Posts From The Saker
POLITICS-US: Freeman Withdrawal Marks Victory for Israel Lobby By Daniel Luban and Jim Lobe for IPS news WASHINGTON, Mar 10 (IPS) – Amb. Chas Freeman withdrew from consideration for a top intelligence post in the Obama administration on Tuesday, following a vitriolic battle that pitted Republican lawmakers and pro-Israel hardliners opposed to his appointment against liberals and members of the intelligence and diplomatic communities who had come to his defence.
I have mentioned the Russian short range missile Iskander-M several times on this blog: this is the missile which Russia will deploy if the USA persists in fielding its anti-missile system in Europe. Some have asked how exactly this new Russian missile could defeat the US anti-missile systems. Here below is a very interesting article below partially answering this question. I will try to find an equally well-informed article about
FYI – http://10.16.86.131/the-usa-is-fundamentally-uncivilized/ http://10.16.86.131/meet-the-american-gulag/ http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2007/09/ahmadinejad-us-big-prison.html I won’t even go into the issues of torture, extraordinary renditions, Guantanamo, Bagram, secret CIA jails worldwide, clearly racist laws, clearly racist sentencing practices, ICE raids, police brutality, deportations, etc. etc. etc. But the readers who actually live in the USA are more than welcome to add their own anecdotes and observations (as always, please feel free to post anonymously). The Saker
From ThePeoplesVoice.org: 7.3 million in the US prison system Link: http://wsws.org/articles/2009/mar2009/pris-m04.shtml A study released this week by the Pew Center on the States delivers a staggering statistic: 7.3 million Americans – or 1 in every 31 adults – are in the nation’s prison system. This figure includes those in US jails and prisons, on parole, on probation, or under other forms of correctional supervision. No other country comes close to
The BBC reports: Nato ministers have agreed to resume high-level contacts with Russia, making what US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called a “fresh start”. Relations conducted through the Nato-Russia Council had been frozen by Nato in protest at the brief war last summer between Russia and Georgia. Mrs Clinton said areas of mutual concern included Afghanistan. translation: NATO sulking at Russia for beating Georgia in 4 days did not
From the EFF’s SSD home page: The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has created this Surveillance Self-Defense site to educate the American public about the law and technology of government surveillance in the United States, providing the information and tools necessary to evaluate the threat of surveillance and take appropriate steps to defend against it. Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD) exists to answer two main questions: What can the government legally do to
Andy Worthington, London-based journalist and author of “The Guantánamo Files” (Pluto Press), today releases the first definitive list of the 779 prisoners held in the US prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Links to the list: Part 1 (ISNs 002 to 200):http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/guantanamo-the-definitive-prisoner-list-part-1/ Part 2 (ISNs 201 to 496):http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/guantanamo-the-definitive-prisoner-list-part-2/ Part 3 (ISNs 497 to 732):http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/guantanamo-the-definitive-prisoner-list-part-3/ Part 4 (ISNs 743 to 10030):http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/guantanamo-the-definitive-prisoner-list-part-4/ The list, which is the result of three years’ research and
Russian and western media outlets are reporting that Obama has offered a deal to the Russians: help us with Iran and we will not deploy the anti-missile system in Europe (see, for example, here). Officially, the American logic goes like that: IF the Iranians drop their nuclear program and IF they stop the development of long-range missiles, THEN there is no more need for an anti-missile system in Europe. Talk
The BBC reports: Gunmen have attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team on its way to play in the Pakistani city of Lahore. At least six policemen escorting the team bus were killed, along with a driver. Seven cricketers and an assistant coach were injured. Pakistani officials said about 12 gunmen were involved and grenades and rocket launchers have been recovered. Officials said the incident bore similarities to
by ‘Ya Baqiyatullah’ Very few open crimes against humanity are as disregarded as the assault against Shia Muslims in Parachinar, an area west of Islamabad. Many European and American media outlets have completely ignored the onslaught against Shia civilians at the hands of the Taliban and Sunni extremist militants. Parachinar is a town of 20,000 individuals, with almost all being exclusively Shiites and belonging to the Turi and Bangash tribes.
RafidanThe Political CommitteeBaghdadThe Republic of Iraq Statement in Response to President Obama’s Remarks made on the 27th or February 2009 regarding the proclaimed ending to the occupation of The Republic of Iraq. Official English Transcript Release No: 57 March 02, 2009Exclusive for “Information Clearing House” Good Evening, In Respect to the remarks of President Barak Hussain Obama, The president of the United States of America. The Political Committee of a
On February 15th, 1989 the last Soviet soldier crossed the (then) Soviet-Afghan border leaving behind over one million dead Afghans, several millions more wounded and displaced. This war cost the Soviet Union just under 14 thousand lives. This is, for sure, a disastrous tally and nobody in his right mind would attempt to qualify the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan as a “success”. Still, while unequivocally a failure and a tragedy,
First, I like to welcome you all in the ceremony held to commemorate the anniversary of the leader martyrs: starting with the Sheikh of martyrs Sheikh Ragheb Harb to the Sayyed of martyrs Sayyed Abbass Mossawi to the leader martyr Imad Moghniyah. This year the ceremony is so blessed, virtuous and precious as it coincides with the Arbeen anniversary – the occasion of the passing of 40 days on the
Press TV reports: A Russian warship, patrolling the busy Gulf of Aden, captured 10 pirates in three small ships off the coast of Somalia, the Russian navy says. The nuclear-powered heavy cruiser Peter the Great said on Friday that a helicopter from the ship spotted the pirates in two speed boats, with automatic rifles and grenade launchers, on Thursday, closing in on an Iranian fishing trawler. The speed boats turned
by Ali Abunimah for The Electronic Intifada Whenever Israel has an election, pundits begin the usual refrain that hopes for peace depend on the “peace camp” — formerly represented by the Labor party, but now by Tzipi Livni’s Kadima — prevailing over the anti-peace right, led by the Likud. This has never been true, and makes even less sense as Israeli parties begin coalition talks after Tuesday’s election. Yes, the
This will appear in the next issue of Al-Ahram Weekly http://weekly.ahram.org.eg Triangulation or strangulation? The new president is discovering that America ’s road to Kabul goes through Moscow , says Eric Walberg As Obama prepares to transfer troops from Iraq to Afghanistan , Al-Qaeda and other jihadists are also “transferring” there according to Afghan Defence Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak, giving the country the dubious distinction of remaining the centre
The World Socialist Website reports: The threatened closure of a key Pentagon supply base in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, with serious implications for the Obama administration’s planned escalation of the US-led war in Afghanistan, has deepened tensions between Washington and Moscow. The Manas air base, located near the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, is the major air link between the US military and American occupation forces in Afghanistan. Last
Press TV reports: A report to the Iranian parliament has cited grave human rights abuses against Shias in the northwestern Pakistani city of Parachinar. Lack of government control over the highly sensitive border areas of Kurram Agency, the capital of which is Parachinar, has lead to an increased Taliban presence in the area. Local Pakistani media reported last week that Taliban-linked militants in Parachinar, Hangu district and much of the
Al-Manar reports: Kyrgyzstan said Friday its decision to shut a U.S. air base was final, dealing a blow to Washington’s efforts to retain what has been a major staging post for US occupation forces fighting in Afghanistan. Thursday, the United States said it was still in talks with Kyrgyzstan about keeping the Manas base in the mainly Muslim, impoverished former Soviet republic and traditional Russian ally. “The decision has been
