As I pledged yesterday my speech tonight would be on the political developments in Lebanon and the general political situation especially pertaining to the government, the STL, funding the STL and what is connected to it.I am before two topics. The first topic is important and it helps as a prelude to usher to the second topic. The first topic has to do with the general political speech in the
By Michael Hudson, a research professor of Economics at University of Missouri, Kansas City and a research associate at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, for Naked Capitalism A longer version of this article in German was published in the Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung on December 5, 2011 Book V of Aristotle’s Politics describes the eternal transition of oligarchies making themselves into hereditary aristocracies – which end up being overthrown
The BBC reports: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is hosting a summit of a new regional bloc that brings together 33 nations of Latin America and the Caribbean. The general aim of the group, which does not include the US or Canada, is to foster regional ties. Mr Chavez has described the bloc as a counter to US influence in the region. The two-day summit is Mr Chavez’s first big international
From the Raw Story: Kentucky church bans interracial couples Bachmann claims she would close non-existent U.S. embassy in Iran Cops, movers refuse to foreclose on 103-year-old woman A teaspoon of sea-water gives you the taste of the whole ocean Alexander Solzhenitsyn
The recent discussion with Lysander, Joe and others about possible Russian actions to prevent a NATO attack on Syria has lead me to conclude that it might be to look into this topic in a separate post. So here is my point of view on what Russia is really up to. As always, I offer that as a basis for discussion and I hope that you guys will contribute your
Today’s headline from the Mail Online: Russia sends warship to Syria in support of Assad (whose soldiers have killed 256 children) No comment needed.
Today, some Egyptians voted with bulletins, other voted with matches, but the message was the same, no doubt.
Dimitri Rogozin, the official Russian top envoy to NATO (and who is also one of the most interesting Russian public figures), has just declared that Russia is considering revising its support for NATO operations in Afghanistan. This is a direct consequence of the US decision to deploy an anti-missile system along the Russian border in Europe. And since Pakistan has decided to close down (probably for a limited time) the
The Sydney Morning Herald: IRAN has claimed a blow against US spying efforts on its nuclear program and strategic industries with the capture of 12 CIA ”assets”. US officials acknowledged its spy network targeting Iran had suffered a setback and expressed fears its contacts would be executed by the regime. The Iranian Intelligence Minister, Heydar Moslehi, said on Thursday the alleged spies worked at the highest levels of ”major firms
I took quick look this afternoon at the headlines on the (always excellent) Information Clearing House (which, by the way, is in great need of financial help!) and I saw these: Plan for No Fly Zone Over Syria U.S. Urges Americans to Leave Syria “Immediately” David Cameron: War looms in Syria France Considers ‘Humanitarian Corridors’ in Syria Perry Calls for No-Fly Zone In Syria, Would Act Unilaterally Without UN Authorization
Following President Medvedev’s speech yesterday, I decided to scan the western corporate media for reactions. I was curious, what would the pundits make of what I personally consider a total failure of Obama’s foreign policy? Would at least the European press express outrage over the fact that the always imbecile US foreign policy has now turned several European countries into targets? I mean, really, let’s consider the following basic and,
Citizens of Russia, I address you today in connection with the situation concerning the NATO countries’ missile defence system in Europe. Russia’s relations with the USA and NATO in the missile defence area have a long and complicated history. I remember that when US President Barack Obama revised his predecessor’s plans to build a missile defence system in Europe in September 2009, we welcomed this as a positive step. This
The level of violence meted out by the Empire against its opponents is clearly on the rise: from Tahrir Square in Egypt, to the many Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, to the constant saber-rattling against Iran, the Empire is clearly cracking down on its opposition. This new trend is particularly striking in the USA. People who have never lived in the USA or who, even more so, have never studied here,
Haaretz reports: Report: Dozens of U.S. spies captured in Lebanon and Iran Dozens of spies working for the CIA were captured recently in Lebanon and Iran, current and former U.S. officials told The Associated Press and ABC News on Monday. The CIA’s operations in Lebanon have been badly damaged after Hezbollah identified and captured a number of the U.S. spies, officials told The Associated Press. Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Sheik Hassan
The Raw Story reports: A popular Hawaiian recording artist turned a top-security dinner of Pacific Rim leaders hosted by President Barack Obama into a subtle protest with a song in support of the “Occupy” movement. Makana, who goes by one name, was enlisted to play a luau, or Hawaiian feast, Saturday night for leaders assembled in Obama’s birthplace Honolulu for an annual summit that is formulating plans for a Pacific
In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the World. Peace be on our Master and Prophet – The Seal of Prophets – Mohammad and on his Chaste Household, chosen companions and all prophets and messengers. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessing. First we salute the chaste and fragranced souls of the martyrs and offer them the reward
Haaretz reports: Israel’s Internet intifada Online political activism has hitched its battlewagon to the stars of social networking, leading to warfare over Israel’s legitimacy on sites like Facebook and MySpace. By Benjamin L. Hartman The struggle for the Holy Land may be the world’s most ancient conflict. But in one respect, at least, the weapons and the battleground could not be more cutting-edge. This is the realm of the “virtual
