AEI) foreign and defense policy studies vice president.

AEI has enormous influence. It advances Washington's imperial agenda. It's consistently hawkish. It was a leading Bush administration foreign policy architect. 

It was instrumental in promoting war on Iraq. It supports regime change in Syria and Iran. More on the Keane/Pletka article below.

Previous articles explained that when Washington wages war or plans them, media scoundrels march in lock step. They promote what demands condemnation.

They regurgitate official lies. Managed news misinformation substitutes for truth and full disclosure. It happens every time. Doing so makes them complicit. 

They support wrong over right. They ignore human suffering. Rule of law principles don't matter. They bear full responsibility. Readers, viewers and listeners are systematically betrayed. 

Earlier articles said Washington Post editors want war. Editorials advocate it. On May 8, they headlined "What if the US doesn't intervene in Syria," saying:

Whatever the risks of intervening, inaction risks more, they claim. Post editors want more arms for insurgents. 

"They urge an air campaign. "(T)he situation in Syria has grown more dangerous to US interests."

It's "increasingly clear that the greatest risk to the United States lies in failing to take decisive action to end the Assad regime."

Earlier they headlined "Washington's last chance to help Syria."

"If the Obama administration is to lead on Syria, it must commit itself to steps that can bring about the early collapse of the regime and its replacement by a representative and responsible alternative."

"Only direct political and military intervention on the side of the opposition can make that happen."

WaPo editors want direct US intervention. They're not alone. Other media scoundrels support war. Previous articles discussed them.

A Los Angeles Times editorial headlined said if Assad "used chemical weapons, the US must honor its commitment to act." In other words, full-scale intervention is justified.

Chicago Tribune editors urge arming so-called "rebels," imposing a no-fly zone, and "bombing access roads where chemical weapons are transported…." 

Wall Street Journal editors accused Obama of bluffing for not responding to (false) accusations that Assad used chemical weapons. "The world is watching," they said. "(W)e will hold you accountable."

"Israel will have to consider its own military options (if Obama) won't act."

Beating the drums for war is standard scoundrel media policy. Keane and Pletka urge it against Syria. It's not Libya, they say. Assad's better armed. He's routing insurgent forces.

Eliminating his air power could tilt "the balance of power in favor of anti-Assad 'rebels,' " they say. Washington-led NATO ousted Gaddafi that way.

Both writers lied. They claimed Assad used chemical weapons. Insurgents did several times. They got Pentagon training to do so. No evidence whatever suggests Assad used them. 

Doing so would be self-defeating. Neither writer explained. Instead they said Assad used "aerial bombardment, close air support to ground troops, aerial resupply and delivery of chemical weapons….to fight the 'rebels' and to kill tens of thousands of civilians."

Fact check

Syria was invaded. Death squads did so. Washington bears full responsibility. Regime change is longstanding. It was planned years ago. Throughout the conflict, Assad acted responsibly. He did what any leader would do.

He's obligated to do so. Syrians depend on him. His military attacks death squad invaders. They bear full responsibility for civilian deaths. 

Many were massacred. Clear evidence proves it. They committed numerous other atrocities. Media scoundrels largely ignore them. They wrongfully blame Assad. So did Keane and Pletka. 

"What is keeping (him) in power is his use of fighter planes," they said. "If the US wants to break the military stalemate, force Assad into political concessions or aid in his ouster, eliminating his air power should be the first order of business."

They turned truth on its head. They said he's using air power "to take out civilians in what might be labeled a reverse-counterinsurgency strategy." 

"If counterinsurgency is predicated on the security of the civilian population, then the reverse strategy penalizes civilians and ensures that they are forced to choose between their hope for freedom or the risk of death." 

"Indiscriminately killing civilians is working well for Assad, and the linchpin of his strategy is his regime's air power."

Highlighting Big Lies gets most people to believe them. Keane and Pletka claim they know what's not true. 

They and likeminded hawks feature it. Doing so supports Washington's imperium. Advancing it matters most. Mass killing and destruction are small prices to pay. Ideologues think this way.

They urge direct US intervention. They favor "strik(ing) Syrian aircraft and the regime's key airfields through which Iranian and Russian weapons are flowing to government forces."

They claim what they can't prove. No evidence suggests it. Russia's fulfilling earlier contracts. Perhaps they include weapons. Defensive systems are supplied. Self-defense is legitimate. International law supports it.

Keane and Pletka ignore Washington's involvement with other NATO partners, Israel and rogue regional states. They're supplying insurgents with weapons and munitions. 

They've been doing so since conflict began. They provide funding, training and leadership.

Keane and Pletka want Obama to use "cruise missiles and B-2 stealth bombers" to attack Syrian airfields and other targets.

"The airfields are Assad's lifeline of support from Iran and Russia, and without them he's in real trouble." 

"Syria's air force will be severely degraded if the US pursues this option, but Syrian planes won't be entirely grounded because airfields can be repaired." 

"As a result, these operations would need to be sustained for a period of time to preclude repairs."

They support imposing a no-fly zone. They claim US forces can destroy defensive missile systems "with relative ease using Tomahawk missiles."

"Achievability….is straightforward," they say. With NATO and Arab League support, it's easier. "(F)acts we….know (include) countless Syrian innocents….being murdered weekly."

They wrongfully blame Assad. They claim he's using chemical weapons. Another willful lie.

They claim failure to intervene makes escalated "spillover into Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iran and Turkey" likely.

They claim Syrians want America to help them. Omitted is saying the best way is by calling off its dogs, stop funding, arming, training and directing them, and end waging war on humanity. 

Keane and Pletka urge more of it. They support crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. Don't expect apologies for doing so. 

Imperial warriors, apologists and supporters never say they're sorry. They want more nations attacked. It's the American way.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

http://www.dailycensored.com/wall-street-journal-urges-war-on-syria/

Israeli Pillar of Cloud War Crimes

Israeli Pillar of Cloud War Crimes

by Stephen Lendman

On May 8, B'Tselem published a report titled "Human Rights Violations During Operation Pillar of Defense: 14 - 21 November 2012."

Israel's Operation Pillar of Cloud (aka Cloud Column/Pillar of Defense) was naked, premeditated aggression. Previous articles discussed it.

"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire; to give them the light; to go by day and night:" Exodus 13.21.

Israel apparently believes Almighty God sanctifies cold-blooded murder. World community inaction lets Israel get away with crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. 

Naked aggression is called self-defense. Palestinian self-defense is called terrorism. Claiming either doesn't wash. Israel does it repeatedly. Slaughtered civilians bear testimony to imperial crimes.

On November 14, Israel murdered Hamas military commander Ahmed Jabari. A missile struck his car. He was well-known and respected. Many considered him Hamas' most important military and political leader.

Hours before his assassination, he concluded a truce agreement draft. It included ways to establish ceasefires in case of future flare-ups. He was working with Egypt to establish permanent truce. 

Israel killed him to prevent it. Peace and stability are deplored. Conflict and violence are prioritized. Victims are blamed for Israeli crimes.

Intensified attacks followed Jabari's assassination. Targets included civilian men, women, children, the elderly and infirm. They were sitting ducks in besieged Gaza. No place was safe.

Israel, not Hamas, initiated conflict. Hamas, not Israel, responded defensively. Gazan casualties were largely civilians. Many were women and children.

Occupation harshness terrorizes Palestinians. Besieged Gazans suffer most. Israeli attacks are strategically timed. Media scoundrels don't explain.

Around 170 Palestinians died. Over 1,000 were injured. Nearly half were women and children. At least 963 houses were damaged or destroyed.

They included 10 health centers, 35 schools, 2 universities, 15 NGO offices, 30 mosques, 14 media offices, 92 industrial and commercial facilities, 1 UNWRA food distribution center, 8 government buildings, 14 police/security stations, 5 banks, 34 vehicles, 3 youth clubs, 3 cemeteries, and 2 bridges.

B'Tselem said:

"Four times as many uninvolved Palestinian civilians were killed in the final four days of the operation as during the first four days."

Harm caused civilians "challenges the common perception in the Israeli public and media that the operation was 'surgical' and caused practically no fatalities among uninvolved Palestinian civilians."

Rockets fired from Gaza killed four Israeli civilians. Mortar shells killed two Israeli soldiers.

Israel flagrantly violated international law. It does so repeatedly. Its officials wrongfully blamed Palestinian resistance fighters for responding in self-defense.

Months ago, B'Tselem requested information on specific instances of lawless Israeli conduct. "No substantial information was provided…."

Whitewash is official policy. Israel gets away with murder. Victims are wrongfully blamed. The pattern repeats. Premeditated war crimes follow.

International law is clear. It's inviolable. Israel violates it with impunity. World leaders ignore repeated breaches. 

Collective punishment is official policy. Besieged Gazans suffer most. B'Tselem addressed eight days of conflict. Nothing more was investigated. 

Pillar of Cloud was planned months in advance. Joint US/Israeli military exercises preceded it. They were the largest joint war games in Israeli history. They were strategically timed. 

On October 21, 2012, they began. They continued for about three weeks. They overlapped US elections. They concluded about 24 hours before Pillar of Cloud.

Washington and Israel partner directly or indirectly in all regional wars. They do so in lesser ones. The Pentagon maintains command and control operations in Israel. 

Pillar of Cloud was a joint US/Israeli operation. Media scoundrels don't explain. B'Tselem's investigation didn't address it. It's an "Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories." 

It doesn't examine geopolitical issues. It understands international law. It knows Israel is a serial violator. Much of what it reports explains.

Pillar of Cloud caused enormous suffering. The fallout continues. Ceasefire terms left much to be desired. Fundamental injustices weren't resolved. 

Conflict ending memorandum of understanding terms and language left disturbing wiggle room. Hindsight showed how much.

Israel agreed to cease air, land, and sea hostilities, as well as stop targeted killings. Palestinian resistance groups agreed to halt rocket and other attacks.

Modestly eased blockade restrictions were too insignificant to matter. Gaza's siege continues. Free movement's denied. Israeli attacks continue. Palestinian casualties follow. Civilians by far suffer most.

Israeli agreements aren't worth the paper they're written on. Oslo left major issues unresolved. Over 19 years later, they still are. They're too vital to ignore. They never should have been put off in the first place.

They included borders, Palestinian sovereignty, the right of return, settlements, and East Jerusalem as Palestine's capital among others. 

Expect nothing to change until Israel and Washington are held fully accountable. They're imperial partners. They're responsible for decades of crimes of war, against humanity and genocide.

Both nations are warrior states. Peace and stability are deplored. Conflicts persist. Ending them remains nowhere in sight. Palestine's liberating struggle continues.

A Final Comment

On May 9, Maan News reported that Israel "found no incidents warranting criminal investigations into the conduct of its soldiers during" Operation Pillar of Cloud. 

B’Tselem and other human rights groups accused Israel of war crimes. 

IDF officials claimed civilian deaths "were as a result of unintended damage connected to an attack against military targets, or alternatively were as a result of operational errors, where civilians were mistakenly identified as terrorist operatives." 

Clear evidence proves otherwise. IDF officials lied. Whitewash is official policy. War criminals remain unpunished. Justice is long overdue.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

Iraq Today: America's Imperial Legacy

Iraq Today: America's Imperial Legacy

by Stephen Lendman

US imperial wars reflect mass slaughter, widespread destruction, ecocide, resource theft, exploitation, unspeakable human pain, suffering and misery, as well as permanent occupation.

Washington came to Iraq to stay. US military and other security elements infest the region. It's the oil and unchallenged Middle East dominance, stupid.

The price of imperial arrogance is unconscionable. Ordinary people bear the cost. Countries are laid waste. Victims suffer most. Iraqis understand. 

America's war remains one of history's greatest crimes. Iraq was the region's most developed country. The cradle of civilization no longer exists. A militarized giant free trade zone replaced it. 

Raping and plundering Iraq continue daily. Ordinary Iraqis have no say. They're victimized, exploited and shut out. They've lost all rights. They're aliens in their own country. 

Imperial priorities matter most. Washington's a scourge on humanity. No others historically approached its savagery. It reigns terror globally. It plans doing so from space.

Iraq is lawlessly occupied. It's balkanized. It's victimized by genocide. Vital infrastructure is absent. Millions are on their own out of luck.

Poverty is extreme. So are unemployment, malnutrition, repression, fear and human misery. Iraq represents the worst of new world order dystopian harshness.

From August 1990 to today, millions died. Millions more were externally and internally displaced. Refugees International estimates around 2.8 million currently.

Tens of thousands seeking refuge in Syria returned home. "Internally displaced Iraqis are extremely vulnerable and live in constant fear, with limited access to shelter, food and basic services."

Obama's US combat troop drawdown was more subterfuge than real. Most redeployed US forces shifted to Kuwait and other regional locations. Permanent occupation is policy. Four super-bases remain.  

They include one near Baghdad International Airport, Tallil Air Base near southern Iraq's Nasiriyah, H-1 Air Base in western Al-Anbar Province, and northern Iraq's Bashur Airfield. The Pentagon retains access to other bases handed over to Iraqi authorities. 

Thousands of private military contractors (PMCs) and other paid US employees remain. They're based at Washington's huge Baghdad embassy and two large consulates. 

One's in Basra. Another's in northern Iraq. Around 1,000 paid US personnel staff each one. Washington's Baghdad embassy has up to 20,000. 

America largely retains control of Iraq's air space. Drones and satellite surveillance augment internal and regionally positioned ground and naval power.

Unacknowledged US special forces, CIA and FBI agents, as well as unknown numbers of other covert elements infest Iraq. So does out-of-control violence.

It rages daily. On May 12, investigative journalist Dahr Jamail headlined "Iraq's Invisible Refugee Crisis," saying:

"As violence in Iraq reaches levels not seen in years, untold numbers of Iraqis are once again seeking refuge elsewhere."

April was the deadliest month in nearly five years. According to UN figures, 712 Iraqis died. They included 117 Iraqi security forces.

According to a man named Ahmed:

"The situation in Iraq is so tense, all of us are on edge. There are random arrests, no freedom of speech or opinion, and the security forces are completely politicized." 

"We can't sleep there because we are so worried all the time. Who can live in a country like Iraq is today?"

"Everybody who has a chance to leave are trying to leave," he added. Washington bears full responsibility.

"Me and my family have been living in such a bad situation these last ten years," he said. "We've been hoping things would get better, but now they are only getting worse."

Vital services are lacking or are in short supply. They include clean water, sanitation, electricity, housing, healthcare and education.

Iraq's a toxic wasteland. Scores of pollutants include depleted uranium, dangerous chemicals and metals, oil, gasoline, pesticides, bacteria, and other poisons.

Tigris and Euphrates river waters are contaminated and unsafe. Pollution causes birth deformities, typhoid, dysentery, cholera, hepatitis, cancer, diarrheal diseases, and others. 

On May 22, Russia Today (RT) headlined " 'US opened Pandora's box in Iraq, regional sectarian violence almost impossible to stop now.' "

America's regional wars bear testimony to what's now ongoing. According to political analyst Chris Bambery:

"Everyone in Iraq must be terrified that the situation in Syria is spilling over into Iraq." Almost daily, dozens are dying. Sectarian violence grips the country. Sunni/Shia/Kurd divisions remain.

For months, minority Sunnis protested against discrimination, arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Expect violence to continue. Escalation may intensify it. Al Qaeda elements are involved. Iraq and Syria share a common border. It's largely open. Hostile elements move freely back and forth.

On May 20, RT reported multiple bombings across Iraq. Blasts targeted Shia Muslims in Baghdad, Basra and Balad. At least 95 deaths were reported. Dozens more were injured.

A Basra police officer said he "was on duty when a powerful blast shook the ground. The blast hit a group of day laborers gathering near a sandwich kiosk. One of the dead bodies was still clutching a blood-soaked sandwich in his hand."

Monday's violence spread to Sunni areas. A Samarra blast killed three and wounded 13. Anbar Province officials said eight policemen were killed in Haditha. Gunmen ambushed them.

Since mid-May, bombings killed over 200 Iraqis. Baghdad was worst hit. Iraq's unsafe everywhere. Sectarian conflict grips the country. Washington bears full responsibility.

In 2003, Security Council Resolution 1500 established the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). SC Resolution 1770 expanded its mandate. 

The UN's Department of Political Affairs administers it. The Department of Field Support as well as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations support it.

It's comprised of 10 UN agencies and international partners. Secretary-General-appointed Special Representative (SRSG) Martin Kobler heads it.

On May 17, he pointed fingers the wrong way. He failed to blame Washington for violence-plagued Iraq. 

Instead he "urged all Iraqi leaders to do everything possible to protect Iraqi civilians as another wave of bombings hit the country during the past few days, claiming more lives."

"It is the responsibility of all leaders to stop the bloodshed in this country and to protect their citizens."

"Small children are burned alive in cars. Worshippers are cut down outside their own mosques. This is beyond unacceptable." 

"It is the politicians' responsibility to act immediately and to engage in dialogue to resolve the political impasse and put an end to this."

"Peace must come to this country now. The people of Iraq have suffered enough. We will continue to remind the leaders of Iraq that the country will slide backwards into a dangerous unknown if they do not take action."

In 1992, Ramsey Clark founded the International Action Center (IAC).

Days after the 10th anniversary of Washington's Iraq war, IAC headlined "Iraq occupation shows US imperialism destroys humanity," saying:

"Washington brought the long plague of invasion, occupation and mass murder to the Iraqi people."

"Women's rights and access to basic social services (were) set back centuries."

"Security forces routinely torture inmates. (Iraq's considered) a failed state."

Widespread violence and bloodshed marked the 10th anniversary. Sixty-five people died. Another 240 were seriously wounded. It was 2013's bloodiest day. Near daily violence followed.

Catastrophic US interventions reflect "a toxic psychosis at the heart of empire that can't be negotiated or reformed. It must collapse entirely." Humanity's survival depends on it.

It's very much in doubt. Unchallenged global control matters most. "(H)istory's most violent military empire" enforces it. Crimes of war, against humanity and genocide reflect it.

Hegemonic US ambitions represent "the greatest affront to humanity imaginable." Survival depends on challenging it no matter what. The alternative can't be tolerated. It's too grim to accept. If that's not incentive enough to act, what is?

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

http://www.dailycensored.com/iraq-today-americas-imperial-legacy/

Mission Creep Toward Full-Scale War on Syria

Mission Creep Toward Full-Scale War on Syria

by Stephen Lendman

On May 20, Secretary of State John Kerry headed back to the Middle East. It's his fourth regional visit since January. 

On May 21, he met Oman's Sultan Qaboos. An air defense system/weapons sale, Syria, and related issues were discussed.

On May 22, he met with foreign ministers of 11 so-called Friends of Syria countries. He did so in Amman. Opposition group representatives also attended.

Among other issues, they discussed the US/Russian proposed peace conference. A Geneva June 10 date is scheduled. Reports suggest both Syrian officials and opposition representatives will attend.

At the same time, mixed messages were sent. On the one hand, senior opposition members said participation's conditional on Assad stepping down. He has no intention to do so. Syrians alone must decide who'll lead them. It's their right. 

On the other hand, one senior opposition member said no decision on Geneva was reached.

"Both parties are taking advantage of the gray area and have decided it is right to take part" he said. 

"From the regime’s point of view, this is a good starting point, especially in light of its claims of achievements on the ground." 

"At the same time, the opposition can gain strength and legitimacy and even take part in a future government if the parties reach agreement on a transition period."

In other words, conflict resolution depends on Assad stepping down. Expect no more in June than from last year's Geneva conference. 

Failure defined it. Nothing changed except rhetoric. Washington needs conflict and instability. 

Peace and stability defeat its interests. Expect nothing different this time. Assad must go remains policy. America's proxy war rages. Full-scale intervention looms.

Kerry will remain in the region through May 27. Other stops include Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Addis Ababa. He'll participate in the African Union Summit. He'll return to Amman for the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa.

On May 21, an unnamed senior State Department official briefed reporters on his trip. It was done by teleconference. The official said:

According to Free Syrian army commanders, Hezbollah is "engage(d) directly in the fighting in Syria as a foreign force. We understand there are also Iranians" involved. 

"I think this is an important thing to note, the direct implication of foreigners fighting on Syrian soil now for the regime."

"There are real concerns." He accused Syria of previous massacres. Washington-backed death squads bore full responsibility. 

According to opposition representatives, he claimed liberated Al-Qusayr residents face the same threat. 

They support Syria's military. They depend of it defeating insurgents. They're US-backed terrorists. 

Syrians are grateful for outside support. Washington bears full responsibility for planning and implementing over two years of proxy war.

It's illegitimate. It's lawless. Syria's a nonthreatening, nonbelligerent country. 

According to international law, attacking it constitutes lawless aggression. Self-defense is a legitimate response. Volunteer participants are freedom fighters. They're not belligerents.

The State Department official discussed the June conference, saying:

(T)he purpose of this meeting.is to discuss how to implement fully a transition governing body established with full executive authority, including over the military and the security apparatus and that will be established by mutual consent."

"I have not heard yet from the opposition definitively that they will attend."

Washington recognizes the so-called "opposition coalition (as) the legitimate representative of the Syrian people."

In other words, Assad must go. Syrians have no say. International law doesn't matter. What Washington says, goes. It's longstanding US policy.

On May 15, Lebanon's Al Manar and other sources said the CIA expects Assad "to gain 75% of the Syrian people's votes if he runs for" reelection next year. Polls suggest it.

Washington spurns the interests of the Syrian people. It's own alone matter. Expect no end of conflict. Escalation appears likely.

Washington's been arming, training and directing opposition fighters covertly. The CIA's directly involved. US and other Western special forces likely are also.

On May 21, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 15 - 3 to send arms and munitions to opposition fighters. Allegedly it's to so-called "vetted" ones.

Washington has a longstanding alliance with Al Qaeda. Al Nusra is an Al Qaeda affiliate. Both groups and similar ones constitute a key source of US-backed anti-Assad belligerence.

US special forces and perhaps enlisted private military contractors (PMCs) trained them in chemical weapons use. Perhaps they supplied them also.

Washington's direct and proxy wars are dirty ones. Anything goes is policy. Civilians are fair game. They're considered legitimate targets. Government loyalists are most vulnerable. US-sponsored death squads target them.

It's unclear if congressional legislation will pass. Doing so would make covert support overt. Either way it continues unabated.

According to a Tuesday Reuters/Ipsos online poll, 60% of Americans oppose US intervention. Only 12% support it. Online polls aren't statistically significant. They're suspect. It doesn't matter. 

Obama pays no attention to public opinion. Overtly he resists arming opposition fighters. Covertly he's been doing it all along. Hypocrisy defines his administration. He's a war criminal multiple times over. He remains unaccountable for unconscionable crimes.

Israel's a co-conspirator. Both countries are longstanding imperial partners. Israel's been upping the stakes in Syria. Previous articles explained.

On May 21, Press TV said Syria destroyed an Israeli military vehicle. It crossed the Golan ceasefire line. It did so lawlessly. It headed toward Bir Ajam village. A Syrian army statement said:

"Following that, the Israeli enemy fired two rockets from the occupied site of Tal al-Faras toward one of our sites in al-Zubaydiah site; no casualties reported."

On May 22, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) explained more. 

Foreign intervention "aims at raising the terrorist groups' collapsed moral due to the painful blows they received at the hands of our armed forces."

"The General Command of the Army and the Armed Forces said that the blatant aggression confirms again the involvement of the Zionist entity in the ongoing events in Syria and the direct coordination with the armed terrorist gangs."

"The statement stressed that any breach or an attempt to violate the state sovereignty will be responded."

"It stressed that whoever thinks that he is able to test our strength, alert and readiness to maintain our dignity and sovereignty is mistaken."

Syria's Foreign Ministry called on the Security Council to end Israeli violations. It reiterated Syria's right to respond immediately to any breach of its sovereignty. Under international law, doing so is legitimate self-defense.

On May 22, Israel National News headlined "(IDF chief) Gantz Warns Assad: Don't Escalate the Situation," saying:

If he "causes the situation in the Golan Heights to deteriorate, he will pay the price."

"We will not allow the Golan Heights to become a comfort space for Assad," he stressed. "If he causes a deterioration he will have to bear the consequences."

Gantz denied clear evidence of Israel's involvement. It's Washington's imperial partner against Syria. He claimed no Israeli military vehicle crossed the ceasefire line. 

Israel's been caught lying red-handed numerous times. Official statements have no credibility.

On May 22, Lebanon's Daily Star headlined "Heavy shelling batters north Lebanon's Tripoli." 

Fighting between Assad supporters and Salafist opponents erupted last weekend. On Tuesday into Wednesday pre-dawn, dozens of mortar bombs and rocket-propelled grenades struck Tripoli.

Since hostilities erupted Sunday, 10 deaths were reported. Over 70 others were wounded. Lebanon's army was targeted.

Residents want it involved for protection. It's unclear if Washington and/or Israel bear responsibility. Perhaps they spread Syria's conflict cross-border.

Clearly it's escalating. It remains to be seen what's next. US/Israeli/Turkish provocations advance things closer to full-scale intervention. Kerry's regional visit perhaps involves finalizing details.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

http://www.dailycensored.com/mission-creep-head-toward-full-scale-war-on-syria/

Obama's War on Free Expression

Obama's War on Free Expression

by Stephen Lendman

It's the most fundamental right. Without it all others are endangered. Obama's waging war to destroy it. He's done so throughout his tenure. 

He targeted AP. He did so unjustifiably. A previous article discussed it.

It was lawless intrusion. It intimidates journalists, potential whistleblowers, valued sources, and others. It warns them against challenging or disclosing information Washington wants kept secret. 

Obama's done it numerous times before. He's waging war on truth. He's targeted more whistleblowers than all previous administrations combined. Bradley Manning and Julian Assange are best known. Others faced similar abuse. 

Fox News reporter James Rosen is another target. Headlines just revealed it. Since around 2010, his phone records were monitored. They were obtained for a defined period. His emails were read. His personal movements were tracked.

At issue are fundamental constitutional rights. They've been eroding for years. Obama's waging war to destroy them altogether.

Candidate Obama called whistleblowing "acts of courage and patriotism." His official document for change headlined "The Change We Need in Washington." 

It discussed promises to do so. He systematically spurned them. He did so across the board. He pledged whistleblower protection, saying:

"Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out."

"Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often taxpayers dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled as they have been during the Bush administration."

"We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance."

"Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government." 

"Obama will ensure that federal agencies expedite the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process."

He implied protection and encouragement for America's fourth estate. He's targeted them and government whistleblowers ruthlessly. He exploits secrecy and other repressive laws doing so.

He claims a national security priority. America's kept safe, he stresses. It's never been closer to full-blown tyranny. He's advancing it for our own good, he implies. 

He's manipulating public sentiment to concur. Sacrificing freedom for security assures losing both.

So-called free flow of information or shield laws protect journalists. If properly drafted, they're freed from disclosing confidential sources and documents. Doing so assures they and informants won't be silenced. 

It protects them from threat of prosecution. It forces Washington to prove a compelling need. It requires evidence outweighing journalists' nondisclosure/confidentiality rights. 

Numerous US states provide these protections. No federal law exists. In 2007, Free Flow of Information Act legislation passed the House. 

In 2008, it failed in the Senate. Its version fell short of full immunity. It permitted federal judges to declare some confidentially obtained information subject to disclosure. Bush administration officials felt not enough. They opposed the measure.

In 2009, proposed Shield Act legislation failed to pass. Obama opposed protecting reporters from imprisonment and/or fines for refusing to disclose confidential sources leaking alleged national security information.

Initial legislation weighed "the public interest in gathering news and maintaining the free flow of information" against national security considerations.

Obama proposed sweeping revisions. He wants press freedom compromised. In 2011, House and Senate Shield Law versions were introduced. They targeted free expression and whistleblowers. Both died in committee.

Attorney General Eric Holder supported harsh Shield Law provisions, saying:

"To the extent there are gaps in the laws, we will move to close those gaps. The Shield Act will help close these holes in the law."

At the time, Congressional Research Service (CRS) legislative attorney Jennifer Elsea said:

Espionage Act provisions apply "to the receipt and unauthorized dissemination of national defense information, which has been interpreted broadly to cover closely held government materials related to US military operations, facilities and personnel." 

"It has been interpreted to cover the activities of foreign nationals overseas...."

"The Supreme Court has stated....that the question remains open whether the publication of unlawfully obtained information by the media can be punished consistent with the First Amendment." 

"Thus, although unlawful acquisition of information might be subject to criminal prosecution with few First Amendment implications, the publication of that information remains protected." 

"Whether the publication of national security information can be punished likely turns on the value of the information to the public weighed against the likelihood of identifiable harm to the national security, arguably a more difficult case for prosecutors to make."

CRS called prosecuting WikiLeaks unprecedented and challenging. It's so legally and politically.

"We are aware of no case in which a publisher of information obtained through unauthorized disclosure by a government employee has been prosecuted for publishing it," she added. 

At issue are First Amendment rights and "concerns about government censor(ing)" information the public has a right to know.

In 2011, House and Senate Shield Act versions targeted whistleblowers. They amended the 1917 Espionage Act. 

They criminalized free speech. They compromised the public's right to know how their elected officials govern. Suppressing truth is the first step toward tyranny. America's on a fast track toward it.

In December 2010, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said:

"The debate about the wisdom of releasing secret government documents has turned into a massive attack on the right of intermediaries to publish truthful information. Suddenly, WikiLeaks has become the Internet's scapegoat...."

"Like it or not, WikiLeaks has become the emblem for one of the most important battles for our rights that is likely to come along in our lifetimes. We cannot sit this one out."

Earlier Shield Act legislation criminalized good journalism. It did so for knowingly and willfully publishing material on human intelligence activities conducted by America or other governments. 

Doing so responsibly is what investigative journalists do. It's their job. First Amendment rights protect them.

In Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), the Supreme Court ruled government can't punish inflammatory speech unless directed to incite lawless action.

In Texas v. Johnson, Justice William Brennan wrote the majority opinion, saying:

"(I)f there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea offensive or disagreeable."

Former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall said:

"Above all else, the First Amendment means that government has no power to restrict expression (regardless of its) ideas…subject matter (or) content."

"Our people are guaranteed the right to express any thought, free from government censorship."

Thomas Jefferson warned:

"What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance."

Free expression "cannot be limited without being lost." 

Governments often overstate secrecy needs. Except under clear and present danger circumstances, doing so's unjustifiable. 

Candidate Obama pledged openness and transparency. He repeatedly denounced Bush administration secrecy. He called it "one of the most secretive administrations in our nation's history."

"It's no coincidence (that it) favored special interests and pursued policies that could not stand up to the sunlight."

"As president," he vowed, "I'm going to change that. "The American people want to trust in our government again - we just need a government that will trust in us." 

"And making government accountable to the people isn't just a cause of this campaign - it's been a cause of my life for two decades."

Straightaway as president, a White House statement headlined "Change has come to WhiteHouse.gov," saying:

"President Obama has committed to making his administration the most open and transparent in history."

In 2010, he said:

"I will not stop fighting to open up government. (W)e have put in place the toughest transparency rules in history."

Throughout his tenure, his policies belied his rhetoric. He exceeded the worst of George Bush. He's obsessed with secrecy. According to ACLU staff attorney Alexander Abdo:

"We've seen a meteoric rise in the number of claims to protect secret law, the government's interpretations of laws or its understanding of its own authority." 

"In some ways, the Obama administration is actually even more aggressive on secrecy than the Bush administration."

He's gone out of his way to find new ways to do it. He's waging war on free expression and other constitutional rights. He seeks legislative cover to disguise it.

On May 15, The New York Times headlined "Criticized on Seizure of Records, White House Pushes News Media Shield Law," saying:

"Under fire over" AP spying, he sought "to revive legislation that would provide greater protections to reporters in keeping their sources and communications confidential."

His way of doing it falls woefully short of what's needs. He wants full immunity avoided. He wants federal judges able to declare some confidentially obtained information subject to disclosure. 

He opposes protecting reporters from imprisonment and/or fines for refusing to disclose confidential sources providing alleged national security information.

He's waging war on press freedom. He's done so throughout his tenure. He wants Shield Law cover for easier enforcement. 

Perhaps he'll get it this time around. Enactment will further erode free expression. It's on the chopping block for elimination. 

Alleged national security concerns don't wash. They're cover to destroy what's too precious to lose. 

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour

http://www.dailycensored.com/obamas-war-on-free-expression/