Publications such as The New York Times, Washington Post, etc. have all but banished criticisms of US foreign policy from their pages. The only acceptable viewpoint seems to be that Putin is a ruthless dictator, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was entirely unprovoked, and Putin will invade other European countries if he is not stopped in Ukraine.
As for the conflict in the Middle East, the mainstream media again lines up obediently behind the US government: Hamas’s October 7 attack was unprovoked, Israel is a democracy, Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, and its military actions in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran are required for self-defense. The few criticisms that are allowed to appear are tepid and unconvincing.
As for US foreign policy, US officials, whether from the Democratic or Republican Party, seem to believe they can promote US interests by resorting primarily to military violence, despite the disasters they have created in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and so on. The refusal to resolve geopolitical differences through diplomacy derives in part from blind arrogance due to unparalleled military superiority and what seems to be pure idiocy. As former Secretary of State Madeline Albright boasted in 1998,
“But if we have to use force it is because we are America; we are the indispensable nation. We stand tall and see further than other countries into the future, and we see the danger here to all of us.”
It is hard to imagine that anything but disasters could ensue from this myopic perspective.
US government officials simplistically divide the world’s nations into two categories: good and evil. Those allied with the US are good and everyone else to one degree or another is evil. “You are either with us or against us;” neutrality is not an option. But this good/evil Manichean ideology has two tragic consequences: First, US officials make little to no effort to understand the rational grounds of the policies of opposing nations and therefore frequently shun diplomacy. After all, the opponents are evil. Second, the mainstream media does not want to appear evil by reporting on the rational grounds of opposing nations; hence, its news coverage and analysis reinforces and legitimates US policy.
But fortunately, a robust counter narrative is growing on the internet with defectors from the mainstream finding venues where they are drawing ever-larger audiences. One such program is Judging Freedom hosted by Judge Andrew Napolitano (he was formerly a judge) who served as an analyst for Fox News until he was let go. His regular guests include world-famous political scientist John Mearsheimer from the University of Chicago; Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and former aide to various Secretary Generals of the United Nation as well as economic advisor to many governments around the world; Alastair Crooke, a former MI6 agent and British diplomat who helped negotiate peace agreements in the Middle East; and Chas Freeman who had various positions in the State and Defense Departments and became Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Other regular guests include Lawrence Wilkerson who was a Colonel in the US military as well as chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Power; Scott Ritter, former weapons inspector for the UN, Ray McGovern and Larry Johnson, both former CIA analysts; and the journalist Max Blumenthal.
Additional venues have popped up and are amplifying these voices. The Duran is hosted by Glenn Diesen, a Norwegian professor; Daniel Davis moderates Deep Dive; and Nima Alkhorshid, who originally is from Iran but now resides in Brazil, hosts Dialogue Works.
Image: President Joe Biden travels to Kyiv, Ukraine Monday, February 20, 2023. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)
While some of these mainstream defectors have been active in Republican administrations and others are closer to the Democratic Party, for the most part they agree that the US government played a huge role in provoking the war in Ukraine, that the war should be brought to an end as quickly as possible through negotiations, that Israel is in fact committing genocide in Gaza and the US government is complicit, that the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East is Israel’s rapacious aggression with unconditional US support, and that before October 7, 2023 Gaza was essentially an open-air prison. They are well-worth a hearing since they often provide insider information you cannot find anywhere else, their arguments are supported by plenty of evidence, and they provide the historical context that allows a deeper understanding of a conflict, a context that is almost always lacking in the mainstream media where the belief seems to prevail, for example, that history began on October 7, 2023.
John Mearsheimer delivered a lecturer back in 2015 on why the West in general and the US in particular is principally responsible for the conflict in Ukraine. Since being posted on Youtube, the lecture has attracted 29 million views. He argued that the George W. Bush administration’s proposal at the 2008 NATO Bucharest summit to include Ukraine in NATO was highly provocative, foolish and counter to US interests. Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy at the time opposed it, with Merkel claiming its aggressive implications meant Russia would perceive the admission of Ukraine as a “declaration of war.” Russia in fact insisted it would pose an existential threat and therefore cross a red line. Mearsheimer points out that the US would never accept a similar move by another great power in relation to the US, citing as evidence the Monroe doctrine, which bars other great powers from the Western Hemisphere, and the Cuban missile crisis where the US demanded the Soviet Union remove its missiles from Cuba and threatened nuclear war.
Image: Photo shows Drs. Muhanna and Abed caring for an infant and staff mourning three colleagues executed by occupation forces.
Aside from Ukraine, Mearsheimer is highly critical of the US role in the Middle East where he has concluded Israel is committing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and where Israel’s aggressive expansionist policies as well as its total reliance on military force, far from making it more secure, have achieved exactly the opposite result. Israel is in “deep trouble,” he argues, because it has been unable to decisively defeat Hamas in Gaza, it has been unable to win the release of the Israeli hostages, it has been unable to shield northern Israel from Hezbollah’s attacks and therefore unable to return the Israeli residents to their northern homes, and it has become a global pariah detested by people around the world because of its genocide against the Palestinian people. Israel’s crimes and US complicity in those crimes – Israel could not continue its wars without the steady supply of US weapons – is in neither country’s interests, Mearsheimer continues. The US is providing unwavering support above all because of the powerful Zionist lobby in the US which buys politicians like most of us buy groceries. Thanks to the lobby with its huge cash resources, critics of Israel are quickly run out of office. The US has lost the little moral credibility it had on a global scale. And Israel has only succeeded in making itself intensely hated by its Arab neighbors and people with a moral conscience around the world.
Mearsheimer approaches the geopolitical world through the lens of “realism,” a political science doctrine that argues the behavior of nations is largely dictated by the logic of the structure within which they are situated. Because there is no international police force that can protect weak nations from stronger nations that might prey on them, every nation aims to maximize its power simply to defend itself from aggressors and survive in this dog-eat-dog world. And when there are multiple great powers, conflict among them is inevitable because each will vie to be the dominant power to escape victimization by the others.
Because of his theoretical grounding, Mearsheimer’s conclusions often conflict with those emanating from the good/evil ideological matrix of the US government. For Mearsheimer, being ruthless can be the most rational course of action in the pursuit of survival. Whether it is also a moral course of action is a separate and subordinate question. Survival necessarily trumps all other interests because you cannot pursue morality, for example, if you do not survive. In this way, it makes sense for the US to strive to dominate the western hemisphere, for China to want to dominate east Asia, and for Russia to oppose NATO expansion. It is all about the need to maximize power for survival.
Finally, because Mearsheimer sees the geopolitical structure that defines the relations of nations to one another as relatively stable, he considers the resulting conflicts as often unavoidable as great powers act in their own rational interests and compete for hegemony. Hence, there is a tendency for him to see conflicts persisting “as far as the eye can see” with little hope for resolutions.
While Mearsheimer downplays the role of individual agency and emphasizes the structural relations among nations to explain their interaction, Jeffrey Sachs emphasizes individual agency. As a trained economist he has advised various UN Secretary Generals and has been asked by heads of state around the world for help with their economy. In 1989, for example, he advised the new post-communist Polish government about how to transition from a centrally planned economy to capitalism. To facilitate the transition, Sachs approached the US government and requested aid to help relieve Poland’s debt crisis. By the end of the day, the US government agreed to the aid and Poland’s transition went relatively smoothly. Accordingly, Sachs thinks there are good grounds for believing that individual agency goes a long way in explaining how geopolitics can operate. He often berates US government leaders for choosing military force instead of diplomacy in navigating foreign affairs, admonishing them to grow up and act like adults. Finally, Sachs is in communication with world leaders and can sometimes provide inside information about their thinking. Not surprisingly, they are often quite critical of US foreign policy but would never voice these criticisms publicly.
Alastair Crooke is a star player among these analysts. Because of his background as a Middle East negotiator, he has contacts in the Middle East that supply him with invaluable information that cannot be found in the US mainstream media. Moreover, Crooke has a sophisticated understanding of world events. While Mearsheimer is apt to assume that conflicts will persist indefinitely with apparently little change on the horizon and Sachs is likely to assume events can change suddenly if leaders will just do the right thing, Crooke views individuals constrained by prevailing “paradigms,” somewhat like Mearsheimer, but unlike Mearsheimer emphasizes that these paradigms can themselves undergo fundamental change, which means that everything within the paradigm is altered. For him, “The 7thof October has changed the region for good.” In other words, Crooke views the world dialectically: October 7, 2023 exploded the old paradigm, and we are now witnessing the birth of a new paradigm which has yet to fully develop.
Chas Freeman belongs in his own category. Because of his long career in the US government, one would think his perspective would be saturated with US government propaganda so that he would be unable to empathize with other nations. But quite the contrary, Freeman displays a deep appreciation and respect for other cultures and the rights of other nations as well as an uncanny ability to see the world from their point of view. From this perspective he does not hesitate to criticize US government policies, particularly the inveterate recourse to military force and the refusal to take into consideration the legitimate concerns of other nations such as NATO expansion for Russia. Freeman labels members of the Israeli government as fascist and argues the government operates against Israel’s self-interests, not to mention the interests of the US. He often treats the audience to pithy formulations. For example: Give a blank check to an alcoholic and he will go out and buy alcohol; give Netanyahu a blank check and he will go out and start a war. And in relation to the war in Ukraine: the US will fight to the last Ukrainian.
The counter narrative waged by these mainstream voices on the internet is having an impact on public opinion. Although the US government routinely ignores public opinion when formulating policy, at times the public breaks through and exerts an influence. Mass demonstrations in US streets helped bring the US war in Vietnam to a close. Currently, the Arab streets are boiling over with anger towards Israel for its genocide in Gaza and this is pushing their leaders in a new direction. At a recent summit in Riyadh that included a representative from Iran, Mohammed bin Salman warned Israel not to attack Iran and condemned Israel for its genocide in Gaza. Iran’s president was not able to attend but phoned the Crown Prince in advance and expressed the hope of deeper cooperation between their two countries. After years of hostile relations, the two are now drawing together even to the point of staging a joint naval exercise, a development that would have been unimaginable not long ago.
Whether we agree with other people or not, we are always in a stronger position when we hear their arguments and adjust our position if necessary. These internet programs provide us with that opportunity and allow us to escape from the monotone, group-think line of the mainstream media.
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Pakistan wants to reduce its disproportionate dependence on China, hence why it prefers for Russia to modernize its resource infrastructure instead of China, which aligns with US strategic goals.
Express Tribune reported on the outcome of the ninth Pakistan-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The protocol that they inked comprehensively expands cooperation in the resource sector. This includes energy and mineral exploration, oilfield services, a gas pipeline, industrial communication, shared standards, equipment, LNG, coal and chemical cooperation, and hydroelectric power and water management. Here are some background briefings:
The primary obstacles to their cooperation up until this point were financial and political, the first with regard to Pakistan’s infamous lack of funds and the second due to the US’ influence over its government. It remains unclear how they were surmounted, but it could be that Pakistan will offer Russia preferential stakes in these projects in lieu of cash while the US might have allowed this to happen in order for its historical ally’s decrepit resource infrastructure to finally modernize.
Elaborating more on the last point, private American companies might not be willing to bear the tremendous costs that this could entail due to how long it’ll take to receive a return on their investments, but state Russian companies might not have the same concerns. Moreover, from the US’ strategic perspective, if its own private companies can’t take on these projects due to the unfavorable terms, then it’s better for Russian ones to do so than Chinese ones if Washington is forced to choose.
That’s because the US is competing with China for influence over Pakistan, not with Russia, which will never approach anywhere near those two’s level of influence there. While it might appear to observers that Russia’s strategic resource inroads in Pakistan could erode American influence, they actually serve as a counterweight to China’s by denying the People’s Republic more influence in this sector. The US’ premier influence over Pakistan’s military, political system, and elites remains unaffected by this.
Viewed from an admittedly controversial zero-sum perspective, the gradual growth of Russian influence in parts of the Pakistani economy therefore erodes China’s influence over the country, which in turn strengthens America’s overall strategic position. Sanctioned Russia urgently requires new markets, and it’s willing to pay higher costs for access to them so long as it’s promised high rates of return in the long term through preferential stakes in these projects, thus explaining its national interest in this context.
Readers should also be aware that this is part of Russia’s “Pivot to (South) Asia” that was described in detail here late last month and aims to preemptively avert disproportionate dependence on China. Pakistan also wants to reduce its own already existing such dependence on China, hence why it prefers for Russia to modernize its resource infrastructure, which aligns with US strategic goals. If this trend continues, then it’ll one day be possible to speak about the Russian-US-Chinese interplay in Pakistan.
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Andrew Korybko is an American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
Over the past few decades, the dramatic increase in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), now diagnosed in 1 in every 36 children, has often been attributed to improved definitions for ASD and diagnostic tools. However, a closer look at government statistics reveals alarming trends in children’s health that go far beyond better diagnostics. Since the early 1990s, there have been staggering increases in several chronic conditions: ADHD rates have risen by 890 percent, autism diagnoses by 2,094 percent, bipolar disease in youth by 10,833 percent, and celiac disease by 1,011 percent. These numbers beg the question—what has fundamentally changed in our children’s health over the past three decades?
Despite these concerning trends, our culture continues to elevate science as the ultimate authority on health and reality, often dismissing common sense, reason, and direct empirical observation. Ironically, physicians rely on patients to describe their symptoms—a testament to the importance of individual observations—while federal health agencies and influential organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics dismiss environmental factors in favor of subjective theories, such as genetic predispositions or chemical brain imbalances as the root causes for the majority of mental and behavioral disorders in children.
This reliance on ideology over empirical scrutiny extends to vaccine development, where standard double-blind placebo trials, the gold standard for FDA drug approval, are glaringly absent. Vaccines such as the hepatitis B shot for infants and the HPV vaccine Gardasil for adolescents have been approved with minimal scientific rigor, yet they are heavily promoted and, in many cases, mandated.
The media compounds the issue by amplifying the official narrative while systematically excluding dissenting voices. This failure of transparency has allowed federal health agencies like the CDC, NIAID, and HHS to evade accountability. These institutions, which should safeguard public health, have instead become ideologically and politically captured by private interests. Their close ties to pharmaceutical companies have led to the approval of insufficiently tested vaccines, the pathologization of normal childhood behaviors, and the delivery of subpar healthcare—all at a staggering cost of $5 trillion annually.
Our medical authorities assure us that they would never allow our children to be exposed to something unproven or known to be dangerous. They claim that vaccines, even when multiple injections are given on a single day, are safe and do “not cause any chronic health problems.” Further, they claim that the ingredients contained in vaccines are either harmless or found in such miniscule quantities that they pose no health risks. The medical establishment also states unequivocally that there is no connection between vaccination and the rising incidence of ASD. Anyone who questions the safety of vaccination is immediately labeled as irresponsible or a quack who subscribes to pseudoscience.
Despite the dire state of children’s health and healthcare outcomes, no significant reform efforts have been made. There is an urgent need to reevaluate our priorities and address the systemic failures that have left children and families increasingly vulnerable in a broken medical system.
Image is from NaturalNews.com
Every year, tens of millions of American children are vaccinated according to the vaccination schedule set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The current CDC schedule recommends over 27 vaccines by the time a child reaches two years of age, and up to six shots in a single visit. In good faith the majority of parents follow their physicians’ and the CDC’s assurances that vaccines are both safe and effective.In order to protect the child and national population against disease, we must follow their recommendations.
We would expect our medical authorities to assure us that they would never permit our children to be exposed to something unproven or known to be dangerous. Whatever medical interventions given to our children, including vaccines, we would expect to be extremely well tested in state-of-art clinical studies. The CDC claims that vaccines, even when multiple injections are given on a single day, are safe and do not cause any chronic health problems.
Further, they claim that the ingredients contained in vaccines are either harmless or found in such miniscule quantities that they pose no health risks. The medical establishment also states unequivocally that there is no connection between vaccination and the rising incidence of autism spectrum disorder. Anyone who questions the safety of vaccination is immediately labeled as irresponsible or a quack who subscribes to pseudoscience.
Given that vaccines are mandatory for most children in public schools, it would seem reasonable they should be scientifically proven to be safe. However, in a careful analysis of many hundreds of articles in the peer-reviewed literature on toxicology and immunology, nowhere can we find evidence for these claims about vaccine safety being based upon a gold standard of clinical research: long-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. What is glaringly absent is research examining the cumulative toxicological impact of the CDC vaccine schedule over a long period of time. Never has a concise epidemiological study been published that compares the long-term health outcomes of a group of infants and children given the recommended CDC immunization schedule and a cohort of unvaccinated children. Since such research has never been carried out, our medical officials rely on inconclusive data that is not science-based and direly deficient for creating public health policies. Meanwhile, year and after year, generation after generation, American parents bring their children in for regular vaccinations while mistaking pure propaganda as scientific proof.
All humans possess a unique biochemistry that makes them more or less susceptible to various types of toxins. Whereas one child may be left with a compromised immune system after exposure to an environmental toxin, another child may experience learning problems or mild brain defects. Vaccine safety is not proved by stating the obvious – that not every child who receives the standard CDC vaccine schedule has autism.As we witness a rapidly increasing number of vaccinated children being afflicted by conditions such as autoimmune disorders, autism, food allergies, encephalitis, type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, etc., it’s critical that environmental toxins be thoroughly investigated in childhood health to better understand their pathology.And when we look into the independent science on the safety of vaccines, it’s readily apparent that many of the ingredients found in vaccines are toxic, even in small amounts, and these are likely contributing to a variety of illnesses, including autism, as more vaccines are added to the CDC immunization schedule.
After taking an uncompromising look at the institutions and medical professionals claiming that vaccines are safe for our children, we find that just a brief review of our medical establishment reveals a corrupt network riddled with conflicts of interest and scandal, making it clear that we simply cannot trust our health officials on the issue of vaccine safety.
Federal health propaganda denies outright that vaccinations are a causative factor for the rise in severe childhood neurological disorders. However, the studies they base their belief are solely observational retrospective studies. Such studies categorically fail to meet any gold standard and are often criticized for being overly vulnerable to researcher bias and the use of confounding variables to intentionally skew results. Every major study cited by pro-vaccine advocates to argue against an autism-vaccine relationship is an observational or cohort study.
The increase in autism, starting in the late-1980s, was largely believed to be genetic — and this myth continues despite the serious biological gaps to prove that such causation is scientifically sound. Despite the CDC’s claims, the Institute of Medicine released a report stating that the CDC’s childhood vaccine schedule has never been studied for safety. As far back as 1991, IOM has persistently urged the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct such studies.[1]
Image: Cases before the Vaccine Court are heard in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. (Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)
The argument against an autism-vaccine connection falls flat when we consider that the US government’s own Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) has awarded families monetary restitution for children who became autistic following immunization. Three cases compensated by the VICP highlight a link between vaccines and autism in certain circumstances. Hannah Poling developed ASD after receiving nine vaccines in one day; her family received compensation exceeding $1.5 million due to her underlying mitochondrial disorder aggravated by vaccines. Similarly, Ryan Mojabi’s family was awarded compensation after vaccines caused severe brain injury leading to autism symptoms although the award amount remains undisclosed. These cases illustrate the complexity of vaccine safety in vulnerable individuals. The case of Bailey Banks involved a court ruling that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine caused acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a brain inflammation that led to pervasive developmental delay, a condition on the autism spectrum. Again, the exact amount awarded in compensation is not publicly specified in most records because such settlements include lifetime care provisions and other benefits that are difficult to quantify. Beyond these cases, a study examining adjudicated cases in the VICP revealed that 83 children with autism were compensated for vaccine-related brain injuries. Most of these cases involved diagnosis of encephalopathy or seizure disorders accompanied by developmental regression and autistic symptoms. These cases challenge the federal health agencies public claims that no such connection has been recognized.[2]
For several decades we have been critiquing the scientific literature that both supports and cautions the CDC’s immunization schedule and the many vaccines and their toxic ingredients that children receive before reaching their sixth year.For years mercury or thimerosal was the main culprit, and indeed the evidence for mercury’s contribution to the increase in ASD should no longer be debated. Despite thimerosal having been removed from most vaccines, aside from the influenza shots, the inclusion of aluminum as a vaccine adjuvant continues to be ubiquitous. Aluminum disrupts brain homeostasis by inducing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation, posing significant risks to genetically susceptible children.
The National Library of Medicine lists over 3,000 references about aluminum’s toxicity to human biochemistry. Aluminum’s dangers, often found as alum or aluminum hydroxide in vaccines and food preparations, have been known since 1912, when the first director of the FDA, Dr. Harvey Wiley, later resigned in disgust over its commercial use in food canning; he was also among the first government officials to ever warn about tobacco’s cancer risks back in 1927.[3]
Aluminum compounds — either as aluminium hydroxide or aluminum phosphate — are the most common adjuvants found in vaccines, including the hepatitis A and B vaccines, DTP, Hib, Pneumococcus, and the HPV vaccine or Gardasil. JB Handley noted that back in the mid-1980s, a fully vaccinated child would have received 1,250 mcg of aluminum before turning 18 years of age. Today that same fully vaccinated child would be injected with over 4,900 mcg, a four-fold increase.[4]And a child’s actual aluminum exposure is likely much greater because aluminum sulfate is used in the purification of municipal water. Aluminum neurotoxicity in preterm infants after intravenous feeding, which at one time contained alum, was observed back in 1997 and reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. Thirty-nine percent of infants receiving aluminum-containing solutions developed learning problems upon entering schools compared to those receiving aluminum-free solutions.[5]
Dr. James Lyons-Weiler at the Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge observed that vaccine aluminum levels are based upon increasing immune efficacy and ignore the body weight safety of a child, especially infants and toddlers. Even more negligent, the safety codes for aluminum vaccine doses also rely on dietary studies in mice and rats, not human children!Lyons-Weiler notes, “On Day 1 of life, infants receive 17 times more aluminum than would be allowed if doses were adjusted per body weight.”[6]
Some of the research to discover aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines toxic levels and their adverse effects have found the following:
Aluminum inflicts strong neurotoxicity on primary neurons.[7]
Aluminum-laced vaccines increase the aluminum levels in murine brain tissue leading to neurotoxicity.[8]
Aluminum hydroxide, the most common form of adjuvant used in vaccines deposits mostly in the kidney, liver and brain.[9]
Long term exposure to vaccine-derived aluminum hydroxide (which is today an ingredient in almost all vaccines) results in macrophagic myofastitis lesions.[10]
Alarming health consequences of aluminum were reported in a 2011 study published in the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry led by Dr. Lucija Tomljenovic at the University of British Columbia. That study revealed that rates of ASD among children are greater in countries where children are exposed to the highest amounts of aluminum in vaccines. The authors also noted “the increase in exposure to Al [aluminum] adjuvants significantly correlates with the increase in ASD [autism spectrum disorder] prevalence in the United States observed over the last two decades”. A later article by Dr. Tomljenovic, published in the journal Immunotherapy, discussed the neurotoxic effects of aluminum on the central nervous system. The study documents aluminum’s ability to trigger autoimmune and inflammatory responses, alter genetic expression and hence contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders.[11]
When Christopher Exely at Keele University analyzed brain tissue from children and teenagers diagnosed with ASD, he found consistently high levels of aluminum, with some of the highest concentrations recorded in human brain tissue. Aluminum was primarily detected inside inflammatory non-neuronal cells, such as microglia-like cells, across various brain regions, including the occipital and frontal lobes. These findings point directly to aluminum’s in ASD neuropathology in younger populations. Exley also systematically reviewed and analyzed 59 studies to assess the relationship between exposure to aluminum, cadmium and mercury and ASD. Significant associations were found, with aluminum and mercury levels in hair and urine positively linked to ASD. Again his findings underscore the aluminum’s neurotoxic potential impact on neurodevelopment. The study strongly advocates for reducing vaccine’s aluminum exposure among pregnant women and young children as a proactive measure to mitigate the increasing incidence of ASD.[12]
A University of Buffalo study further highlighted the urgent need to eliminate aluminum salts from vaccines due to their neurotoxic potential and possible association with ASD. The authors emphasize that replacing aluminum adjuvants in immunizations with safer alternatives should be prioritized as soon as possible to reduce long-term neurological damage and protect vulnerable children.[13]
In 2002, researchers at Utah State University conducted a serological study of elevated measles antibodies and myelin basic protein (MBP) autoantibodies from 125 autistic children and 92 children in a normal control group. MBP has been identified as playing a significant role in the onset of autism. Ninety percent of the MMR antibody positive autistic children were also positive for MBP autoantibodies. The researchers concluded that “an inappropriate antibody response to MMR, specifically the measles component thereof, might be related to the pathogenesis of autism.
Despite the CDC’s consistent denial of an autism-vaccine relationship, researchers at Imperial College London examined the surge in ASD and speech impairment in the US over a six-year period. Their 2017 paper published in Metabolic Brain Disease identified a statistically significant link between higher vaccination rates and increased prevalence of these conditions. It found that a 1% increase in vaccination rates corresponded to 680 additional ASD cases thereby raising urgent concerns about vaccine components as potential environmental triggers for autism.[14]
Another disturbing case of government-industry knowledge about a vaccine-autism connection was a leaked 2011 document from GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturers. Reported by VacTruth’s Christina England, the text admits the corporation had been aware of the autistic risks associated with its Infanrix vaccine, which combines diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated polio and haemophilus influenza viruses. The report details adverse effects associated with autism, including encephalitis, developmental delays, altered states of consciousness, speech delays and other adverse reactions.[15]
The work of Dr. Roman Gherardi at the University of Paris has shown that when an aluminum adjuvant is injected in a mouse, the metal will find its way to the brain a year later. The significance of this discovery confirms the incidence of gradual ASD progression, and symptoms do not necessarily appear immediately after vaccination. Gherardi and his colleagues also discovered that the aluminum adjuvant remains in the tissues far longer than originally assumed. The Paris University study raises a serious concern over aluminum’s biopersistence, which Gherardi calls a “Trojan horse mechanism.” The adjuvant can lodge and accumulate in brain tissue for years, decades or perhaps a lifetime.[16] This raises a further concern about brain neuroinflammation caused by the buildup of aluminum plaque. Dr. Carlos Pardo-Villamizar at Johns Hopkins University published his paper “Neuroglial Activation and Neuroinflammation in the Brain Patterns of Patients with Autism.” His conclusions: autistic brains are permanently inflamed. This was the first independent study to actually look at the brains of people with autism.[17]
Even when the CDC’s own immunologist, Dr. William Thompson, whistle-blows and provides thousands of pages of scientific data and research proving a vaccine-autism connection, the matter is rapidly shoved under the table. In the case of Dr. Thompson’s release of confidential documents to a Congressional subcommittee, the CDC intentionally concealed its evidence that African American boys under 36 months had a higher risk of autism after receiving the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine or MMR. The documents proved the CDC had previously known for years that neurological tics, which indicate brain disturbances, were associated with thimerosal-containing vaccines, notably the flu vaccine.
While all this evidence might warrant our health agencies to be charged with criminal misconduct for endangering public health, they have had no effect on changing national policy over vaccine safety. Rather, the official denial of a possible association between vaccines and autism has now been engraved into an absolute dogma. To date, there is not a single gold standard publication to refute with any degree of certainty a vaccine-autism connection. Nevertheless, one thing is certain. The health of Americans is declining dramatically. Annually, the statistics worsen. American children’s health ranks dead last among developed nations. And a large proportion of this poor ranking is attributed to the failing health in American children with neuro-developmental disorders including autism and ADHD.
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Richard Galeis the Executive Producer of the Progressive Radio Network and a former Senior Research Analyst in the biotechnology and genomic industries.
Dr. Gary Nullis host of the nation’s longest running public radio program on alternative and nutritional health and a multi-award-winning documentary film director, including his recent Last Call to Tomorrow.
[6] [13] Lyons-Weiler J, Ricketson R.Reconsideration of the immunotherapeutic pediatric safe dose levels of aluminumJ Trace Elements Med Biol. 2018 Jul;48, 67-73
[7] Kawahara M et al. Effects of aluminum on the neurotoxicity of primary cultured neurons and on the aggregation of betamyloid protein. Brain Res. Bull. 2001, 55, 211-217
[8] Redhead K et al. Aluminum adjuvanted vaccines transiently increase aluminum levels in murine brain tissue. Pharacol. Toxico. 1992, 70, 278-280
[9] Sahin G et al. Determination of aluminum levels in the kidney, liver and brain of mice treated with aluminum hydroxide. Biol. Trace. Elem Res.1994. 1194 Apr-May;41 (1-2): 129-35
[10] Gherardi M et al. Macrophagaic myofastitis lesions assess long-term. Brain. 2001. Vol. 124, No. 9, 1821-1831
[11]Tomljenovic L, Shaw CA. “Do aluminum vaccine adjuvants contribute to the rising prevalence of autism?” Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry.2011 Nov;105(11):1489-99.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Sulaiman R, Wang M, Ren XF. Exposure to aluminum, cadium and mercury and autism spectrum disorder in children: a systematic review and meta analysis. Chem Res Toxicol. 2020 Nov 16;33(11):2699-2718. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00167
[14] Morris G, Puri BK, Frye RE. The putative role of environmental aluminum in the development of chronic neuropathology in adults and children. Metab Brain Dis. 2017 Jul 27;32(5):1335–1355. doi: 10.1007/s11011-017-0077-2
One of the first lectures I attended when I started medical school way back in 1982 was on Pharmacology. It was delivered by a resident Professor who was also the co-author of the standard and ubiquitously used text at the time. The Professor was an older man, obviously brilliant, but it wasn’t anything he said about the science of drugs I can remember: it was something else.
For some reason or other he spoke about stress and he made reference to the Greeks at the time of the Peloponnesian Wars, the gist of which was something like ‘if you think life’s stressful now, imagine living back then when at any given moment your entire city could be attacked and razed.’
And indeed, that is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of the island of Melos when, in 416 BC, the Athenians presented the Melians with an ultimatum: surrender to Athens or be vanquished. The Melians decided to stand and fight when they were besieged, and they lost. All of its men of fighting age were killed and its women and children were summarily enslaved.
Expeditious savagery was nothing new, but what made the siege of Melos remarkable was the justification used by the ‘democratic’ Athenians for their assault: the strong can do whatever they want, and the weak must submit. Or, perhaps even more simply, Power Rules.
In the midst of Operation Covid we have seen this principle exercised at every turn and in every conceivable way. Mandates were issues, dissenters were ‘cancelled’, silenced, or, like Reiner Fuellmich, jailed. Here in New Zealand, while I write, one of the doctors who saw fit to help rather than indiscriminately jab her patients is in the dock at a Tribunal — a Tribunal whose expenses will be billed to her, no matter the outcome. And it is for no other reason than because the Authorities, in this case the woefully corrupt Medical Council of New Zealand, wish to wield their power. Logic, sense, good medicine, ethics, duty of care — nothing matters except their determination to bring dissidents down. Yes, it’s that naked and that bad.
The Covid downpour may have ended, but the Covid Clowns remains above us all, hovering ominously, warning us that submission is our only choice. The zombies around us who marched to the Piper’s tune try to believe that everything’s okay, but even they can sense this shift, no matter how vigorously they deny the Sudden Deaths of the young or the efflorescence of strange or viciously aggressive Cancers all around, or the hypocrisy of awarding architects of Medical Totalitarianism — such as Jacinda Ardern or Ashley Bloomfield — high State Honors.
Like the Melians and other peoples during the Peloponnesian Wars we are all of us laboring under the peculiar and relentless threat that our lives and liberties may be snatched from us at a pin’s drop should Power decide to flex its arbitrary muscle.
For us, in our globally-networked world, it’s everywhere — then again, for those unfortunate Mediterraneans who ran afoul of Athens or Sparta or Persia, it was also everywhere that counted for them.
I often amuse myself by following discussions in Physics and the quest for that elusive ‘theory of everything’ — not that I understand string theory or particle accelerators or so-called dark energy and matter, or general or special relativity, or the fine points of quantum mechanics. I really don’t. But in my ruminations I am often led to the question about the human pursuit of knowledge. Is there a limit to how much we can know? Is there some special drive that blesses the quest to know with a virtue that cannot ever be questioned?
The old adage ‘knowledge is power’ rightly sums it all up for me. There is NO knowing without at least the hidden desire for control. Knowledge for knowledge’s sake is a clever fiction.
I’ve said many times before that we possess all the technological and scientific knowledge we need to make the Earth a living paradise for its billions: the only things standing it the way is human greed, selfishness and the never-ending quest for greater power over others that we may exalt ourselves.
It’s pitiful, when you think about it. And it would be laughable were it not for the destruction that has ensued. How many hundreds of thousands are dead in the Ukraine and the Middle East, and are dying in the ‘hidden’ war against our bodies, because of the illusions and fickle employment of Power?
I understand the Nihilists better, those of my friends who see no political solution, those who have been jaded by the machinations of the Deep State that killed their heroes in plain sight: JFK, RFK, MLK, X, and others.
But the Deep State, like Goliath, is not invincible. The problem, in the end, with Nihilism, is that there is no way out, and there is nothing one can put to them to shake them from their position, no evidence of little hopes. If I utter the name ‘Trump’ I am immediately dismissed as a deluded fool, for example.
And yet, I note, during Trump’s first four years in office he started no wars. And yet, I think, he has publicly questioned the role of vaccines in autism, and publicly acknowledged the phenomenon of human trafficking, and publicly criticizes bureaucratic drones and publicly refuses to concede an election we all knew he won in 2020, and on and on.
But I keep these things to myself among the Nihilists. It’s really not about Trump after all, but about the struggle against the wielders of Power against the people, a struggle that has been going on since the birth of our species, and will always go on. And it is no shame to hurl ourselves into this struggle with the heft of political figures espousing our cause, whoever they may be.
There are probably more of us now than ever who are awake to this truth, and it behooves us as we continue our fight to make sure we help each other out — we in our community. That, in and of itself, is a source of shining Hope. And it is also the best antidote to the weight of the Covid Cloud, which we may see no longer an an oppressor, but as a reminder that the siege launched in 2020 was NOT successful.
I’ve been saying for a long long time that all we need is a fighting chance, and we now certainly have it. Stress is stress and it will always be, but in shaking off the cobwebs of despondency and listing actively in battle we have the antidote.
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Dr. Garcia is a Philadelphia-born psychoanalyst and psychiatrist who emigrated to New Zealand in 2006. He has authored articles ranging from explorations of psychoanalytic technique, the psychology of creativity in music (Mahler, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Delius), and politics. He is also a poet, novelist and theatrical director. He retired from psychiatric practice in 2021 after working in the public sector in New Zealand. Visit his substack at https://newzealanddoc.substack.com/.
On December 8, the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia leaving the country to be occupied by a coalition of armed fighters led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
The HTS and the numerous affiliated armed groups have taken over the administration of the country, and have not carried out any massacres or threatened the public safety. They say they will be caretakers until March when a transition government will be formed in Damascus and later elections to be held. The HTS and their affiliates are now conducting themselves in the role of a police force.
However, the Syrian people, the neighboring countries, the Middle East as well as Europe and the US are extremely worried about the radical Islamic ideology of the fighters and their leadership. Al-Sharaa has referred to the current state of Syria as an ‘Islamic State’.
Syria was ruled for 50 years as a secular socialist form of government. The Muslim Brotherhood is viewed in many countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Russia as a banned terrorist organization.
Experts warn of the possibility of Syria turning into a new version of Afghanistan under the Taliban. Syria is a mixed population of Sunni, Alowi, Shiite and Christian. The Muslim Brotherhood ideology is not acceptable to the majority of Syrians who seek a secular democracy.
Steven Sahiounie of MidEastDiscourse interviewed Tarek Ajib to gain further insight into the events happening on the ground.
Tarek Ajib is a Syrian journalist and researcher. He has been a member of the Syrian Journalists Union and the Arab since 1998. He is editor-in-chief of Midline-news, and a founding member of the Paris Forum for Studies and Research.
Steven Sahiounie (SS): Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a radical Islamist group supported by Turkey, is now in control of Syria. In your opinion, why does Turkey’s President Erdoğan want a radical group in charge of Syria?
Tarek Ajib (TA): It is important to know at the beginning that the ideology and doctrine of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is very close to the ideology of the ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey, and during the years of the crisis, Turkish intelligence was able to attract it, reformulate it and adapt it to serve it, and it seems that it has moved to the bosom of the Muslim Brotherhood who rule Turkey through their arm, the Justice and Development Party, and Turkey was able during the past years to provide the requirements for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s victory in Syria politically and militarily, and if the group is able to consolidate its rule in Syria, this will be tantamount to expanding Turkey’s influence in the region and increasing its role in the world.
SS: Israel has invaded the south of Syria, and is very close to Damascus, the Syrian capital. But, there has been very little international condemnation. In your opinion, why is the world silent?
TA: In the international political game, the world we are talking about is the West led by the Americans, and the countries that are allied with it or subject to it, and there are countries that have good relations or strategic relations with Israel, and everyone clearly and frankly declares that what matters most to them in the region is the security of Israel, and they considered that the weapons of the former Syrian regime constitute a threat to Israel, and the fall of the regime at the hands of armed factions led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, classified as terrorist by international consensus, may lead to strategic and heavy weapons falling into the hands of these terrorist groups, and thus they may use them against Israel, so the “silent world” considered that what Israel did were preemptive strikes to defend itself by destroying those weapons so that they would not fall into the hands of extremist groups.
SS: We hear the deafening silence of the Arab world after the fall of Syria to the HTS coalition, even though it reminds everyone of Afghanistan and the Taliban. In your opinion, will the oil-rich Arab countries take action to prevent a long-term Islamic State of Syria?
TA: The existence of an Islamic state that carries the ideas of the Muslim Brotherhood, which all Arab countries have suffered from, or a state that carries extremist ideas, is the last thing that the Arab countries want, and they will certainly work hard to prevent that, and this is what we are waiting for how it will be translated on the ground, and the coming short period will show whether the Arab countries are able to prevent that, and how.
SS: Reports say that the extremist groups and ideology that took over Syria, may spread to other countries in the region. In your opinion, what country will be next and why?
TA: Extremist thought has a major goal, which is to establish a caliphate state over the widest geography it can control, so it never stops thinking about expanding this geography and does not set or see specific limits for its project.
Unfortunately, Iraq is the next target for these terrorist organizations and those who stand behind them.
SS: On December 20, the US Congress will meet either to renew sanctions on Syria, or lift them. In your opinion, will the US lift these sanctions?
TA: I do not think that the US Congress will provide any support to these organizations classified as terrorist on its lists, or lift any sanctions on Syria before there are clear steps and decisions consistent with the ministerial statement issued by the Aqaba meeting on the 14th of this month, which was attended by a number of foreign ministers of major and influential Arab countries, with the presence of US Secretary of State Blinken, the Turkish Foreign Minister, and the representative of the European Union, which called for the actual translation on the ground of the statements of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham about a smooth political transition in Syria and the transition to a state of institutions and a state of law that takes into account all components of Syrian society and its political spectrum.
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On December 12, the Neo-Nazi junta’s GUR published a list of at least 545 ships of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” that also includes 238 tankers. The infamous spy agency (now effectively a terrorist organization) determined that it has a total deadweight of over 100 million tons, which is around 17% of the world’s oil tanker fleet. The GUR demands that these ships be sanctioned. The list also includes a number of vessels that allegedly “switched from the Iranian ghost armada to carry Russian oil”.
The Kiev regime insists that its overlords in the political West should block Moscow’s oil exports, but the reality is that this is effectively impossible. Not only that, but the world’s most aggressive power pole doesn’t even want to do it, as this would send oil prices into the stratosphere and devastate Western economies that are already struggling, particularly in Europe.
Namely, on December 15, just three days after the list was published, two Russian oil tankers suffered heavy damage in the Kerch Strait (separates Crimea from the rest of Russia). The initial reports suggested that this was an accident. However, the chances of both vessels suffering similar damage almost simultaneously are extremely low, indicating that they were likely sabotaged.
The damage to two tankers, namely Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, resulted in the death of at least one sailor and reportedly even caused an oil spill. Both vessels were transporting approximately 4,300 tons of fuel oil. The last known location before the incident showed that Volgoneft-212 was just north of the Crimean Bridge, while Volgoneft-239 was just south of it. The bridge is often targeted by the Kiev regime, making the possibility of a terrorist attack all the more likely. Luckily, with the exception of one fatality, the crews of both tankers were rescued. The possibility of kamikaze drone-boats or mines destroying the vessels certainly shouldn’t be excluded. Although the Neo-Nazi junta is yet to make any official comments, there are rumors among many of its propaganda outlets, bragging about how they sunk the two oil-carrying ships.
The incident comes at a time when the Kremlin is strengthening ties with its global partners, particularly India which just signed a massive 10-year oil deal with Russia. According to Reuters, India will be getting nearly 500,000 barrels per day for the next 10 years. The deal is worth $13 billion a year and amounts to 0.5% of global supply. Both multipolar powers stand to gain from this, with Moscow getting a steady, guaranteed income, while Delhi gets a discounted oil that will help boost its economy. The new deal accounts for approximately half of Rosneft’s seaborne oil exports from Russian ports. Obviously, this is a big issue for the political West, as it’s not only completely cut off from any influence or meaningful middleman (i.e. parasitical) profits it’s so used to when it comes to deals of third parties, but also because the sanctions are effectively nullified in this way.
Namely, the political West has been waging a total war on Russia for the last nearly three years, with the Neo-Nazi junta serving as the executive proxy. There have been hundreds of drone strikes, sabotage operations and terrorist attacks within Russia, all supported by various NATO intelligence services, including the monstrous Crocus City Hall attack, when 145 civilians were killed by radical Islamic terrorists.
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Russian Crocus City Hall amphitheater interiors, day after terrorist attack on 22 March 2024 (Licensed under CC BY 4.0)
I’ve had the honor of participating in a meeting with Pepe Escobar and other experts and analysts from all over the world, where he confirmed that the assassination attempt took place and that Russia indeed warned the US that the consequence of such barbarism would be unimaginable. However, NATO and its Neo-Nazi puppets continue to attack high-ranking Russian figures.
Image: Kirillov in 2019 (Licensed under CC BY 4.0)
Namely, today (December 17), in the early hours, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, Head of the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Protection Troops of the Russian Armed Forces, was killed by an IED. The terrorist attack took place on Ryazansky Prospekt in Moscow. It should be noted that Lieutenant General Kirillov wasn’t directly involved in battlefield operations in Ukraine, but focused on investigating numerous extremely dangerous Pentagon-run biological warfare programs.
This includes military biolabs not just within the NATO-occupied Ukraine, but around the world. The blast, equivalent to at least 0.2 kg of TNT, also killed his assistant. According to the Turkish-backed, pro-terrorist Clash Report, just yesterday, the Kiev regime’s SBU issued “an absentee suspicion against Russian Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov” (i.e. charged him in absentia). The BBC reported that the infamous spy agency (effectively a terrorist organization, just like the GUR) claimed that Kirillov was “a legitimate target because he carried out war crimes”. Once again, he didn’t take part in hostilities and focused solely on the matters within his jurisdiction – Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection, otherwise known as Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defense. Thus, unless the Neo-Nazi junta planned on starting a nuclear war, this attack cannot be justified in any way.
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Recent Framingham Heart Study research shows your gut microbiome significantly impacts cholesterol levels, with bacteria like Oscillibacter helping break down cholesterol through specific enzymes and metabolic processes
Scientists identified cholesterol dehydrogenase enzymes (ismA genes) in gut bacteria that convert cholesterol to coprostanol, a form less easily absorbed by the body
Specific gut bacteria directly influence non-HDL cholesterol levels: Eubacterium rectale helps lower it, while Clostridium sp CAG_299 increases
Cholesterol is involved in essential bodily functions, including cell membrane structure, hormone production, vitamin D synthesis and nerve signal transmission, making optimization the goal
A holistic approach to heart health requires maintaining oxygen-free gut conditions for beneficial bacteria, avoiding processed foods, managing stress and staying active
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You might not realize it, but your gut health plays a pivotal role in your heart’s well-being. Recent research from the prestigious Framingham Heart Study has shed light on how the intricate community of microbes in your digestive system influences cholesterol levels.1
By meticulously analyzing stool samples and metabolic profiles from 1,429 participants, scientists were able to map out the complex interactions between your gut microbiome and heart health. This comprehensive study bridges the gap between gut bacteria and blood lipid levels, revealing that the composition of your gut microbes significantly impacts your cholesterol levels, opening new avenues for personalized health strategies for optimal health.
Cholesterol-Metabolizing Bacteria Take Center Stage
Among the myriad of bacteria inhabiting your gut, a genus called Oscillibacter is key player in cholesterol metabolism. The study found that individuals with higher levels of Oscillibacter species tended to have lower cholesterol levels in both their blood and stool.2 This suggests that these bacteria actively help in breaking down cholesterol, reducing its accumulation in your body.
By performing homology searches and molecular networking, researchers identified specific enzymes produced by Oscillibacter that facilitate cholesterol metabolism. These enzymes are involved in processes like glycosylation and dehydrogenation, which help modify cholesterol for its essential roles in your body.
This groundbreaking discovery highlights the potential of harnessing these natural allies within your gut to optimize cholesterol levels naturally. In fact, imagine having a team of microscopic guardians within your gut, tirelessly working to maintain your cholesterol balance. Oscillibacter species are proving to be just that.
The study not only identified their cholesterol-metabolizing capabilities but also confirmed that these traits are conserved across different Oscillibacter strains.3 This means that regardless of the specific Oscillibacter species present in your gut, they share the ability to process cholesterol in beneficial ways.
By reducing both fecal and plasma cholesterol levels, these bacteria contribute to better lipid homeostasis. Incorporating dietary strategies or probiotics that promote the growth of Oscillibacter could be a natural and effective method to support your cardiovascular health.
Moreover, the identification of specific microbial pathways involved in cholesterol metabolism offers targets for new therapeutic strategies. As research continues to unravel the complexities of your gut microbiome, the prospect of maintaining a healthy heart through gut health becomes increasingly attainable, empowering you to take proactive steps towards a healthier, longer life.
Unveiling the Enzymes Behind Cholesterol Breakdown
Tiny molecular machines exist in your gut that are specifically designed to break down cholesterol. Recent breakthroughs have identified such enzymes, known as cholesterol dehydrogenases, encoded by previously uncultured gut bacteria.4 Researchers explored the genetic blueprints of the gut microbiome, analyzing millions of genes to pinpoint those responsible for transforming cholesterol into coprostanol — a form that’s poorly absorbed by your body.
These enzymes, designated as ismA genes, play an important role in this conversion process. By integrating vast metagenomic data with metabolomic profiles, scientists were able to predict and validate these cholesterol-metabolizing enzymes. They even expressed these genes in laboratory bacteria to confirm their activity, ensuring that these enzymes are indeed the ones reducing your cholesterol levels.
This meticulous discovery not only uncovers the specific tools your gut bacteria use to manage cholesterol but also highlights the sophisticated interplay between your microbiome and your body’s lipid metabolism. Understanding these enzymes opens the door to targeted therapies that could enhance or mimic their activity, offering a natural way to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Meet Your Gut’s Hidden Cholesterol Warriors
Deep within your digestive system resides a group of bacteria that wield the power to manage your cholesterol levels. These bacteria, though not yet cultured in laboratories, have been identified through advanced genetic sequencing techniques. They carry the ismA genes, which encode the cholesterol dehydrogenase enzymes essential for converting cholesterol into coprostanol.
Remarkably prevalent across diverse populations, these bacteria are a common yet overlooked component of the human gut microbiome. Studies have shown that up to 92% of individuals in certain cohorts harbor these cholesterol-metabolizing species, making them a widespread natural ally in maintaining lipid balance.5
Moreover, their abundance is inversely related to inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease, suggesting that a healthy gut environment supports their beneficial activity. By thriving in the oxygen-free conditions of your intestines, these bacteria continuously work to reduce cholesterol absorption, thereby lowering your serum cholesterol levels.6
Enhancing the presence of these bacteria through diet, prebiotics or probiotics could be a strategic approach to harnessing their natural cholesterol-optimizing capabilities, offering a personalized pathway to better health.
Causal Links Between Gut Bacteria and Non-HDL Cholesterol
Specific bacteria in your gut also directly influence your levels of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c). A recent study published in eBioMedicine uncovered that a decrease in Eubacterium rectale and an increase in bacteria known as Clostridium sp CAG_299 are causally linked to higher non-HDL-c levels in your bloodstream.7
This means that these bacteria don’t just correlate with cholesterol levels — they actively contribute to their variation. By employing sophisticated techniques like Mendelian randomization, researchers were able to establish that these gut microbes play a direct role in regulating your cholesterol. Eubacterium rectale appears to lower non-HDL-c, while Clostridium sp CAG_299 does the opposite.
The findings suggest that adjusting your gut flora may be a simple way to naturally maintain optimized cholesterol levels. The study also revealed that the metabolic activities of your gut bacteria are intricately linked to non-HDL-c levels. Specifically, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, a fundamental metabolic pathway, plays a pivotal role.
When Clostridium sp CAG_299 is abundant, it suppresses the reductive TCA cycle, leading to decreased production of beneficial metabolites like 3-indolepropionic acid and N-methyltryptamine. These metabolites are important for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and might be developed into postbiotics — compounds derived from beneficial bacteria that can be consumed directly to confer health benefits.
On the other hand, Eubacterium rectale supports the TCA cycle, fostering the production of these protective compounds. The suppression of the TCA cycle by harmful bacteria results in lower levels of these metabolites, thereby elevating non-HDL-c in your blood. This biochemical interplay showcases how your gut microbiota doesn’t just passively reside in your digestive system but actively engages in metabolic processes that have far-reaching effects on your health.
Cholesterol Is Your Friend, Not a Foe
As the role your gut microbiome plays in cholesterol becomes clearer, it’s important to understand that cholesterol is one of the most vital substances in your body. This waxy substance serves as a fundamental building block for cell membranes, providing structural integrity and fluidity. It acts as a precursor for various essential hormones and is vital in the production of vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, contributing to bone health and immune function.
In your digestive system, cholesterol aids in the formation of bile acids, which are necessary for the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Further, cholesterol is integral to myelin sheath formation, enhancing nerve signal transmission throughout your body.
A balanced amount of cholesterol is indispensable for optimal health and plays a protective role as you age,8 which is why your focus should not be on lowering cholesterol as much as possible but rather optimizing your levels.
Heart disease often occurs due to damage to the endothelial wall from factors like poor diet, smoking, pollution, chemicals and stress. When damage occurs, your body sends cholesterol as part of the repair process. This is why cholesterol is often found at the site of arterial damage — it’s there to help, not harm.9
Embracing a Holistic Approach to Heart Health
Maintaining a healthy heart extends beyond merely controlling cholesterol levels or sticking to a specific diet. Embracing a comprehensive approach that incorporates multiple essential factors is crucial. Begin by prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods over refined and packaged alternatives. Additionally, ensure you get quality sleep and effectively manage stress, as both play significant roles in your overall health and cardiovascular well-being.
While regular exercise is undoubtedly beneficial, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle is equally important. Simple activities like taking regular walks significantly enhance your health, supporting not only your heart but your entire body’s functionality. Incorporating these movements helps maintain flexibility, improve circulation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Further, pay attention to the condition of your gut microbiome. Anaerobic microorganisms are necessary for transforming indigestible plant matter into valuable fatty acids. These oxygen-intolerant bacteria flourish in environments devoid of oxygen, which necessitates sufficient cellular energy to sustain.
However, modern dietary choices, such as consuming excessive seed oils and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in plastics, disrupt this delicate balance. These factors impair the energy production necessary for maintaining an oxygen-free gut environment, making it difficult for oxygen-intolerant bacteria to flourish.
When the oxygen-free conditions of your intestines are compromised, oxygen-tolerant bacteria begin to dominate. These microorganisms produce more potent endotoxins, leading to increased inflammation and adverse reactions to certain carbohydrates. This shift not only disrupts the beneficial functions of your gut microbiome but also has an impact on your cholesterol levels.
Furthermore, endotoxemia — a condition characterized by the presence of endotoxins in your blood — leads to severe complications like septic shock, which is a leading cause of mortality.
Integrating Gut Health Into Heart Disease Prevention
To safeguard your heart health, it’s imperative to focus on both enhancing mitochondrial function and maintaining a balanced gut ecosystem. Understanding the intricate relationship between your gut microbiome and cholesterol levels unveils a powerful tool in your arsenal for heart health.
By adopting a holistic approach that includes nourishing whole foods, staying active, managing stress and nurturing a healthy gut environment, you can naturally support cholesterol optimization and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. This integrated strategy not only promotes a healthier heart but also enhances your overall well-being, empowering you to live a longer, healthier life without relying on pharmaceutical interventions.
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December 18th, 2024 by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is urging the Canadian government to vote in support of Norway’s resolution at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which would request the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to render an urgent advisory opinion on Israel’s starvation policies in Gaza. The resolution, which is scheduled for a vote on Thursday, specifically requests an ICJ opinion on Israel’s obligations as an occupying power and UN member to facilitate humanitarian access in Gaza. CJPME is encouraged that Canada today voted “Yes” on a preliminary motion at the UN’s Fifth Committee to approve the ICJ’s budget, and hopes this logically translates into support for the main resolution at the plenary.
“Israel’s decision to shut down the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is a central pillar of its genocidal campaign of starvation. Canada must support the request by Norway, a NATO ally, to ask the ICJ for clear answers on Israel’s legal responsibilities as an occupying power. This would finally empower the international community to hold Israel’s genocidal regime accountable for the starvation of Gaza,” said Michael Bueckert, Vice President of CJPME.
Norway’s resolution would ask the ICJ for an opinion on “the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and as a member of the United Nations […] to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population as well as of basic services and humanitarian and development assistance[.]” The resolution is an urgent response to Israel’s latest legislative measures which threaten to dismantle UNRWA, often described as the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza. It also follows the arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former defence minister Gallant for using starvation as a weapon of war and deliberately creating “conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza.”
CJPME is concerned that Canada may decline to support Norway’s resolution, as the Trudeau government has opposed all previous initiatives to go to the ICJ or ICC on matters related to Israel. However, CJPME notes that the current resolution is consistent with other motions supported by Canada this year, including in defence of UNRWA. Canada also voted “Yes” today at the Fifth Committee to approve the budget for the ICJ advisory opinion, which hopefully indicates that Canada intends to support the main request on Thursday.
CJPME is pleased to note that Canada has taken a more justice-oriented approach in voting on UN resolutions related to Palestine-Israel this year. Whereas since 2011 Canada has been voting “No” on nearly every resolution related to Palestinian human rights, this year Canada has finally shifted in approach by voting “Yes” on a majority of relevant resolutions.
“After years of siding with Israel on the world stage, Canada’s more principles-oriented approach to supporting Palestinian human rights at the UN is very welcome. However, Norway’s request to go to the ICJ will be the real test for this government, as Trudeau must decide if he will support a motion with actual legal teeth, not just symbolic importance,” Bueckert added.
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The justifications are always the same. We are moving into territory for security reasons. We are creating a temporary buffer zone from which tactical advantage can be gained against potential dangers. Then, over time, these buffers become strategic fixtures, de facto real estate seizures and annexations. Israel now finds itself in what was a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights, and Turkey is established in parts of northern Syria, keeping a watchful eye on Kurdish militants.
Since October 7 last year, Israel’s response to the attacks by Hamas has been one of sledgehammers and chisels, a conscious attempt to broaden the conflict beyond its Palestinian confines to targeting the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah and its sponsor, Iran. In doing so, Israel has played an increasingly destructive role in Syria, where Hezbollah targets and Iranian supply lines have been struck with regularity. The move is intended to cripple Teheran’s Axis of Resistance, a patchwork of Shia militias spanning Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria.
With the collapse of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Israel intends further disruption. This marks a departure from a policy it had maintained with Assad for some years, one that permitted him and the Syrian Arab Army to operate without molestation subject to one stern caveat: that Hezbollah and, by virtue of that Iran’s influence, could also be contained. This point is made in documents recently unearthed by the New Lines magazine, one that directly involved a channel of communication between an Israeli operative code-named “Mousa” (Mosses) and the Syrian Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas.
A message dated May 17, 2023 outlines Israel’s indignation at an incident involving the firing of three rockets on Israel from the Golan Heights, an action purportedly instructed by Khaled Meshaal and Saleh al-Arouri of Hamas.
“Lately, because of Quds Day and Flag March, we are observing Palestinian activities on your land […] We warn you of the prospect of any activity of these parties on your territory and we demand you to stop any [Iranian] preparations for the use of these forces on your territory – you’re responsible for what is happening in Syria.”
The collapse of Assad’s rule, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), has brought Israeli intentions to the fore. The group’s leader, Mohammed al-Julani, has made previous mutterings favouring the Hamas October 7 attacks and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Since then, al-Julani has expressed no desire to do battle “with Israel or anyone else and we will not let Syria be used as launchpad for attacks”, promised to protect minority rights and disband rebel groups for incorporation into the Ministry of Defence, and dissembled on whether the new administration would be focused on Islamic law.
On December 10, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahumade fairly redundant remarks that his government had no intention meddling in Syria’s internal affairs, only to warn Assad’s successors that any move allowing “Iran to re-establish itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us – we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it.”
Defence Minister Israel Katzsimilarly warned Syria’s triumphant rebel forces that
“whoever follows in Assad’s footsteps will end up like Assad did. We don’t allow an extremist Islamic terror entity to act against Israel from beyond its borders… we will do anything to remove the threat.”
Since Assad’s fleeing on December 7, Israel’s air force has made it a priority to destroy the military means of any successor regime in Damascus, citing concerns that material would fall into the hands of undesirable jihadists. Over December 10 and 11, 350 strikes were conducted on anti-aircraft batteries, airfields, weapons production sites including chemical weapons, combat aircraft and missiles (Scud, cruise, coast-to-sea and air-defence varieties) in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia and Palmyra.
“I authorised the air force to bomb strategic military capabilities left by the Syrian army,” reasoned Netanyahu, “so that they would not fall into the hands of the jihadists.”
A bold estimate from the IDF about the operation described as “Bashan Arrow”, was that it had destroyed approximately 70-80% of the strategic military capabilities of Assad’s Syrian Arab Army. As of December 16, the total number of strikes Israel has conducted on Syrian territory has reached 473. For any advocate of stability, which would require some measure of military capability, this could hardly augur well.
Over the course of this glut of sorties, Israeli troops have militarised the demilitarised zone inside Syria created in the aftermath of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, including Mount Hermon, a site overlooking Damascus. The menacing move on Syrian territory was sanitised by IDF military spokesperson Colonel Nadav Shoshani:
“IDF forces are not advancing towards Damascus. This is not something we are doing or pursuing in any way.”
Both the Beirut-based Mayadeen TV, and the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have taken the gloss off such assessments, stating that the IDF has moved within 16 miles of the Syrian capital.
Crippling the infrastructure of the state that awaits the fledgling ruling parties in Syria, who can only count themselves as a ragtag transitional entity at this point, stirs an already turbulent, precarious situation. The very scenario which Netanyahu and his planners wish to avoid, and Assad sought to prevent, may well be realised.
*
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Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He currently lectures at RMIT University. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Email: [email protected]
Featured image: Golan Heights, Israel – An Israeli soldier prepares 155m shells for firing (Gal Rotem/Shutterstock)
In the heart of Spain, amidst bustling cities and serene countryside, a grim reality persists. Many Spanish nationals—poor, homeless, and jobless—struggle to survive. Forced to beg at bus stops, train stations, and along city streets, they embody the desperation that stems from the government’s neglect. This neglect is juxtaposed with the government’s focus on aiding illegal immigrants and providing substantial foreign aid, notably to Ukraine. This misallocation of priorities has left Spain’s most vulnerable citizens feeling abandoned in their own country.
ATwo-TieredSystemofCare
The Spanish government has prioritized providing illegal immigrants with essentials such as food, clothing, and shelter, ensuring their lives in Spain are more stable and secure. While offering humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations is commendable, it has created a striking imbalance. Spanish nationals, especially the homeless and unemployed, are left to fend for themselves in worsening conditions. The visible disparity between the treatment of illegal immigrants and native Spaniards fuels resentment and highlights a failure in governance.
Many poor Spaniards sleep on the streets, rely on food banks, or face evictions due to an inability to pay rent. Despite their plight, government programs often fail to address the systemic causes of poverty, such as inadequate social safety nets and limited job opportunities. This lack of support has led to a growing number of Spaniards living in despair.
TheCostofForeignAid
While struggling citizens are left to their own devices, Spain has directed billions of euros in aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing crisis. This decision, though made under the guise of international solidarity, raises questions about priorities. Why are significant resources being sent abroad when so many Spaniards live in destitution?
Foreign aid is not inherently problematic; it reflects a nation’s compassion. However, when such aid comes at the expense of addressing domestic poverty, it signals a profound imbalance. A nation must first ensure the well-being of its own citizens before extending resources elsewhere.
PoliticalSelf-InterestOverPublicWelfare
Another glaring issue is the focus of Spain’s political parties on their own agendas rather than the welfare of the people. Both local and national governments often prioritize party interests, sidelining the needs of the populace. Policies are shaped by political gains rather than long-term solutions to poverty and unemployment. This approach has further alienated struggling Spaniards, who feel that their voices are neither heard nor represented.
TheSocialImplications
The neglect of Spain’s impoverished population has broader societal implications. Rising poverty exacerbates social tensions, especially when perceived preferential treatment is given to immigrants. It also perpetuates cycles of homelessness and unemployment, which can lead to increased crime rates, deteriorating public health, and societal division.
The frustration among Spaniards is palpable. Many believe the government has turned a blind eye to their struggles, and their assessments are not unfounded. Spain’s poor and unemployed deserve to live with dignity, and addressing their plight should be a moral imperative for any government.
ACallforAction
The Spanish government must reevaluate its priorities. It needs to implement policies that:
Increase funding for homelessness prevention programs and affordable housing.
Create employment opportunities through sustainable development projects.
Strengthen social welfare systems to ensure that no Spanish national is left behind.
Balance foreign aid commitments with domestic needs, ensuring that resources are allocated equitably.
Compassion for others should never come at the expense of neglecting one’s own people. Addressing poverty among Spanish citizens is not only a moral obligation but also a prerequisite for a just and equitable society.
*
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Prof. Ruel F. Pepa is a Filipino philosopher based in Madrid, Spain. A retired academic (Associate Professor IV), he taught Philosophy and Social Sciences for more than fifteen years at Trinity University of Asia, an Anglican university in the Philippines. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
In March 2011, following Assad’s refusal two years prior to allow US-ally Qatar to build a pipeline through his country, citing his relationship with Russia as a factor, a plan was put into action to remove the Syrian President from power.
Few can afford to be massively tariffed by the US, let alone sanctioned, and most aren’t willing to burn their bridges with the US for ideological reasons at the expense of their immediate economic interests.
While several reports on the Mayotte cyclone have spoken of hundreds of people dying, other reports, which have also quoted local officials, have expressed the apprehension that the number of dead may even be in the thousands.
A gathering of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, on December 15 failed to resolve the political differences between the regional body and three of its members: Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The Council of the European Union announced the approval of the 15th round of sanctions against Russia on December 16. Clearly, by imposing a new package of sanctions, the EU is willing to continue destroying its own industries by persisting on a policy of economic warfare despite the boomerang effects.
Since the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, several regions of the World have experienced “extreme weather conditions” and “climate events” including earthquakes, floods, and wildfires. Were these events the result of environmental modification techniques (ENMOD) and geo-engineering (e.g. Morocco, Libya, Hawaii…)?
In recent days, official medias of Western-Arab-Zionist countries and malicious users of social network have attempted, once again, to lobotomize people by claiming, with supporting photos and videos, that the Syrian president is indeed the butcher of the people and that the Al-Nosra Front, aka HTS for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, is doing a good job in Syria.
All Global Research articles can be read in51 languages by activating the “Translate Website” drop down menu below the author’s name as well as on the top banner (Desktop version).
Destruction, social devastation and the loss of life. Our thoughts are with the people of Turkey and Syria.
***
Since the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, several regions of the World have experienced “extreme weather conditions” and “climate events” including earthquakes, floods, and wildfires. Were these events the result of environmental modification techniques (ENMOD) and geo-engineering (e.g. Morocco, Libya, Hawaii…)?
Was the February 6, 2023 earthquake in Southern Anatolia the result of environmental modification techniques (ENMOD)?
While no direct evidence or proof can be firmly established, there has not been a single “major earthquake” in Southern Anatolia in the course of more than 700 years.
Does that not “tell us something” regarding the “probability” or “likelihood” of a “major earthquake” occurring in Southern Turkey?
Michel Chossudovsky, September 14, 2023
***
UPDATE
The Political and Social Implications of the February 2023 Earthquakes
The economic, social and geopolitical impacts of the February 2023 two earthquakes in Southern Anatolia are far-reaching. Extensive damage over a large area. More than 50,000 deaths in Turkey and more than 8000 in Syria.
Within Turkey, the earthquakes have not only resulted in economic, social and political chaos to the detriment of the Erdogan government, they were followed by attempts on the part of US-NATO to undermine Erdogan’s reelection (May 14, 2023), largely in view of Ankara’s unspoken strategic alliance with Moscow, not to mention its rapprochement with Teheran.
Turkey is both a “NATO Heavyweight” as well as “An Ally of Russia”. Sounds Contradictory
Turkey abandoned NATO’s Air Defence System in favor of Russia’s “State of the Art” S-400. That acquisition of Russian military technology was part of a concurrent military cooperation agreement as well an alliance between Turkey and Russia established in the immediate aftermath of the failed July 2016 US sponsored coup d’Etat, not to mention the unsuccessful assassination plot directed against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Washington is fully aware that you cannot win a war against Russia when the second largest military power member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization namely Turkey is “sleeping with the enemy”.
Moreover, while Russia controls a large part of the Northern and Eastern coastlines of the Black Sea, the entire Southern coastline as well as access from the Mediterranean under the Montreux Protocol is under Turkey’s jurisdiction.
Finland and Sweden’s Accession to NATO
Also of significance, Turkey was involved in the months prior to the earthquake in blocking (on behalf of Moscow?) both Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.
In the immediate wake of earthquakes, pressured by Washington to comply, Ankara approved in late March Finland’s application to join NATO:
The Turkish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of Finland’s membership on [March 30], clearing the last hurdle in the accession process. (CNN, March 31, 2023)
May 14, 2023 Turkey Elections
Turkey’s May 14 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections occurred four months after the February 2023 earthquake,Washington’s objective was to: “Replace Erdogan” with an obedient US proxy.
No easy task: Their chosen successor to Erdogan was a proxy of the opposition Kemel Kılıçdaroğlu, who was head of a six-party coalition “united by the sole aim of removing Erdoğan from power”.
Erdogan’s Justice and Development party ultimately won the May 14, 2023 presidential elections.
Washington regime change attempts (2016, 2023) to remove Erdogan had failed. The earthquake happened 4 months before the May 2023 election.
Washington’s ultimate objective was to dismantle both Turkeys Alliances with the Russia and Iran, while reintegrating Turkey back into the Atlantic Alliance as an “obedient NATO country”, no more “sleeping with the enemy”.
December 2024: The US-NATO-Israel-Turkey War on Syria
Despite America’s attempts to get rid of Erdogan (2016, 2023), Erdogan won the May 14, 2023 elections (See above).
While Turkey will retain its NATO membership, it is unlikely that it will cancel its alliance with Moscow and Tehran.
President Erdogan’s objective is to consolidate and confiscate territories in northern Syria while negotiating with the United States regarding Washington’s support of Kurdish rebels in Northern Syria and Iraq .
In as much as Russia and Turkey are allies of Iran, an all out war against Iran at this juncture is unlikely to occur.
It is worth noting that Turkey and Israel have an agreement pertaining to the production of advanced weapon systems.
This alliance between Israel and Turkey still prevails:
President Erdogan and Prime Minister Netanyahu have a close and long-standing personal relation.
Moreover, Russia’s President Putin and Prime Minister Nentanyahu have also a close personal relationship, not to mention that a large percentage of the IDF is made-up of Russian Jews.
At the moment, escalation towards a World War III scenario is largely dependent on the structures of military alliances: specifically the alliances of Turkey with Russia and Iran.
Turkey controls the access from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (under the Montreux Protocol), which is an impediment to NATO. Russia and Turkey control the Black Sea (including land waterways towards Iran).
It is also important that member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, consider cancelling their NATO membership under Article 13 of the Washington Treaty.
Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, December 18, 2024
Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD)
and the Turkey-Syria Earthquake
by
Michel Chossudovsky
Introduction
.
The latest reports point to a death toll in Turkey and Syria well in excess of 50,000, more than half a million injured, tens of thousands of people missing. The social devastation and destruction is beyond description. The first and second earthquakes on February 6, 2023 in Kahramanmaras province in Southern Turkey were respectively of the magnitude of 7.6 and 7.8 (Richter scale).
A third earthquake of a magnitude of 6.3 was recorded on February 20th.
In Turkey, some 530,000 people have been evacuated from the disaster area. Ankara confirms that “173,000 buildings have so far been recorded as collapsed or severely damaged, with more than 1.9 million people taking refuge in temporary shelters or hotels and public facilities.“
In the words of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: ““We are living through the most painful days in our history”.
In Syria, the earthquakes have largely affected the cities of Aleppo, Lattakia and Hama which are within proximity of Syria’s Northwestern border with Turkey. The latest announced death toll in Syria was 5,914, with 8.8 million people affected.
President Bachar Al Assad underscored that US-NATO has been at war with Syria for almost 12 years, while emphasizing that “Syria has not been an earthquake area for about two and a half centuries”.
In this article, Part I will focus on the History of Earthquake Activity in Turkey, while underscoring the fact that prior to the February 6, 2023 earthquake, there was no recent evidence or historical record of “major earthquake” activity in Southern Anatolia.
Part II will provide a Review ofEnvironmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD).
What is significant in regards to the Turkey-Syria earthquake disaster is that the 1977 UN Convention (cited above) contains provisions for the conduct of an investigation in regards to “destruction, damage or injury” incurred by the “State Parties”, under the auspices of a UN “Consultative Committee of Experts”.
There are also provisions in the Convention for referral to the United Nations Security Council on behalf of the “State Parties”. These issues are outlined in Part IV.
I
History of Earthquake Activity in Turkey
In regards to Turkey, geological analysis suggests the following:
“earthquake activities mainly occur “on the Anatolian plate, a small wedge-shaped tectonic plate that is being squeezed westwards as the Arabian plate to the east slams into the Eurasian plate“. (emphasis added).
What characterizes Turkey’s earthquake activity is:
The February 6, 2023 earthquakes with epicentres in Pazarcik (7.8) and Ekinozu (7.5) respectively in proximity of Gaziantep and Kahramanmaraş are the largest “major earthquakes” in recent history. (See Table in Annex, Graph below).
Historically, the largest earthquakes in Turkey have epicentres in North Western Anatolia, in proximity of Istanbul, Western Anatolia as well as in the Northeastern region.
The North Anatolian Fault
Seven large (MS) 7.0 earthquakes in the period from 1939 through 1999 along the North Anatolian Fault. See map above
These earthquakes have ruptured the fault progressively from east to west. Following are data for the seven large earthquakes that have progressively ruptured the North Anatolian fault:
1939 December 26. Magnitude (MS) 7.9 – 8.0. 30,000 deaths. Fault length about 360 km. Initiated the eastward migration of significant earthquakes on the North Anatolian fault. (Termed the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, North Anatolia)
1942 December 20. Magnitude (MS) 7.1. Fault length about 50 km. (Termed the 1942 Erbaa earthquake, North Anatolia)
1943 November 26. Magnitude (MS) 7.6. Fault length about 280 km. (Termed the 1943 Tosya earthquake, Northern Anatolia)
1944 February 01. Magnitude (MS) 7.3. Fault length about 165 km. (Termed the 1944 Bolu-Gerede earthquake, Northern Anatolia)
1957 May 26. Magnitude (MS) about 7. Fault length about 30 km. (Termed the 1957 Abant earthquake, Northern Anatolia)
1967 July 22. Magnitude (MS) 7.1. Fault length about 80 km. (Termed the 1967 Mudurnu Valley earthquake, Northern Anatolia)
1999 August 17. Ismit. Magnitude (MS) 7.8; MW 7.4-7.5) North Western Anatolia
Bingol: a magnitude 6.9 and occurred in the eastern city of Turkey on May 22, 1971.
City of Izmit: August 17, 1999, 90 km southeast of Istanbul, 7.6 magnitude. The earthquake occurred in the industrialized and most densely populated urban areas of Istanbul, Sakarya, Golcuk, Darica, and Derince.
Düzce Quake, 12 November 1999, A major earthquake occurred 70 kilometers (45 miles) east of Adapazari or 170 km (105 mi) northwest of Ankara, A magnitude of 7.2.
The city of Van. 23 October 2011. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake, northeastern city close to border with Iran.
Izmir: of 30 October 2020, a magnitude 7.0 with an epicentre about 14 km northeast of the Greek island of Samos
epicentre of Izmit-Golcuk earthquake in Northwestern Anatolia
Nota Bene: None of these major earthquakes (1939-1999) are in Southern Anatolia.
Long-Term History of Earthquakes in Turkey (342 AD -1999)
In the 13th Century, a “major earthquake” (60,000 deaths) was recorded in Adana in 1268 (Southern Anatolia). Moreover, since the 15th Century, all “major earthquakes” have occurred in Northwestern, Western and Northeastern Anatolia. (See Annex)
Southern Turkey Earthquakes
Reuters has categorized the initial major earthquake (February 6, 2023) “as the most powerful in the region in at least a century”. That is an understatement. In regards to Southern Anatolia, it is the largest earthquake in more than seven centuries. (Adana in 1268, see Table in Annex)
On record in Southern Turkey, is the Ceyhan-Adana earthquakeon 27 June 1998, with magnitude of 6.3, affecting the cities of Ceyhan and Adana, 146 deaths. The Ceyan earthquake, however, is not categorized as “a major earthquake” (in excess of 7.0)
As outlined above, the major earthquakes in Turkey are along the North Anatolia Fault.
Prior to February 6, 2023
Not a single “major earthquake” in Southern Anatolia in the course of more than 700 years: Does that not “tell us something” regarding the “probability” or “likelihood” of a “major earthquake” occurring in Southern Turkey?
Earthquake “Forecasting”
Earthquake forecasting is routine. An earthquake can be forecasted up to months ahead. “Forecasting” however must not be confused with “seismological prediction”:
Dutch seismologist Frank Hoogerbeets, who works for the Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGS) in the Netherlands, predicted the earthquake in Turkey on February 3, 2023, three days before its occurrence.
No Firm Evidence of a Terrorist Attack
While there may be doubts at a political level, there is at this stage no firm evidence that this was a terrorist attack. Based on information in the public domaine (as opposed to classified information), there is no tangible evidence that “environmental modifications techniques” were used against Turkey and Syria.
You know those power poles on the streets. They are similar to these pillars, about 8-10 meters high. Metal rods.
There is nothing inside the rod, no explosives, nothing, but it’s a metal rod made of a hard titanium alloy material.
They put them in a satellite. And then they aim and launch them to Earth. It’s like a stick with a sharp point. For example, God forbid, it falls somewhere, we will not name the disaster scenario now, but as soon as it falls to the ground, it penetrates up to 5 km deep into the earth.
This happens very quickly and creates an earthquake of magnitude 7-8.
As a result of the impact, everything that is there will be destroyed. Look, there are no weapons here, no explosives, no bombs, nothing like that. Simple sticks [rods]. But there is such a force that comes from outer space, and you have no chance to see it, stop it, or defend yourself.” (emphasis added)
There is a vast literature on weather modification techniques for military use much of which is classified. The US and Russia are on record. They possess advanced ENMOD technologies.
The late World renowned scientist Dr. Rosalie Bertell confirmed that “US military scientists … are working on weather systems as a potential weapon. Already in the 1970s, former National Security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski had foreseen in his book “Between Two Ages” that:
“Technology will make available, to the leaders of major nations, techniques for conducting secret warfare, of which only a bare minimum of the security forces need be appraised…”
Scientist Dr. Nicholas Begich who was actively involved in the public campaign against HAARP– described HAARP as:
“A super-powerful radiowave-beaming technology that lifts areas of the ionosphere [upper layer of the atmosphere] by focusing a beam and heating those areas. Electromagnetic waves then bounce back onto earth and penetrate everything — living and dead.”
Marc Filterman, a former French military officer, outlines several types of “unconventional weapons” using radio frequencies. He refers to “weather war,” indicating that the U.S. and the Soviet Union had already
“mastered the know-how needed to unleash sudden climate changes (hurricanes, drought) in the early 1980s.”
My article entitled Weather Warfare first published by The Ecologist on May 22 2008 provides a summary of several in-depth and detailed articles I wrote at an earlier period on environmental modification (ENMOD) techniques for military use:
“Rarely acknowledged in the debate on global climate change, the world’s weather can now be modified as part of a new generation of sophisticated electromagnetic weapons. Both the US and Russia have developed capabilities to manipulate the climate for military use.
.
Environmental modification techniques have been applied by the US military for more than half a century. US mathematician John von Neumann, in liaison with the US Department of Defense, started his research on weather modification in the late 1940s at the height of the Cold War and foresaw ‘forms of climatic warfare as yet unimagined’.
.
During the Vietnam war, cloud-seeding techniques were used, starting in 1967 under Project Popeye, the objective of which was to prolong the monsoon season and block enemy supply routes along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
.
The US military has developed advanced capabilities that enable it selectively to alter weather patterns. The technology, which is being perfected under the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) [closed down in 2014, officially transferred to the University of Alaska] is an appendage of the Strategic Defense Initiative – ‘Star Wars’. From a military standpoint, HAARP is a weapon of mass destruction, operating from the outer atmosphere and capable of destabilising agricultural and ecological systems around the world.
.
Established in 1992, HAARP, based in Gokona, Alaska, is an array of high-powered antennas that transmit, through high-frequency radio waves, massive amounts of energy into the ionosphere (the upper layer of the atmosphere). Their construction was funded by the US Air Force, the US Navy and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
.
Operated jointly by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Office of Naval Research, HAARP constitutes a system of powerful antennas capable of creating ‘controlled local modifications of the ionosphere’.
.
“Rosalie Bertell, president of the International Institute of Concern for Public Health, says HAARP operates as ‘a gigantic heater that can cause major disruptions in the ionosphere, creating not just holes, but long incisions in the protective layer that keeps deadly radiation from bombarding the planet’.
Physicist Dr Bernard Eastlund called it ‘the largest ionospheric heater ever built’.
HAARP is presented by the US Air Force as a research programme, but military documents confirm its main objective is to ‘induce ionospheric modifications’ with a view to altering weather patterns and disrupting communications and radar.
Of significance, a CBC TV report (1996) acknowledged that the HAARP facility in Alaska under the auspices of the US Air Force had the ability of triggering typhoons, earthquakes, floods and droughts:
“Directed energy is such a powerful technology it could be used to heat the ionosphere to turn weather into a weapon of war. Imagine using a flood to destroy a city or tornadoes to decimate an approaching army in the desert. The military has spent a huge amount of time on weather modification as a concept for battle environments. If an electromagnetic pulse went off over a city, basically all the electronic things in your home would wink and go out, and they would be permanently destroyed.”
CBC TV Report (1996)
It should be noted that while the HAARP program based in Gakona, Alaska was closed down in 2014 (transferred to the University of Alaska), the US Air Force which managed the HAARP project, nonetheless confirmed that ENMOD techniques for military use were slated to continue:
“We’re moving on to other ways of managing the ionosphere, which the HAARP was really designed to do,” he said.
“To inject energy into the ionosphere to be able to actually control it. But that work has been completed.”
“Weather as a Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather”
The underlying objective from a military standpoint is “Owning the Weather”. At the time this US Air Force study was commissioned in 1996, the HAARP program was already fully operational as documented by the CBC.
The stated purpose of the Report is described below:
In this paper we show that appropriate application of weather-modification can provide battlespace dominance to a degree never before imagined. In the future, such operations will enhance air and space superiority and provide new options for battlespace shaping and battlespace awareness there, waiting for us to pull it all together;” in 2025 we can “Own the Weather.”(Commissioned by US Air Force document AF 2025 Final Report,(public document)
Weather-modification, according to the US Air Force Report “offers the war fighter a wide range of possible options to defeat or coerce an adversary”, capabilities, it says, extend to the triggering of floods, hurricanes, droughts and earthquakes:
‘Weather modification will become a part of domestic and international security and could be done unilaterally… It could have offensive and defensive applications and even be used for deterrence purposes. The ability to generate precipitation, fog and storms on earth or to modify space weather… and the production of artificial weather all are a part of an integrated set of [military] technologies.”
….From enhancing friendly operations or disrupting those of the enemy via small-scale tailoring of natural weather patterns to complete dominance of global communications and counterspace control, weather-modification offers the war fighter a wide-range of possible options to defeat or coerce an adversary. Some of the potential capabilities a weather-modification system could provide to a war-fighting commander in chief (CINC) are listed in table 1. (emphasis added)
While the triggering of earthquakes is an integral part of the HAARP technology, the term earthquakes does not appear explicitly in the above version of US Air Force document. Appendices A and B of the report point to role of the Ionosphere pertaining to maximum usable frequency (MUF).
The Involvement of the CIA in ENMOD Technologies
Back in July 2013, MSN news reported that the CIA was involved in helping to fund a project by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) focusing on geo-engineering and climate manipulation. The report not only acknowledged these technologies, it confirmed that US intelligence has been routinely involved in addressing the issue of climatic manipulation:
“The goal of the CIA-backed NAS study is to conduct a “technical evaluation of a limited number of proposed geoengineering techniques,” according to the NAS website. Scientists will attempt to determine which geoengineering techniques are feasible and try to evaluate the impacts and risks of each (including “national security concerns”).” (See Slate, July 2013)
“The CIA is helping fund the research because the NAS also plans to evaluate “the national security concerns (that could be) related to geoengineering technologies being deployed somewhere in the world,” Kearney said.
.
III
The 1977 U.N. Convention
on the Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
.
In 1977, an international Convention was ratified by the UN General Assembly which banned “military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects”.
.
ENMOD techniques also apply to earthquakes:
.
“It defined ‘environmental modification techniques’ as ‘any technique for changing – through the deliberate manipulation of natural processes – the dynamics, composition or structure of the earth, including its biota, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, or of outer space.” (emphasis added)
.
The historic 1977 Convention ratified by the UN General Assembly banning “military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects.”
….Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to engage in military … use of environmental modification techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects as the means of destruction, damage or injury to any other State Party. (Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, United Nations, Geneva, May 18, 1977. Entered into force: 5 October 1978, see full text of Convention in Annex)
As of 2022, 78 countries have ratified or acceded to the treaty including Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, the U.S. and the Russian Federation. Israel has not ratified the Treaty.
European Parliament Committee’s Motion for Resolution
It is also worth noting that in February 1998, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defense Policy held public hearings in Brussels on the HAARP program. The Committee’s “Motion for Resolution” submitted to the European Parliament:
“Considers HAARP… by virtue of its far-reaching impact on the environment to be a global concern and calls for its legal, ecological and ethical implications to be examined by an international independent body…; [the Committee] regrets the repeated refusal of the United States Administration… to give evidence to the public hearing …into the environmental and public risks [of] the HAARP program.” (emphasis added)
IV
“An Expert Investigation” into “Hostile Use of ENMOD”
.
In view of the gravity of the Turkey-Syria earthquake, the loss of life, the devastating social and economic impacts, an “expert investigation” should be conducted predicated on the 1977 International Convention banning “military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques”.
I should mention that since the ratification of the 1977 UN Convention cited above, ENMOD techniques for military use have become increasingly sophisticated.
Can we trust the United Nations? The two “State Parties”, namely Turkey and Syria should collaborate and conduct their own internal investigation prior to the conduct of an expert investigation under UN auspices.
The Terms of Reference of this Investigation are contained in the Articles of Agreement of the UN Treaty.
Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to engage in military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects as the means of destruction, damage or injury to any other State Party.
Article II refers to ENMOD techniques including earthquakes:
Article II
As used in article 1, the term “environmental modification techniques” refers to any technique for changing – through the deliberate manipulation of natural processes – the dynamics, composition or structure of the Earth, including its biota, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, or of outer space.
Article V
1. The States Parties to this Convention undertake to consult one another and to co-operate in solving any problems which may arise in relation to the objectives of, or in the application of the provisions of, the Convention. Consultation and co-operation pursuant to this article may also be undertaken through appropriate international procedures within the framework of the United Nations and in accordance with its Charter. These international procedures may include the services of appropriate international organizations, as well as of a Consultative Committee of Experts as provided for in paragraph 2 of this article.
2. For the purposes set forth in paragraph 1 of this article, the Depositary shall within one month of the receipt of a request from any State Party to this Convention, convene a Consultative Committee of Experts. …
3. Any State Party to this Convention which has reason to believe that any other State Party is acting in breach of obligations deriving from the provisions of the Convention may lodge a complaint with the Security Council of the United Nations. Such a complaint should include all relevant information as well as all possible evidence supporting ItS validity.
4. Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to cooperate in carrying out any investigation which the Security Council may initiate, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, on the basis of the complaint received by the Council. The Security Council shall inform the States Parties of the results of the investigation.
In Annex to the Text of the Convention is the Following:
1. The Consultative Committee of Experts shall undertake to make appropriate findings of fact and provide expert views relevant to any problem raised pursuant to paragraph 1 of article V of this Convention by the State Party requesting the convening of the Committee.
emphasis added
Concluding Remarks
We are in solidarity with the people of Turkey and Syria.
At this stage, it would be unwise and premature to draw simplistic conclusions.
There is a forbidden truth. I have attempted to provide a framework of analysis and understanding.
The damage and loss of life is beyond description: The issue should be the object of analysis, dialogue and debate, with reference to the 1977 International Convention banning “military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques”.
Turkey and Syria as “State Parties” must, as a first step, conduct their own internal investigation before referring it to the UN Consultative Committee of Experts and/or to the United Nations Security Council.
Annex
Source: This Information was provided by USGS – National Earthquake Information Center
ISK: Earthquake catalog of Kandilli Observatory, Bogazici University, Istanbul, supplied by NOAA/NGDC (Meyers and Von Hake), Boulder CO, 1985.
ITU: K. Ergin, U. Guclu and Z. Uz, A Catalog of Earthquakes for Turkey and Surrounding Area (11 AD to 1964 AD), Technical University of Istanbul, Faculty of Mining Engineering, 1967.
AFAD: Earthquake Risk Map by AFAD, Department of Disasters and Emergency Management, 2018.
NG(n): R. Ganse and J. Nelson, Catalog of Significant Earthquakes 2000 BC – 1979 Including Quantitative Casualties and Damage, NOAA/NGDC Report SE-27, Boulder CO, 1981. The number in parentheses is from their references table, as listed below:
2: Lomnitz, Global Tectonics and Earthquake Risk, 1974.
3: Bath, Introduction to Seismology, 1978.
5b: (there is no source 5b — probably should be 55?).
7: Meyers and von Hake, Earthquake data file summary, 1976.
51: Munchener Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft, World Map of Natural Hazards, 1978.
55: Milne, Catalogue of Destructive Earthquakes, 1911.
73: U.S. Congress, Great Earthquakes, 1888.
99: Karnik, Seismicity of the European Area, 1971.
120: Alsinawi and Galih, Historical Seismicity of Iraq, 1978.
138: Ambraseys, Middle East A Reappraisal of Seismicity, 1978.
The Black Alliance for Peace welcomes the sentence of three years probation and community service which were imposed in the culmination of the baseless charges and trial of the Uhuru 3, Omaili Yeshitela, Penny Hess, and Jesse Nevel, which were initiated by the Biden Administration Justice Department.
“The attack on the African Peoples Socialist Party and Uhuru movement was intended as an attack against the Black liberation movement in a pathetic move to intimidate into silence and non-resistance the most consistent anti-imperialist force in the United States of America – the revolutionary African working class, stated Ajamu Baraka, Chair of the Coordinating Committee of the Black Alliance for Peace. “What the state did not understand was that no matter what the outcome would have been in the sentencing of the Uhuru 3, the resistance efforts on the part of our movement were going to intensify in 2025. Our movement cannot be intimidated by state actions.”
The government’s weak case was punctuated by its own witness admitting under oath that no evidence was found that proved the three were agents of the Russian government, but the overwhelming volume of that meaningless “evidence” also confused the jury into finding the three guilty of conspiring to do something that they also found they did not ultimately do. This is not logical, but logic is never the goal of the government when it comes to silencing dissent, and that certainly was the goal of the Biden Administration in this case.
It is interesting to note that it was a Trump-appointed judge who exposed the glaring contradiction of that trial in his sentencing, declaring that despite how one might respond to the rhetoric or ideas of the defendants, their actions were protected political speech that caused no harm, which he said must be allowed “or it gets chilled.”
While any “punishment” handed down from imperialist courts for actions that are supposed to be legally protected are in themselves illegitimate in our eyes, the refusal of the judge to incarcerate the Uhuru 3 is a victory in the fight against a repressive regime regardless of which wing of the finance capital bird leads it. The irony of a Trump appointee defending free speech in a trial meant to imprison Africans for exercising it should be lost on no one.
The U.S. left also played a role in this two-year ordeal by acquiescing to the threat of Democrat-led government repression with little resistance and deafening silence. Whether due to fear of being next, because of their belief in the Democrat-created lie of Russiagate or because of their own internal Russophobia, or worse anti-communism (even though Russia is not a communist country any longer), the lack of support given to the Uhuru 3 reminds U.S.-based African anti-imperialists that we are largely on our own. Therefore, our greatest strength is found in international solidarity with like-minded and focused peoples around the world.
BAP reiterates its unwavering support for the Uhuru 3, and congratulates them on this outcome. We also recognize that this is but one small victory in a larger, ongoing battle against imperialist repression that we must continue to fight as the 60 Stop Cop City protesters facing RICO charges in Atlanta are next on the firing line of the same repressive Democrat-led government. We should not merely hope for a sympathetic judge, Trump-appointed or otherwise, to stand between the people exercising our rights and the state trying to deny them and criminalize us.
BAP declares that we are at war, so we must fight against this system and whomever is the face of it, and in doing so we will never fight alone. We fight with the entire anti-imperialist world already engaged in that struggle against this government that represses us all.
No Compromise, No Retreat!
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In the early hours of last Sunday morning, a seismic geopolitical shift occurred when the 24-year Presidency of Syria by Bashar al-Assad came to an end in dramatic fashion.
Beginning just 11 days previously, an offensive led by the Western-backed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group resulted in the capture of vast swathes of government-controlled territory, including, perhaps most notably, the key city of Aleppo. One of the first major cities to be captured by opposition groups amidst the outset of the conflict, Aleppo would be liberated in December 2016 in an offensive by the Syrian Arab Army, with Russian air strikes playing a key role in support. Thus, for the city to once again fall into the hands of insurgents was a foreboding sign.
As the militants subsequently began to close in on the capital Damascus, it soon became apparent that Assad’s fate was sealed. Leaving the country alongside his family on a chartered flight shortly afterwards, the former Syrian President would be granted asylum in Moscow, bringing to an end a 13-year coordinated attempt by various powers to topple his government.
In March 2011, following Assad’s refusal two years prior to allow US-ally Qatar to build a pipeline through his country, citing his relationship with Russia as a factor, a plan was put into action to remove the Syrian President from power. Amidst the wider Arab Spring protests taking place at the time, the CIA and MI6 began a covert operation to arm and train Salafist militants opposed to Assad’s secular rule. Joining Washington and London in this endeavour would be Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who would have been the starting points for the proposed pipeline, Turkey, who would have been its entry point to Europe, and Israel, owing to Syria’s membership of the Axis of Resistance and its key role as a conduit between Iran and Hezbollah.
Indeed, two years into the proxy war on Syria, both Iran and Hezbollah would launch a requested intervention in the hopes of preserving Assad’s government, as would Russia another two years later, again at the request of Damascus. Though both interventions undoubtedly played a key role in extending Assad’s far longer than had he acted in isolation amidst the beginnings of the conflict, it would ultimately be the militants, centred in a stronghold in the northwest city of Idlib, who would claim victory last Sunday, leading to a situation that historically does not bode well for either Syria or the wider region.
In 2003, following the US-Anglo invasion of Iraq and subsequent overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the country would be plunged into chaos, creating a power vacuum that, combined with the subsequent destabilisation of neighbouring Syria, would ultimately lead to the emergence of ISIS in 2013. In 2011, at the same time as the Syrian regime-change operation, a similar operation would occur in Libya, owing to Muammar Gaddafi’sproposed Gold Dinar currency. On top of the similar Western support for militant groups vying to remove Gadaffi’s rule, a No Fly Zone would also be imposed by NATO against Tripoli, causing the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, once the most prosperous nation in Africa, to collapse within eight months. Like Iraq, Libya would also be plunged into chaos, with the refugee crisis greatly exacerbated as a result. Syria, another Arab state now joining the list of having its ruler forcibly removed by Western interests, now looks set to suffer a similar fate of extreme instability and sectarian strife. The only noticeable difference being that Assad did not suffer a similar fate as his Iraqi and Libyan counterparts – Hussein being hanged in Baghdad in December 2006, and Gaddafi being lynched on a Libyan street in October 2011.
The removal of Assad from power now also signifies that a dramatic push from the West and Israel to enact regime-change in another long-time target may now be imminent – that target being Iran.
In a 2007 interview with independent media outlet Democracy Now! retired four-star General Wesley Clark would recount how on a visit to the Pentagon in the days following 9/11, an unnamed General informed him that the decision had been made to go to war with Iraq in response, despite there being no evidence to link Saddam Hussein’s government to the attacks.
In a subsequent follow-up meeting a few weeks later, at which stage the United States had already begun bombing Afghanistan, the same official informed Clark that a plan had been put in place to take out “7 countries in 5 years”, which alongside Iraq, also included Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia and Sudan, before “finishing it off with Iran”. A situation that, with the fall of Tehran’s Arab ally, now looks increasingly likely.
Indeed, a key donor to Donald Trump’s recent Presidential campaign would be Miriam Adelson, wife of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who donated $20mn to Trump’s 2016 campaign on condition that the US Embassy be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. A move that the Republican candidate duly followed through with upon his 2017 inauguration. With Sheldon Adelson subsequently passing away in 2021, his wife would donate an even greater amount of $100mn to Trump’s 2024 campaign, this time on condition that the US endorses a Gaza-style land grab of the West Bank. A recent report in the Adelson-family owned Israel Hayom outlet, just over a week after Trump’s election, would subsequently outline how the incoming administration is planning on toppling the Islamic Republic also.
In order to implement such an event, two strategies seem the most likely.
Image: Protests in Melbourne to stand in solidarity with the Iranian protests. (Licensed under CC BY 2.0)
The first, would be to launch a “Persian Spring”-style regime-change operation in Iran akin to what occurred in Libya and Syria in 2011 i.e. the instigation of violent protests, and the use of the subsequent instability to funnel arms to opposition groups in a bid to escalate the situation even further. Indeed, such a scenario played out in the Islamic Republic from September 2022 until early 2023, when following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year old Iranian woman who passed away in a Tehran hospital after fainting following a verbal altercation with a female police officer, protests that began in response would soon escalate into extreme violence.
Despite being portrayed as an organic response to the rule of the Ayatollah, it would soon become apparent that external actors were playing a key role. Masih Alinejad, an Iranian exile in New York who had previously met with former US Secretary of State and long-time supporter of Iranian regime-change Mike Pompeo, became one of the most vocal supporters on social media of the Iranian protests. Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton, another notorious Iran-hawk, would subsequently admit in an interview with BBC Persian that arms were being supplied to opposition groups in Iran amidst the disturbances. Within days of the fall of Assad, Israeli President Benjamin Netayahu released a video, ostensibly directed at the Iranian population, in which he repeated the “Women. Life. Freedom” slogan of the 2022 colour revolution, indicating that plans are in place to attempt a repeat in Iran.
The second strategy, would be a false flag event, blamed on Iran, and used as a pretext for Washington to go to war with Tehran. A strategy that led to the initial “7 countries in 5 years” plan in the first place.
On the morning of September 11th 2001, as chaos unfolded in New York and the world was irrevocably changed forever, a New Jersey housewife noticed another alarming sight from her apartment window. Three young men, kneeling on the roof of a delivery van parked in the car park of her apartment complex, appeared to be in celebratory mood, dancing and high-fiving one another, in spite of the surrounding scenes of the collapsing Towers.
Reporting this incident and the vehicle registration number to the authorities, the van would be stopped by gunpoint later that afternoon, with 5 men aged between 22 and 27 detained at the scene. To the puzzlement of the arresting officers, it would transpire that the men were Israelis, with one of the men – Sivan Kurzberg – announcing upon his arrest “We are Israeli. We are not the problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are the problem”. $4,700 in cash was found on one of the men, one had two foreign passports, and traces of explosives were detected in the van by sniffer dogs.
Following the arrests of the five men, who would later be dubbed the “Dancing Israelis”, the office of their employers – Urban Moving Systems – would be raided by the FBI the next day, who concluded that there was little evidence to suggest a legitimate business was being operated from the building, owing to the disproportionate amount of computers and electronic equipment present for such a supposedly small company. Returning to the office a month later to conduct a follow-up search, FBI agents would find the building completely abandoned, and that company director Dominick Suter – another Israeli – had fled the United States for Israel two days after being questioned by the FBI on the day of the first raid.
The five Israelis arrested on 9/11 would be continued to be held in detention, with the FBI coming to the conclusion that at least two of them were Mossad operatives. Sivan Kurzberg’s brother Paul had initially refused to take a lie detector test while in custody, and would subsequently fail it when he eventually did. One of his legal team would later state that his reluctance to take part was due to his previous involvement in Israeli intelligence activities in other countries. After 71 days all five would be released on the order of US Attorney General John Ashcroft, who would later set up a consultancy firm that would count the Israeli government as one of its first clients.
Upon their return to Israel in November 2001, all five would be interviewed on the talk show Inside Israel, with one of the men, Oded Ellner, confirming foreknowledge of the attacks by declaring “our purpose was to document the event”. It would later transpire that more than 200 Israelis were arrested in the United States following the attacks, with many posing as arts students and granted special documentation that allowed them access to sensitive government buildings.
One year prior to the attacks, in March 2000, the World Trade Center would play host to the World Views artists in residence programme, which saw walls opened up and windows removed for a planned lighting exhibition that was due to take place on the 90th and 91st floors. In stunning coincidence, this would be where the planes would strike a year later. In even further coincidence, the same year saw the publication of the Rebuilding America’s Defenses document by the Project for the New Century think-tank, which in line with General Wesley Clark’s revelations, envisaged Washington capitalising on its position as the world’s sole superpower following the end of the Cold War and taking a dominant role in world affairs through military force. The document would admit however, that such a policy could only be implemented slowly and incrementally, save for a “catastrophic and cataclysmic event” such as a “new Pearl Harbor”. Such an event would conveniently occur the following year in New York and Virginia, and now looks likely to occur again in the not-too-distant future, with a war on Iran being the intended result.
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Gavin O’Reilly is an activist from Dublin, Ireland, with a strong interest in the effects of British and US Imperialism. Secretary of the Dublin Anti-Internment Committee, a campaign group set up to raise awareness of Irish Republican political prisoners in British and 26 County jails. His work has previously appeared on American Herald Tribune, The Duran, Al-Masdar and MintPress News. He is a regular contributor to Global Research. Support him on Patreon.
The Council of the European Union announced the approval of the 15th round of sanctions against Russia on December 16. Clearly, by imposing a new package of sanctions, the EU is willing to continue destroying its own industries by persisting on a policy of economic warfare despite the boomerang effects.
“This package of sanctions is part of our response to weaken Russia’s war machine and those who are enabling this war, also including Chinese companies. It shows the unity of EU member states in our continued support to Ukraine,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
“Our immediate priority is to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position. We will stand by the Ukrainian people on all fronts: humanitarian, economic, political, diplomatic and military. There can be no doubt that Ukraine will win,” she added.
The new package includes, in particular, a list of personal sanctions against 54 individuals and 30 organizations that, according to the Council’s announcement, are “responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”
The restrictions are intended to “address the circumvention of EU sanctions through targeting” Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and weaken the country’s military industry.
Specifically, 52 third-country vessels were sanctioned, which the bloc claims are involved in oil imports from Russia, the delivery of war material to this country, and/or “the transport of stolen Ukrainian grain.”
The new economic restrictions also target Russian defence companies, chemical plants, and civilian airlines. For the first time, sanctions are fully applied to several Chinese entities for cooperating with Russia.
Since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February 2024, the EU has adopted numerous restrictive measures against Russia. According to the Castellum.AI database, more than 19,500 individual and sectoral sanctions have been triggered against Russia since the start of the military operation.
However, despite Russia becoming the most sanctioned country in the world, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the 22nd Congress of the United Russia Party that the Russian economy continues to develop despite the unprecedented Western sanctions.
“Russia is developing, the economy is growing and this is amid sanctions, literally unprecedented in world history, against the background of gross interference and pressure on the part of the governing elites of some countries,” the president said on December 14, adding that foreign blackmail and attempts to stop Moscow will come to nothing.
“Russia is confident, it is conscious of its righteousness and its strength, and this is why all objectives set for the short and long term will certainly be met,” Putin said.
The Russian president’s comments followed the EU’s announcement on December 11 that member states had agreed to the 15th EU sanctions package against Russia. Now, even as European companies more openly express their interest in returning to the Russian market, the EU acts against the interests of citizens and the business community alike as prices escalate and the cost of living gets out of hand.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that the country will stand up to the pressure of sanctions that the West began imposing on Russia several years ago and continues to intensify because they lack the courage to admit the failure of such punitive measures.
Rising costs, driven partly by a rejection of Russian energy, are causing Europe to lose its global competitive advantage. Although Europe has maintained energy supply security, prices on the European market are now much higher than before. Some analysts predict a further rise in energy prices and the danger this poses to the European industry.
It is worth remembering that current gas prices in the European Union are almost five times higher than those in the United States. As a September report on European competitiveness points out, EU companies continue to face electricity prices between two and three times higher than the US.
A separate study by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Deutsche Industrie und Handelskammer or DIHK) finds that high energy costs and a lack of reliable supplies are holding back industrial production, while “the risk of deindustrialization,” according to Siegfried Russwurm, chief executive of the industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp, “continues to increase.”
The energy crisis and the resulting economic recession in Europe are partly due to the EU’s refusal to accept cheap and reliable energy supplies from Russia. With these economically suicidal measures, Brussels wanted to force Moscow into capitulation. However, Russia has reoriented its export flows, particularly towards Asia.
Meanwhile, European buyers have been forced to purchase energy sources from alternative suppliers at higher prices, which obviously affected the competitiveness of European producers and hit the continent’s major economies. In effect, the anti-Russia sanctions have boomeranged, but Europe continues to insist on this economically suicidal policy.
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In recent days, official medias of Western-Arab-Zionist countries and malicious users of social network have attempted, once again, to lobotomize people by claiming, with supporting photos and videos, that the Syrian president is indeed the butcher of the people and that the Al-Nosra Front, aka HTS for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, is doing a good job in Syria.
For this purpose, they took advantage of the release of “regime” detainees from Sednaya prison. Here, in France, a friend exclaimed: “What do you mean, you don’t watch BFM, LCI, Cnews etc.? Compared to what these channels show us, the Holocaust is no more at the pinnacle of horror. They showed us children, almost babies, public pits preserved in salt…”.
But, for once, the truth was quickly revealed by the Syrian civil defence and the Association of Detainees and the Missing in Sednaya prison [ADMSP][1], which means that some media were forced to admit this truth, as France 24 prudently did on its Arabic channel [2].
The search for french or english versions of the program entitled “Truth or Manipulation ?” being unsuccessful on France 24 websites, here is the translation from arabic:
“The Sednaya prison, with its bad reputation, occupied a central place within social networks following the takeover of the so-called “opposition factions” and the release of its prisoners. The X platform was invaded by poignant images, including this video (image 0.11). According to users, it shows an amnesiac prisoner in a pitiful condition.
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At the same time, misleading sequences have spread, including this photo published on X (image 0.41), users claiming that it corresponded to the very moment a prisoner was found in one of the underground floors of the prison. However, research has shown that this information is inaccurate.
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We found the same photo in a video on TikTok (image 0.57). It shows a young man emerging from an underground excavation holding huge spider in his hands, with the mention: created by IA… In other words, it does not show a Syrian refugee as users of this platform claimed.
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Another video widely spread on the X platform by users claiming to document the condition of a Syrian prisoner locked in an individual cell (image 1.38), also turned out to be misleading. We found it on YouTube. The video is from 2017. It is an artistic representation of a prison cell exhibited in a Vietnamese museum, not a Syrian prisoner released from Sednaya prison.
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Another sequence, also spread on the X platform by users claiming that it concerns a Syrian political prisoner who spent 30 years in the prisons of the Baas party, who, after his release, visited the graves of his sons killed by the “regime” during the war, or the Syrian revolution (image 1.57). After verification, it turns out that this sequence does not correspond to what users have claimed. Indeed, the video is stamped ‘’Al-Quds’’, broadcast on 14 november 2024, and shows a Palestinian prisoner returned to the graves of his two sons in Berkin (west of Jenin in the West Bank).
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At the same time, some asserted that there were Syrian prisoners locked up in secret underground cells, including this account (at 2’56 of the video) who claimed that these cells extended over 3 floors with thousands of prisoners still inside.
However, the Association of Detainees and the Missing in Sednaya prison published a statement claiming that no more imprisoned left in Sednaya prison. On his side, the Civil defence declared on the X platform that all teams have not found any cellar or secret door in this prison. But, despite that, here is a video (image 3’28) which states that they still digging to free prisoners who might be underground.
What France 24 Did Not Say
What the France 24 journalist did not say, or did not notice on this (image 3’28), is that the outfit of this man, who continues to dig, recalls very strongly the uniform of the White Helmets organization, these famous thieves of identity associated with the al-Nosra Front and became, now, the ‘’Syrian civil defence’’ under the HTS government.
Besides, Ms. Farah al-Atassi, distinguished member of the révolutionary opposition inside the United States, said two days ago that the White Helmets was trained to open the Syrian prisons and many other tasks, in Idlib, by the so-called democratic and secular opposition of HTS and Co [3].
This image, in light of current events in Syria, explains why Washington insiste to invite the Director of the White Helmets, Raed al-Saleh, to participate at the session of the UN Security Council held on the third of december [4]. Indeed, the UN press tells us that the Russian delegation, scandalized by his odious presence, requested that his participation must be submitted to votes, and that Washington won with 11 votes for, 2 against (China and Russian Federation), and 2 abstentions (Algeria and Mozambique).
Thus, Raed al-Saleh was able to speak at great length, wearing this uniform allowing the members of this alleged humanitarian organization to be identified on the ground, while it was created to serve Western-Zionist-colonialist ambitions and to support extremist organizations.
Israel only defends itself!
Finally, everything was planned and implemented to divert attention from what is happening in the Levant and, above all, to occult Israel crimes (in Gaza, and occupied Palestine, Lebanon, Irak, Syria…), which is only defending itself!
One could believe that the day will come when Israel will only be able to defend itself against itself. Although, it is not excluded that even in that case, Washington and the world who calls themselves “Judeo-Christian” will defend it, while after having poisoned Islam, they have just massacred the true Christianity, in her historic birthplace.
Message from Mr. Ghassan Shami
Those who believe that the revolutionary terrorists would have mutated into doves of peace and tolerance would better listen to the message of Mr. Ghassan Shami and watch his video posted this morning on his FB page. Here is the translation:
“To the patriarchs of Antioch and all the Levant,
To all those who believe in freedom of belief,
To the churches of the West despite their silence,
Enough dhimmitude.
Raise your voice.
The reassuring promises of Al-Joulani and his clan to Christians have lasted only one day. The following day, the Takfiris returned to their habits and started by profaning the Santa Sophia Church of Al-Suqaylabiyah, not far from the city of Hama (a reduced replica of Hagia Sophia, the ancient Byzantine Basilica of Constantinople converted into a mosque by the Turkish authorities).
What is odd is that the Greek Orthodox Bishop of Hama Nicolas Baalbaki who consecrated it and who suffered an assault on the day of its inauguration on july 2022; as well as the priest Dimitrius Maher Haddad who baptized children and negotiated with the takfiris on behalf of the city, kept a grave silence.
Enough dhimmitude.” [5].
It is certainly irrelevant to judge the silence of all those who find themselves at the mercy of these lawless individuals, as if we had already forgotten the massacre of Adra [6] and all the atrocities denounced by the regretted Nahed Hattar, the Jordanian journalist and writer who paid with his life for his commitment to the side of Syria and freedom of belief.
But we certainely must judge the cruelty and cupidity of a world that considers itself civilized, and is today an accomplice of those who murder and dive into hell a wonderful country described as the pillar of heaven: Syria.
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As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached the capital, Damascus, on the evening of Saturday, December 7, 2024, questions began to arise about the president’s fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a torrent of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, narratives which sought to portray international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria.
At this pivotal moment in the nation’s history, when truth must have its place, it is necessary to clarify certain points in this brief statement.
Unfortunately, the prevailing circumstances at the time, including a complete communication blackout for security reasons, prevented this clarification until now. These brief points do not replace a detailed account of what transpired, which will be provided when the opportunity allows.
First and foremost, my departure from the country was neither premeditated nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as has been falsely claimed. On the contrary, I remained in Damascus, fulfilling my responsibilities, until the early hours of Sunday, December 8, 2024. As terrorist forces advanced into Damascus, I moved to Lattakia in coordination with our Russian allies to oversee combat operations from there. Upon arriving at the Hmeimim Airbase that morning, it became evident that our forces had withdrawn entirely from all battle lines and that the last army positions had fallen.
As the field situation continued to deteriorate in that area, and with an escalation in drone attacks targeting the Russian military base itself, it became impossible to exit the base in any direction. At that point, Moscow requested that the base’s command arrange for an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday, December 8, just one day after the fall of Damascus, following the collapse of the last military positions and the subsequent paralysis of the remaining state institutions.
During these events, at no point was the idea of asylum or resignation discussed, either by me or by any individual or entity. The only course of action was to continue resisting the terrorist onslaught.
In this context, I must reaffirm that the person who, from the very first day of the war, refused to trade the salvation of his nation for personal safety or to compromise his people in exchange for various offers and enticements, is the same person who stood shoulder to shoulder with the officers and soldiers of the army on the front lines. This is the same person who faced terrorists just meters away in the most dangerous and intense battlefields and who, during the darkest years of the war, did not leave but remained with his family and his people, enduring bombardments and the recurring threats of terrorist incursions into the capital over 14 years of war.
Moreover, the person who never abandoned the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance, nor betrayed his allies who stood by him, cannot be the same person who would abandon his own people or betray the army and the nation to which he belongs.
I have never, at any point, sought positions for personal gain. Instead, I have always seen myself as the custodian of a national project that drew its strength from the faith of the Syrian people, who believed in its vision. I have carried an unwavering conviction in their will and ability to safeguard the state, defend its institutions, and uphold their choices until the very last moment.
When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes devoid of meaning, and remaining in it serves no purpose. This does not, in any way, diminish my deep sense of belonging to Syria and her people—a belonging that remains steadfast and unshaken by any position or circumstance. It is a belonging filled with hope that Syria will rise again, free and independent.
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A gathering of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, on December 15 failed to resolve the political differences between the regional body and three of its members: Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
These three states were targeted for sanctions by ECOWAS after the military seizure of power beginning in 2020 in Mali and following in Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger on July 26, 2023.
The leadership of these three countries met on September 16, 2023 at the border where Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger came together known as Liptako-Gourma. The Liptako-Gouma Charter created the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
ECOWAS, the 15-member states grouping, founded in 1975, embodies within its constitution the rejection of governments which came to power through military coups. Nonetheless, some of the so-called “democratic” administrations within ECOWAS states have engineered their own constitutional reforms to extend their tenures within office. Others have maintained close economic, political and military ties with the imperialist countries such as the United States, France, Britain and their NATO allies.
Nigeria, for example, under President Bola Tinubu, led the call for a military intervention into neighboring Niger after the coming to power of the Committee for the Safeguard of Our Homeland (CNSP) in July 2023. Despite this threat from Tinubu who is also chair of ECOWAS, people throughout the West Africa region refused to go along with his proposal which has been advanced at the aegis of the U.S. and France. Objections to a Pentagon-led ECOWAS invasion into Niger even failed to win support among the Nigerian Senate which is dominated by the All-Progressives Congress (APC), the party of the president.
At the ECOWAS meeting on December 15, the leaders approved the exit of the AES from the parent regional body. The notice filed with ECOWAS after the signing of the Liptako-Gourma agreement provided a year-long exit process.
In light of the AES departure, the Sahel leaders said that their decision was irrevocable while affirming the ability of citizens from ECOWAS states to visit and conduct business within their countries. AES members held a separate gathering on the same day in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
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Consequently, the official departure of the AES will be in January 2025. However, ECOWAS provided an extension of six months into July if the AES members decide to reverse their withdrawal. Within ECOWAS, the regional organization provides for a modicum of free trade and other benefits for member-states. These details remain murky considering the largely unprecedented events since the withdrawal of Mauritania in 2000 and its reentry in 2017.
In a report on the ECOWAS Summit published by Al Jazeera it notes:
“On Saturday (Dec. 14), the three nations stated that their territories would remain visa-free for all ECOWAS citizens post-exit. This move has alleviated concerns that their departure could threaten free trade and movement for the 400 million people living across the region. Among those who attended the summit was Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has served as a mediator between the 15-member bloc and the three countries set to leave. The Senegalese president, who was appointed to lead negotiations in July, said he was ‘making progress’ in talks with the three countries and added that there was no reason for them not to maintain relations amid ongoing security concerns in the region, where al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) have gained ground.”
The AES countries have been plagued by rebel insurgencies which have dislocated, injured and killed thousands within their respective boundaries. Since 2020, Mali and later Burkina Faso and Niger, have broken military and economic agreements with the former colonial power of France.
At present the AES governments have moved closer to the Russian Federation in regard to military assistance. French troops have been forced to leave all three AES countries. In Niger, the U.S. was asked to remove its 1,000 troops and its drone operations inside the country.
The political posture of the AES administrations has prompted the severing of diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Mali. The U.S.-NATO-backed Ukrainian government is extending its proxy war against Moscow to countries in West Africa which have strengthened its ties with Russia.
Silent Warriors Conference Held in Tunisia
Meanwhile the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is continuing its mission through attempts to reassert military presence in various regions of the continent. Since its formation in February 2008, AFRICOM has enhanced its operations within the AU member-states.
The first large-scale operational project of AFRICOM was the destruction of the North African state of Libya during February-October 2011, then the most prosperous on the continent. Anywhere between 50,000-100,000 people were killed with two million more displaced.
Libyan revolutionary leader and Pan-Africanist statesman, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, who had led the country for 42 years and built the nation into an economic and political powerhouse, was brutally assassinated in the invasion and occupation. The U.S. government under then President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton engineered the AFRICOM counter-revolution in Libya which resulted in further destabilization throughout West and North Africa.
Between December 9-13, the so-called “Secret Warriors” conference was held in the North African state of Tunisia. The event was coordinated by AFRICOM and two of its internal structures.
A report published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) said of the event that:
“Special Operations Command Africa and the Tunisian Ministry of Defense co-hosted more than 250 attendees from 40 nations during the weeklong Silent Warrior 2024 symposium, Dec. 9-13, 2024. This year’s iteration was the first time that the symposium was hosted on the African continent in Silent Warrior’s history. A multi-day symposium with broad participation from African and international partners, Silent Warrior aims to enhance operational effectiveness and mission success through cooperation and coordination across African Special Operations Forces. Speakers included the Tunisian Land Forces commander, senior leaders from U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia.”
Although several countries in the Sahel have expelled the U.S. and France from their territories, other states are continuing to work with the Pentagon and its allies. The principal issue involving Pentagon and French Foreign Legions interventions in the Sahel was that their purported “partnerships” with African states had in actuality not improved security. In reality the terrorist threats worsened leaving civilians and state actors even more vulnerable than ever.
The persistent attacks by the rebels proved incapable of securing the permanent placement of Pentagon and NATO troops in the Sahel region of West Africa. These terrorist campaigns directed against governments and civilian communities have provided a rationale for the continuing stationing of AFRICOM and French troops on the continent.
Ironically, in Tunisia where the popular uprisings began in late 2010 against the neo-colonial rule of imperialism through the leadership of Ben Ali, was the scene of the first African convening of the Silent Warriors grouping. Egypt, which exploded after the departure of Ben Ali, has not realized the attainment of a just society devoid of Pentagon and State Department influence.
Libya and later Syria in West Asia, were subjected to reverse “Arab Springs” where the outcome of the purported “revolution” was colored by the objective reinforcement and expansion of imperialism and Zionism. In Syria it has taken 13 years to accomplish what was done in Libya within eight months.
Imperialism Must be Defeated to Transform Africa
As more governments, political parties, trade unions, youth and mass organizations take a revolutionary stance on the removal of imperialist military forces in Africa, the Pentagon and NATO will seek other means to reimpose their forces over the people. Obviously, the resources which are available in Africa, like in West Asia, underline the determination of the western capitalist states to maintain and extend their control over the extractive and financial industries operating in the AU member-states.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the founding prime minister, president of modern-day Ghana and Africa published a pioneering study in October 1965 entitled “Neo-colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism”. The book categorized the U.S. as the most serious threat to the development of Africa and the entire world.
One section of the book which prompted a diplomatic rebuke from the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under then President Lyndon B. Johnson, G. Menning Williams, former Governor of Michigan, emphasized:
“On achieving independence, almost every new state of Africa has developed plans for industrialization and rounded economic growth in order to improve productive capacity and thereby raise the standard of living of its people. But while Africa remains divided, progress is bound to be painfully slow. Economic development is dependent not only on the availability of natural resources and the size and population of a country, but on economic size, which takes into account both population and income per capita. In many African States the population and per capita products are extremely small, giving an economic unit no longer than a medium-sized firm in a western capitalist country, or a single State enterprise in a European socialist economy.”
Such an observation calling for the unity of Africa and any other neo-colonial territory to take control of its national resources would be a serious threat to imperialism. Whether in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, etc., the aims of imperialism are the same: to fortify and further solidify the control over the valuable and strategic resources on the planet.
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Few can afford to be massively tariffed by the US, let alone sanctioned, and most aren’t willing to burn their bridges with the US for ideological reasons at the expense of their immediate economic interests.
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankarclarified earlier this month that
“India has never been for de-dollarization. Right now there is no proposal to have a BRICS currency. BRICS do discuss financial transactions, [but] the United States is our largest trade partner and we have no interest in weakening the dollar at all.”
This was in response to Trump threatening to impose 100% tariffs on any country that de-dollarizes. Here are three background briefings for those who haven’t followed this:
As the first explained, “BRICS can be compared to a Zoom conference: members actively participate in talks on financial multipolarity, partners observe their discussions in real time, and everyone else with an interest in them hears about the outcome afterwards.” The second one confirmed the veracity of this assessment after the last BRICS Summit had no tangible outcome other than a joint statement. And finally, the last reaffirms the preceding two’s insight, which corrects false perceptions about BRICS.
India is on pace to become the world’s third largest economy by 2030, which requires continued flows of American investment and maintaining access to its enormous market. At the same time, however, it also wants to internationalize the rupee. That last-mentioned policy isn’t de-dollarization per se, but pragmatic and a form of hedging, so Trump shouldn’t be too perturbed. He’s also expected to have the most Indophilic administration in history that’ll be reluctant to sanction India anyhow.
The Indian way represents the model for other Global South countries to follow. Few can afford to be massively tariffed by the US, let alone sanctioned, and most aren’t willing to burn their bridges with the US for ideological reasons at the expense of their immediate economic interests. Furthermore, those that take this chance are making themselves dependent on someone else, namely China. Therefore, this policy comes at the expense of sovereignty, though it’s ironically supposed to strengthen such.
The middle ground between remaining trapped in the dollar system and experiencing its wrath after trying to liberate oneself is to gradually increase the use of one’s national currencies. In parallel with this, having access to alternative non-Western platforms like Chinese ones and whatever BRICS may or may not unveil can help, but they mustn’t become replacements. The goal is to diversify currencies and platforms, not replace one dependency with another, and it’ll take time implement.
Barring a black swan that completely revolutionizes the global financial system, the dollar will likely remain the world’s reserve currency, and Trump will take drastic action against China if it dares to unveil the so-called “petroyuan”. Those suppliers and clients who also decide to use it will face his fury as well. The “petroyuan” might therefore only remain a euphemism for China’s potential use of this currency in some of its bilateral energy deals while probably falling fall short of expectations in the medium-term.
The long term is too far out to forecast, but if the US keeps de-dollarization trends in check under Trump and institutionalizes the means that he’s expected to employ, then that’ll naturally have an adverse effect on internationalizing the yuan. At most, it might begin to be used more in bilateral trade deals too, but the US’ grand strategic goal is for the dollar to remain the currency of choice in energy deals. Internationalizing the ruble like Russia has done with its energy deals isn’t a threat to the dollar at all.
The only reason it even happened was because the US prohibited the use of dollars by others when purchasing Russian energy products, but curtailing and eventually even lifting these sanctions (as well as the associated one banning Russia’s use of SWIFT) could likely reverse this trend to a large degree. After all, it’s much more convenient for everyone to go back to the old order of business, though the US’ weaponization of the financial system since 2022 left an impression that’ll lead to continued hedging.
Image: New Development Bank’s logo in the HQ of the bank in Shanghai (Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)
As “politically incorrect” as it may sound, China already complies with some of these same Western sanctions against Russia despite still officially criticizing them as hegemonic. This is proven by the Chinese-based BRICS New Development Bank and the SCO Bank suspending projects in Russia and not allowing the transfer of Russia’s dues respectively as proven here and here. RT also drew attention to Russia’s payment problems with China in early September, which were analyzed at length here.
It might therefore be unwise for any country to make itself dependent on China by promulgating radical de-dollarization policies since there’s no guarantee that the People’s Republic will have its back. The fact of the matter is that China’s complex interdependencies with the West are too deep, and this places major limits on its financial policymaking capabilities, thus explaining why it hasn’t fully supported Russia. This observation could lead to self-imposed restraints among aspiring de-dollarizing states.
No responsible country like India would feel comfortable fully returning to the former system so the increased use of national currencies and utilization of alternative platforms will persist into the future. So long as these trends remain manageable, and Trump is expected to do his utmost to this end, then no radical changes are expected anytime soon. Everything will continue moving more or less in the same direction, but at a gradual pace, and that’s best for the West and the Global South at this point in time.
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Andrew Korybko is an American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
While several reports on the Mayotte cyclone have spoken of hundreds of people dying, other reports, which have also quoted local officials, have expressed the apprehension that the number of dead may even be in the thousands. (See Reuters report ‘several hundred, may be thousands have died in Mayotte cyclone’, CBS report ‘Thousands feared dead after Cyclone Chido hits French territory’, NBC report ‘Thousands feared dead in the archipelago of Mayotte’). What is more, recent reports, such as those by DW, have stated that following the weekend disaster there is a shortage of rescue workers and related help, despite rescue teams being sent from France.
Mayotte is located in Indian Ocean off the East African coast, with Mozambique and Madagascar closest and France being as much as 8000km away. There has been growing social unrest in this French territory which has experienced prolonged neglect and widespread poverty. Over 75% of the people here are reported to be living below poverty line. People have suffered from chronic shortage of drinking water. Many of them live in shanty colonies. People returning to ancestral homes are sometimes labeled illegal settlers.
The people living in poor, weak shelters are highly vulnerable to disasters like sea storms and cyclones whose intensity has been rising in times of climate change. Last year, in 2023, Cyclone Freddy which devastated some neighboring areas was recorded as one of the highest intensity cyclones. Cyclone Chido which has just struck is also being talked about as a very high intensity cyclone.
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The path of Tropical Cyclone Chido Emergency Response Coordination Centre ERCC (Source: Emergency Response Coordination Centre ERCC)
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However with adequate preparation and planning, even several low income countries have been able to improve disaster preparedness to such an extent that by combining timely warning and evacuation to special shelters that have been created nearby, it has been possible to prevent or significantly reduce loss of life even at the time of those cyclones which have destroyed a very large number of houses.
However despite the high vulnerability of the people of Mayotte, it is clear that adequate preventive and precautionary steps were not taken here.
Mayotte has a population of a little over 320,000 and for such a large number of deaths to take place in such a small population is a big tragedy. This has happened because no significant steps have been taken to improve the safety ad resilience of the people at a time of increasing threats and in fact the vulnerability of the people here has been increasing.
Recent reports from the area have stated that due to the strong religious feelings of burying the dead within 24 hours as well as due to other factors such as problems of data collection, the exact number of those who die may never be known, but at least steps can still be taken to improve the medical help for injured people and also to step up the rescue work in those areas where there are still chances of the life of trapped people being saved. The devastation has been so huge that the rehabilitation and reconstruction effort will be a big challenge. France is a rich country and must learn to give much more care and attention to the people of its several distant territories, instead of leaving three-fourths of the people in a place like Mayotte to live in poverty. In particular protection from disasters in these widely scattered places must get much higher attention matched by the inflow of adequate resources to take up the necessary protective and safety works.
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Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Planet in Peril, Protecting Earth for Children and A Day in 2071. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
Featured image: Soldiers remove fallen trees in the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, after Cyclone Chido caused extensive damage with reports of several fatalities on Sunday Dec. 15, 2024. France mobilized emergency aid on Monday, deploying ships and military aircraft to assist Mayotte, its impoverished overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, after the island was devastated by its most severe storm in nearly a century. Etat Major des Armées/AP
The notion that Tehran might be attacked doesn’t come from pure speculation. It has been in the works for decades, (See Global Research Video, Lux Mediaprogram at Lux Media). NATO aggression on Syria plays a critical role in the long-term strategy aimed against Iran.
If Biden is of the belief that raw politics infected the prosecution of his son, the shoddy case against Assange is even clearer. It was political, personal and misguided. Here was a vindictive effort, steered by characters of such clouded malevolence as former CIA director Mike Pompeo and an overzealous prosecution team in the Department of Justice, to punish a figure who had muddied the sanctimonious waters of the Imperial Republic.
Romania isn’t as indispensable for NATO’s military logistics to Ukraine as Poland is, but it still borders Ukraine’s western and southwestern regions that are of strategic importance for the bloc.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Medical Board of Australia did a criminal thing in March 2021 and issued a gag order to all nurses, doctors, psychologists and every other health practitioner in Australia to shut up and be quiet about the risks of so-called COVID vaccines.
The Korean war never really ended, of course. It was just put on hold. The war itself lasted three years from 1950 to 1953, with both sides — the ROK in the south backed primarily by the US, and the DPRK in the North with significant military support from communist China — storming across the 38th parallel dividing north and south, only to be beaten back after vicious fighting.
Our analysis confirms that the “War on Iran” has been on the drawing board of the Pentagon since the mid-1990s under US Central Command’s (USCENTCOM) “Strategy of Dual Containment” directed against the Rogue States of Iraq and Iran formulated during the Clinton administration.
Since 2020, the vaccine industry has committed highly visible and deadly crimes. The COVID-19 operation and its toxic genetic injections, misrepresented as “safe and effective vaccines,” have killed tens of millions of people and injured at least one billion.
Image: Edmundo González in 2024 (From the Public Domain)
In the first case, Washington DC thinks it can arbitrarily “elect” Venezuelan presidents, as was the case with Juan Guaido back in 2019. And although he seems to have fallen out of favor since then, the US never has issues finding replacements. Namely, on November 19, State Secretary Antony Blinken declared that Edmundo Gonzalez retroactively “won” and that Venezuelans “spoke resoundingly on July 28” and made him “the president-elect”, insisting that “democracy demands respect for the will of the voters”.
Now, if you think that this is largely inconsequential, as Blinken is part of an outgoing administration, you’d be wrong, because many Republicans are just as hostile to sovereigntist governments, particularly in Latin America. For instance, Marco Rubio, the most likely candidate as Blinken’s successor, openly supports overthrowing Maduro.
Other prominent GOP members who are after Venezuela include Elliott Abrams, who was the US Special Envoy tasked with ensuring a coup in the country precisely during the nearly fateful 2019-2021 period.
It’s still unclear whether Trump would reappoint Abrams to any position, but if he does so, it would certainly indicate that he’s recommitting to America’s aggression on Venezuela.
NATO aggression on Syria plays a critical role in the long-term strategy aimed against Iran. Namely, the country is at the forefront of the Axis of Resistance (AoR), an alliance that includes a number of actors in the Middle East and beyond, but is largely deployed in Iran, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.
Syria was one of the most prominent members of AoR, making its destruction by NATO-backed terrorists and occupation forces a major blow to the alliance. Worse yet, Damascus is not only out of the game as an ally, but is now effectively an enemy, as the Islamic radicals who occupied the country are extremely hostile to Tehran. Not to mention that Hezbollah is now cut off.
Instability in Syria could now easily spill over to Iraq, where various Shia militias are closely aligned with Iran. This was likely one of the intended consequences of overthrowing Bashar al-Assad, as destabilizing Iraq could give the Pentagon a casus belli to attack Shia militias. This would push the US, its allies, vassals and satellite states all the way to Iran’s western borders, leaving it extremely vulnerable to crawling destabilization.
Israeli ties with Turkey and Azerbaijan might play a major role in this, as both countries are eyeing Iran. Namely, their pan-Turkist, Neo-Ottoman ambitions include northwestern parts of the country, where ethnic Azeris dominate. Tehran is certainly aware of these megalomaniacal, expansionist policies, but is still trying to pursue peaceful coexistence. However, this might be too optimistic as the US keeps pushing for war, which will also require the participation of its regional allies.
Namely, as the “FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018” expires on December 20, the government might be using this to “manipulate the Congress into passing the new H.R.8610 (Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act of 2024) which will include appropriations and enhanced government powers to control citizens, and they’re even going so far as to use it to push for acts of war against other countries”. In other words, back to square one.
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The “globalization of war” is a hegemonic project. Major military and covert intelligence operations are being undertaken simultaneously in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and the Far East. The U.S. military agenda combines both major theater operations as well as covert actions geared towards destabilizing sovereign states.
Restaurants Canada is pleased by today’s announcement from the federal government of a two-month GST holiday on restaurant meals, among other products. This is a big win for the restaurant industry and comes after months of relentless advocacy from Restaurants Canada for meaningful cost relief for our sector and for Canadians.
The restaurant industry is doing worse today than at any time in recent history, including the pandemic. More than half (53%) of restaurant companies are operating at a loss or just breaking even, up from 12% pre-pandemic. They are seeing fewer guests and smaller cheques as a result of Canadians reducing their discretionary spending during the affordability crisis. At the same time, restaurants are still carrying heavy debt loads and all their operating costs have gone up by 20% or more.
The recent drop in foot traffic has been deeply discouraging for our operators as they head into the challenging winter season. Today’s announcement restores some much-needed hope to our industry and we are optimistic it will translate to increased spending at local restaurants across the country.
When GST was introduced in 1991, it led to an immediate reduction in meals consumed at restaurants, especially as other food products sold at grocery stores were exempt. The foodservice industry suffered an 11% decline in real sales, 7% of which was attributed to GST. Based on Restaurants Canada’s econometric model, today’s announcement could result in a 5% increase in sales for the average restaurant. For a restaurant with $1.5 million in sales, this would result in an additional $5,700 in sales per month.
Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister means that more Canadians will be able to celebrate with loved ones at a restaurant, have lunch with colleagues or treat themselves to a morning pastry on their way to work. We also appreciate that the relief will be extended over January, which is typically the lowest time of the year for our industry, and right through to Valentine’s Day.
We congratulate Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Freeland on this significant announcement and encourage them to look at other ways they can support Canadians through this difficult time. Restaurants Canada has been urging the government to reduce EI payroll tax by 2% to put more money back in workers’ pockets and help employers invest in hiring and wages.
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In recent developments, there have been numerous statements to the effect that Israel is at war with Iran. Israel is an instrument of the Pentagon. Netanyahu is a proxy. Israel does not act without the consent of US-NATO.
Our analysis confirms that the “War on Iran” has been on the drawing board of the Pentagon since the mid-1990s under US Central Command’s (USCENTCOM) “Strategy of Dual Containment’ directed against the Rogue States of Iraq and Iran” formulated during the Clinton administration.
“First Iraq, then Iran”: The stockpiling and deployment of advanced weapons systems directed against Iran started in the immediate wake of the 2003 bombing and invasion of Iraq.
From the outset, these war plans were led by the US, in liaison with NATO and Israel. The objective of the war on Iran was carefully outlined by US Central Command in liaison with US Strategic Command:
“The broad national security interests and objectives expressed in the President’s National Security Strategy (NSS) and the Chairman’s National Military Strategy (NMS) form the foundation of the United States Central Command’s theater strategy. The NSS directs implementation of a strategy of dual containment of the rogue states of Iraq and Iran as long as those states pose a threat to U.S. interests, to other states in the region, and to their own citizens.
Dual containment is designed to maintain the balance of power in the region without depending on either Iraq or Iran. USCENTCOM’s theater strategy is interest-based and threat-focused. The purpose of U.S. engagement, as espoused in the NSS, is to protect the United States’ vital interest in the region – uninterrupted, secure U.S./Allied access to Gulf oil.” (USCENTCOM, 1995, emphasis added)
See Below:
NSS Strategy of “Containment of the Rogue States”:
“United States’ Vital Interest in the Region – Uninterrupted, Secure U.S./Allied Access to Gulf Oil”
In other words the US NSS hegemonic objective is to take control of Iran’s OIL and GAS Reserves. “It’s America’s Promised Land”
(which ironically are portrayed as a threat to the environment, ie. CO2 and the fake Global Warming narrative)
1. Iran. Third Largest Reserves of Oil Worldwide
Iran is not only second in terms of its gas reserves after Russia, it ranks third Worldwide in relation to its oil reserves (12% of Worldwide oil reserves) versus a meagre 4% for the U.S.
2. Iran Reserves of Natural Gas
Iran ranks Second after Russia. Russia, Iran and Qatar possess 54.1 percent of the World’s reserves of natural gas.
-Russia 24.3%,
-Iran 17.3%,
-Qatar, 12.5 % (in partnership with Iran)
versus 5.3 % for the US
3. Taking Control of the Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Maritime Gas Corridor
Extending from the Egyptian border, Gaza and the Levant coastline. The unspoken objective is to take control and confiscate the maritime gas reserves.
The Unspoken Role of U.S. “Allies”: Threaten Iran on Behalf of Washington
Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration identified Iran and Syria as the next stage of “the road map to war”.
Under the Trump administration, a US Attack on Iran was contemplated with the support of Israel and Saudi Arabia. The US design was to incite its Middle East allies including Israel “to threaten Iran on behalf of Washington”.
In the words of former Vice President Dick Cheney
“Israel will do the dirty work for us” (paraphrase). According to Cheney: (2005)
“The Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards,”
In the present context, “the Dirty Work” concept applies to all America’s “Allies”. They are “Allies” as well Instruments of US Hegemony.
From a military standpoint, the member states of NATO, most of which are part of the European Union act on behalf of America’s hegemonic agenda. While they are “instruments” of the US hegemonic agenda, they are also the target and the victims of US sponsored “economic warfare”.
Most countries of the European Union are de facto enemies of the U.S., namely the victims of strong economic medicine, austerity measures, hikes in energy prices, the collapse of purchasing power, poverty, unemployment and the demise of the Welfare State. In turn, “regime change” is applied Worldwide, elections are manipulated, heads of State and heads of government are “appointed” and generously coopted by the financial establishment, funded by the billionaire foundations.
Meanwhile, World public opinion is led to believe that Israel is waging war against Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, and that the US presidency must pressure Israel and call for a “cease fire”.
The pro-Israel Zionist Lobby is a useful instrument. While it has ideological and historical underpinnings, it serves the interests of the financial establishment. The World is led to believe that this is a “war of religions”. The unspoken objective is to provide “a human face” to America’s Acts of war: Responsibility to Protect (R2P), The Just War.
Bear in mind “Greater Israel”in the contemporary context “is not strictly a Zionist Project for the Middle East, it has become an integral part of US foreign policy, its strategic objective is to extend US hegemony as well as fracture and balkanize the Middle East.”
The Tenets of International Law. “Complicity in Genocide”
A genocide is being conducted by the Netanyahu proxy government against the people of Palestine. By supporting Israel, Western governments are complicitin the conduct of genocide under Articles III and IV of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Article III (e) Complicity in genocide.
Article IV. Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III shall be punished [Article III(e)], whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals.” *emphasis added)
It is important that the peace movement take cognizance of the fact that their own heads of State and heads of government, namely Biden, Starmer, Trudeau, Macron, Scholz, et. al. are from a legal standpoint “complicit” (Genocide Convention),
Moreover, since World War II, all U.S. led wars have deliberately targeted civilians, which is a crime against humanity under The Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC).
“La classe politique criminalisée”. It’s the “criminalization of politics”.
“Protest” is invariably redundant. The Anti-war movement must question their legitimacy.
“Theater Iran Near Term” (TIRANNT)
The article below reviews the details of a declassified 2003 plan and scenario of a war on Iran entitled “Theater Iran Near Term” (TIRANNT) to be implemented in the immediate wake of the war on Iraq.
This Pentagon blueprint had identified several thousand targets inside Iran as part of a “Shock and Awe” Blitzkrieg. In all likelihood, many of these targets are still on the drawing board of the Pentagon.
And Israel is being used by the Pentagon. The people of Israel have no interest in conquering Iran.
Economic Warfare vs. The Military Option
In the last few years (prior to October 7, 2023), US sanctions against Iran have gone into high gear. Washington’s strategy was to “Force Iranian Oil Exports to Zero” with a view to destabilizing Iran’s national economy. Formulated by Mike Pompeo during the Trump administration:
“The goal of the policy is to drive up the costs of Iran’s malign behavior and more strongly address the broad range of threats to peace and security their regime presents,” according to State Department official. (quoted by WaPo).
While the “military option” against Iran was “temporarily” put on hold, a “surprise war” on Lebanon was contemplated by Israel with the support of the US as part Washington’s broader Middle East military agenda.
According to Elijah J. Magnier, “Hezbollah leader Sayyed HassanNasrallah held a private meeting [in April 2019] with his top military commanders in which he warned them to prepare for a hot Summer because Israel plans to launch a surprise war against Lebanon.“
I may not remain among you for very long; it is possible that the entire first level of leadership could be killed, including myself. Israel may succeed in assassinating many leaders and commanders. The death of some key personalities will not be the end of Hezbollah, because the party doesn’t rely merely on individuals but rather on the entire society that is an essential part of its existence”, said Sayyed Nasrallah to the gathering.
That was back in April 2019, –which suggests that the broader war against Palestine, Lebanon and Iran was not a “surprise attack” It had been on the drawing board of the Pentagon (in consultation with Israel and NATO) for at least four years prior to October 7, 2023.
The following video published by Global Research in late October 2023 explains the nature of the secret memorandum, the False Flags and the conduct of the genocide which is supported by Western governments.
The genocide was planned well in advance of the so-called October 7, 2023 “Surprise Attack”.
Video: Genocide as Confirmed by the Ministry of Intelligence’s “Secret Memorandum”
Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, October 12, 2024, revisions October 14, 2024
“Theater Iran Near Term” (TIRANNT).
The Ongoing Planning of War against Iran
Michel Chossudovsky
February 2007
Code named by US military planners as TIRANNT, “Theater Iran Near Term” has identified several thousand targets inside Iran as part of a “Shock and Awe” Blitzkrieg, which is now in its final planning stages.
Revealed last April 2006 by William Arkin, a former US intelligence analyst, writing in the Washington Post, TIRANNT was first established in May 2003, following the invasion of Iraq:
“In early 2003, even as U.S. forces were on the brink of war with Iraq, the Army had already begun conducting an analysis for a full-scale war with Iran. The analysis, called TIRANNT, for “theater Iran near term,” was coupled with a mock scenario for a Marine Corps invasion and a simulation of the Iranian missile force. U.S. and British planners conducted a Caspian Sea war game around the same time. And Bush directed the U.S. Strategic Command to draw up a global strike war plan for an attack against Iranian weapons of mass destruction.
All of this will ultimately feed into a new war plan for “major combat operations” against Iran that military sources confirm now exists in draft form.
… Under TIRANNT, Army and U.S. Central Command planners have been examining both near-term and out-year scenarios for war with Iran, including all aspects of a major combat operation, from mobilization and deployment of forces through postwar stability operations after regime change.” (William Arkin, Washington Post, 16 April 2006)
First Iraq, then Iran
The 2003 decision to target Iran under TIRANNT should come as no surprise. It is part of the broader military roadmap. Already during the Clinton administration, US Central Command (USCENTCOM) had formulated in 1995 “in war theater plans” to invade first Iraq and then Iran.
“The broad national security interests and objectives expressed in the President’s National Security Strategy (NSS) and the Chairman’s National Military Strategy (NMS) form the foundation of the United States Central Command’s theater strategy. The NSS directs implementation of a strategy of dual containment of the rogue states of Iraq and Iran as long as those states pose a threat to U.S. interests, to other states in the region, and to their own citizens. Dual containment is designed to maintain the balance of power in the region without depending on either Iraq or Iran. USCENTCOM’s theater strategy is interest-based and threat-focused. The purpose of U.S. engagement, as espoused in the NSS, is to protect the United States’ vital interest in the region – uninterrupted, secure U.S./Allied access to Gulf oil.”
Consistent with CENTCOM’s 1995 “sequencing” of theater operations, the plans to target Iran were activated under TIRANNT in the immediate wake of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Confirmed by Arkin, the active component of the Iran military agenda was launched in May 2003 “when modelers and intelligence specialists pulled together the data needed for theater-level (meaning large-scale) scenario analysis for Iran.” (Arkin, op cit). In October 2003, different theater scenarios for an Iran war were contemplated:
“The US army, navy, air force and marines have all prepared battle plans and spent four years building bases and training for “Operation Iranian Freedom”. Admiral Fallon, the new head of US Central Command, has inherited computerized plans under the name TIRANNT (Theatre Iran Near Term).” (New Statesman, 19 Feb 2007)
Concurrently, the various parallel components of TIRANNT were put in place including the Marines “Concept of Operations”:
“The Marines, meanwhile, have not only been involved in CENTCOM’s war planning, but have been focused on their own specialty, “forcible entry.” In April 2003, the Corps published its “Concept of Operations” for a maneuver against a mock country that explores the possibility of moving forces from ship to shore against a determined enemy without establishing a beachhead first. Though the Marine Corps enemy is described only as a deeply religious revolutionary country named Karona, it is — with its Revolutionary Guards, WMD and oil wealth — unmistakably meant to be Iran.
Various scenarios involving Iran’s missile force have also been examined in another study, initiated in 2004 and known as BMD-I (ballistic missile defense — Iran). In this study, the Center for Army Analysis modeled the performance of U.S. and Iranian weapons systems to determine the number of Iranian missiles expected to leak through a coalition defense.
The day-to-day planning for dealing with Iran’s missile force falls to the U.S. Strategic Command in Omaha. In June 2004, Rumsfeld alerted the command to be prepared to implement CONPLAN 8022, a global strike plan that includes Iran. CONPLAN 8022 calls for bombers and missiles to be able to act within 12 hours of a presidential order. The new task force, sources have told me, mostly worries that if it were called upon to deliver “prompt” global strikes against certain targets in Iran under some emergency circumstances, the president might have to be told that the only option is a nuclear one. (William Arkin, Washington Post, 16 April 2006)
“Shock and Awe”
US military planning includes specific roles to be performed by NATO and Israel in the event of an attack on Iran. The German navy is deployed formally under a UN mandate in the Eastern Mediterranean. NATO bases in Europe would also be involved.
Documented by Global Research, extensive war games were conducted since last Summer by Iran and its allies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, including Russia and China. In turn, the US has conducted war games off the Iranian coastline.
The Pentagon’s Second 9/11
What is now being contemplated by Washington is an overwhelming use of military force in retaliation to Iran’s alleged non-compliance. This of course is the pretext, the justification for waging war. The Pentagon has also contemplated retaliating against Iran in the case of a second 9/11 attack:
“A third plan sets out how the military can both disrupt and respond to another major terrorist strike on the United States. It includes lengthy annexes that offer a menu of options for the military to retaliate quickly against specific terrorist groups, individuals or state sponsors depending on who is believed to be behind an attack. Another attack could create both a justification and an opportunity that is lacking today to retaliate against some known targets, according to current and former defense officials familiar with the plan.
This plan details “what terrorists or bad guys we would hit if the gloves came off. The gloves are not off,” said one official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject. (emphasis added, WP 23 April 2006)
The presumption of this military document, is that a Second 911 attack “which is lacking today” would usefully create both a “justification and an opportunity” to wage war on “some known targets [Iran and Syria]”.
Civilian Targets
Press reports in the Middle East confirm that the planned air strikes are by no means limited to Iran’s nuclear facilities. Central Command Headquarters in Florida (CENTCOM) has already selected a comprehensive list of military and civilian targets.
Industrial sites, civilian infrastructure including roads, water systems, bridges, electric power plants telecommunications towers, government buildings are part of the assumptions underlying the Blitzkrieg. “A single raid could result in 10,000 targets being hit with warplanes flying from the US and Diego Garcia” (Gulf News, 21 Feb 2007, emphasis added)
Meanwhile, the US has been mustering support for its agenda following the holding of a regional Security Conference in the UAE.
Nuclear War
Military planners are said to favor the use of conventional weapons. The use of tactical nuclear weapons, which are now part of the Middle East war theater arsenal, are not explicitly contemplated, at least in the first round of the US sponsored Blitzkrieg. However, the fact that nuclear weapons are acknowledged as a possible choice in the conventional war theater is indicative that their use is an integral part of military planning.
In November 2004, US Strategic Command conducted a major exercise of a “global strike plan” entitled “Global Lightening”. The latter involved a simulated attack using both conventional and nuclear weapons against a “fictitious enemy” [Iran]. Following the “Global Lightening” exercise, US Strategic Command declared an advanced state of readiness.
In this context, CONPLAN is the operational plan pursuant to the Global Strike Plan. It is described as “an actual plan that the Navy and the Air Force translate into strike package for their submarines and bombers,’
CONPLAN 8022 is ‘the overall umbrella plan for sort of the pre-planned strategic scenarios involving nuclear weapons.’
‘It’s specifically focused on these new types of threats — Iran, North Korea — proliferators and potentially terrorists too,’ he said. ‘There’s nothing that says that they can’t use CONPLAN 8022 in limited scenarios against Russian and Chinese targets.’ (According to Hans Kristensen, of the Nuclear Information Project, quoted in Japanese economic News Wire, op cit)
The use of tactical nuclear weapons is contemplated under CONPLAN 8022 alongside conventional weapons, as part of the Bush administration’s preemptive war doctrine. In May 2004, National Security Presidential Directive NSPD 35 entitled Nuclear Weapons Deployment Authorization was issued. While its contents remains classified, the presumption is that NSPD 35 pertains to the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in the Middle East war theater in compliance with CONPLAN 8022.
For further details on the US nuclear option, see Michel Chossudovsky:
The attacks are slated to be carried out in three separate waves “with the radar and communications jamming protection being provided by U.S. Air Force AWACS and other U.S. aircraft in the area”. (See W Madsen, Global Research, October 22, 2004)
The bunker buster bombs can also be used to deliver tactical nuclear bombs. The B61-11 is the “nuclear version” of the “conventional” BLU 113. It can be delivered in much same way as the conventional bunker buster bomb.
According to a recent report in the London’s Sunday Times (7 January 2007): “Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.”
If Iran were to respond to US-Israeli attacks in the form of targeted strikes on US military facilities in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf States, the war would escalate to the entire region. In this case, the US could retaliate in the form of “pre-emptive” nuclear attacks on Iran using bunker buster tactical nuclear war heads.
The most likely scenario is that Iran, in the logic of its own military planning, would indeed respond to the US sponsored attacks as well as deploy ground forces inside occupied Iraq.
Naval Deployment
Three strike groups including the Stennis, the Eisenhower and the Nimitz are being deployed in the Persian Gulf. According to Gulf News, “The Stennis strike group… is now strengthening a high level of US Navy presence in the Gulf. The Stennis and the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, already in the region, will soon be joined by the carrier Nimitz. (Gulf News, 21 Feb 2007). According to British military sources, the US navy can put six carriers into battle at a month’s notice.
Redeployment of US Troops
Confirmed by military sources, some 8500 of US troops are being redeployed from US military facilities in Germany and Italy to Afghanistan and Iraq, both of which border on Iran. One assumes that they are being dispatched to the Middle East war theater in the eventuality that the air strikes will lead into a ground war with Iran.
The Pentagon, contradicting its own statements, has dismissed as “ludicrous” the press reports that the US is planning an all out attack on Iran in the “near term”.
Meanwhile, Iran has launched a three days war games entitled Eghtedar or Grandeur. These exercises which involve naval, air and ground forces are larger than those conducted last Summer. They are slated to take place in 16 out of Iran’s 30 provinces. The stated objective is to establish a state of readiness to defend Iran in the eventuality of a US attack.
Vigilant Shield 07 War Games
From September through December 2006, the US conducted a New Cold War scenario of all out war directed against Iran and its Cold war era enemies:
Entitled Vigilant Shield 07, the war games are not limited to a single Middle East war theater (e.g. Iran), they also include Russia, China and North Korea.
The details of the Vigilant Shield 07 exercise scenario, is contained in a U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) briefing dated August 2006 (revealed by William Arkin in a WP article) .
The enemies are Irmingham [Iran], Nemazee [North Korea], Ruebek [Russia], Churya [China]
• Additional Nemazee ICBM Shipments to Launch Facilities • RMOB [Russian main operating bases] Acft Conduct LR Navigation Flights • AS-15 [nuclear armed cruise missile] Handling at RMOBs
– Minus 41 Days: • Additional Nemazee ICBM Preps at Launch Pad # 2 – Minus 40 Days: • Activity at Nemazee Nuclear Test Facilities – Minus 35 Days: • DOS [Department of State] Travel Warning – Minus 30 Days: • Ruebek LRA Deploys Acft to Anadyr & Vorkuta
• Phase 2 Minus 30 Days:
• Growing International Condemnation of Ruebek • Ruebek Deploys Submarines
– Minus 20 Days: • Nemazee Recalls Reservists – Minus 14 Days: • DOS Draw-down Sequencing – Minus 13 Days: • Ruebek Closes US Embassy in Washington DC – Minus 11 Days: • Nemazee Conducts Fueling of Additional ICBMs • Ruebeki Presidential Statement on Possible US Attack
• Phase 2 Minus 10 Days:
• POTUS Addresses Congress on War Powers Act
– Minus 6 Days: • Ruebek President Calls “Situation Grave” – Minus 5 Days: • CALCM Activity at Anadyr, Vorkuta, and Tiksi • Ruebeki SS-25 [nuclear armed mobile ICBMs] Conduct out of Garrison Deployments • Nemazee Assembling ICBM for Probable Launch – Minus 4 Days: • Ruebek Closes US Embassy in Washington DC • Ruebek Acft Conduct Outer ADIZ [air defense identification zone] Penetrations • Mid-Air Collison w/NORAD Acft During ADIZ Penetration
• Phase 2 Minus 4 Days:
• Nemazee ICBM Launch Azimuth Threatens US
– Minus 3 Days: • NATO Diplomatic Efforts Fail to Diffuse Crisis • USAMB to Ruebek Recalled for Consultation • POTUS Addresses Nation – Minus 2 Days: • Nemazee Leadership Movement – Minus 1 Day: • Ruebek Expels US Mission
• Phase 2 / Execution: 10 – 14 Dec 06
– Pre-Attack I & W – Imminent Terrorist Attack on Pentagon Suggests Pentagon COOP [continuity of operations plan] – Nemazee Conducts 2 x ICBM Combat Launches Against United States – Ruebek Conducts Limited Strategic Attack on United States • Wave 1 – 8 x Bear H Defense Suppression w/CALCM • Wave 2 – Limited ICBM & SLBM Attack – 2 x ICBM Launched (1 impacts CMOC [Cheyenne Mountain], 1 malfunctions) – 2 x SLBM Launched Pierside (1 impacts SITE-R [“Raven Rock” bunker on the Maryland-Pennsylvania border], 1 malfunctions) – 3 x Bear H from Dispersal Bases w/ALCM (Eielson AFB, CANR, Cold Lake) – US Conducts Limited Retaliatory Attack on Ruebek • 1 x ICBM C2 Facility • 1 x ICBM Against ICBM Launch Location • Phase 2 / Execution: – Ruebek Prepares Additional Attack on United States • Wave 3 – Prepares for Additional Strategic Attacks – 1 x ICBM Movement, NO Launch – 3 x SLBM PACFLT Pierside Missile Handling Activity (NO Launch) – 6 x BEAR H (launch & RTB [return to base]) w/6 x ALCM (NO launch)” [source Northern Command and William Arkin, Washington Post)
Complacency of Western Public Opinion
The complacency of Western public opinion (including the US anti-war movement) is disturbing.
No concern has been expressed at the political level as to the likely consequences of these simulated attacks, which could evolve towards a World War III scenario, with Russia and China siding with Iran.
With the exception of the Middle East, the war on Iran and the dangers of escalation are not considered “front page news.”
All of which contributes to the real possibility that the war could be carried out, leading to the unthinkable: a nuclear holocaust over a large part of the Middle East.
It should be noted that a nuclear nighmare could occur even if nuclear weapons are not used. The bombing of Iran’s nuclear facitlities using conventional weapons would contribute to unleashing a Chernobyl type disaster with extensive radioactive fallout.
Michel Chossudovsky is the author of the international best America’s “War on Terrorism” Second Edition, Global Research, 2005. He is Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa and Director of the Center for Research on Globalization.
Note: Readers are welcome to cross-post this article with a view to spreading the word and warning people of the dangers of a broader Middle East war. Please indicate the source and copyright note.
Since making what was likely a life-saving plea deal to spare himself from the medieval barbarities of the US prison system, Julian Assange, and his campaign intimates, are now focusing on the next step. Having been directly targeted by the speech stomping apparatus known as the US Espionage Act, and convicted under it, the US government made the WikiLeaks publisher an example. On June 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information under the Act, or section 793(g) (Title 18, USC). In one respect, it was an improvement, reducing the original charge sheet of 18 alleged offences, 17 of them based on elements of espionage.
While Assange’s conviction delighted those scribbling defenders of the national security state, the toadies, the paid-up worthies, and anyone from the CIA to CBS (“Assange: hacker, thief and exposer of confidential sources!” came the shrill voice of approval), his prosecution and ultimate conviction on a single charge of the Espionage Act served only one purpose: pouring oil on obtaining, using and discussing material about the crimes and vices of national security, notably the sort supplied by whistleblowers.
One way of diminishing the sinister implications of that thuggish legacy is to persuade Freedom Land’s highest, doddering magistrate to show a skerrick of good sense – whatever is left of it. The Assange campaign has now shifted its focus to obtaining a pardon for the publisher, with a goal of persuading up to 30,000 people to write to US President Joe Biden to do just that.
“By granting a pardon to Julian Assange,” the campaign online site states, “President Biden can not only correct a grave injustice but also send a powerful message that defending democracy and press freedom remains at the core of his presidency. He can reaffirm America’s dedication to truth and the First Amendment.”
Two US lawmakers are convinced that one of Biden’s last acts in office should be just that. It would be fitting, in some ways, that he does so. In the dying days of his administration, President Barack Obama commuted the sentence of one of WikiLeaks’ most invaluable sources, Chelsea Manning. While it fell short of a pardon, its effect was to modify the crushing sentence of 35 years imposed by a military tribunal for disclosing classified government information to WikiLeaks.
Last month, US Reps. James McGovern (D-Mass.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) penned a letter to Biden approving the “resolution of the criminal case against” the WikiLeaks founder, thereby ending his “protracted detention”, permitting him to return to Australia and be reunited with his family. But they expressed grave concerns “that the agreement that ended the case required Mr Assange to plead guilty to felony charges under section 793 of the Espionage Act”. Doing so “set off alarms” among various members of Congress and advocates of free speech and freedom of the press by setting “a precedent that greatly deepens our concern.” It was, fundamentally, “the first time the Act has been deployed against a publisher”.
The letter went on to note that section 793 of the Espionage Act had always posed a risk that it could be used against journalists and news organisations “particularly those who cover national security topics” as it “criminalizes the obtaining, retaining, or disclosing of sensitive information”. It was precisely that risk that “informed the Obama administration’s decision not to prosecute Mr Assange”. Accordingly, “a pardon would remove the precedent set by the plea”.
As for the prospects for an actual pardon from the Biden Whitehouse, one can hardly tell. Certainly, the president is in a frightful muddle after pardoning his own son Hunter for felony gun and tax convictions, an act of familial indulgence he said he would never succumb to. It was also complicated by its sheer broadness. In his justification, Biden’s words struck a familiar note, largely because they could have come out of the mouth of his opponent and successor, Donald Trump. While he believed “in the justice system […] I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it has led to a miscarriage of justice”.
CBS is now reporting that Biden is ruminating over the possibility of issuing various preemptive pardons for senior White House aides and members of the House Jan. 6 committee in anticipation of any retributive campaign that might be waged by the incoming Trump administration. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has also publicly urged the president to do the same. The president has also granted clemency to almost 1,500 individuals placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and pardoned 39 individuals convicted of non-violent crimes. Could all of this possibly make Biden mellow towards the man he once accused of high-tech cyberterrorism?
A pardon would go some way to thinning the toxic legacy Assange’s conviction under the Espionage Act, one that, by its very nature, signals a global warning to all publishers and journalists involved in exposing the crimes and misdemeanours of state. Assange was the first non-US national foreign publisher working outside the United States to be charged and convicted under that archaically oppressive law, ostensibly for injuring the national security of the US when exposing the identities of informants and sources.
Assange’s plea deal, much like his entire prosecution, is also imbued with farce and gross pantomime. Was former New York Rep. Peter King right to claim, as he did in November 2010, that the WikiLeaks publications were “worse even than a physical attack on Americans”, worse, even, “than a military attack”? Not according to the Northern Mariana Islands Chief Judge, Ramona V. Manglona, presiding over the final proceedings facing the publisher.
“The government has indicated that there is no personal victim here. That tells me the dissemination of this information did not result in any known physical injury.”
If Biden is of the belief that raw politics infected the prosecution of his son, the shoddy case against Assange is even clearer. It was political, personal and misguided. Here was a vindictive effort, steered by characters of such clouded malevolence as former CIA director MikePompeo and an overzealous prosecution team in the Department of Justice, to punish a figure who had muddied the sanctimonious waters of the Imperial Republic. As he has now assumed the mantle of pardoner-in-chief, Biden has a chance to bulk the folder and make history of the right sort.
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Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He currently lectures at RMIT University. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Email: [email protected]
But somehow, the Anti-War and 9/11 Truth movements have not really been able to come together to advance their related causes.
Both agree that we’re being lied to on a regular basis about wars and foreign policy agendas, but not all in the two movements agree that 9/11 was one of those lies.
And that’s a shame given the number of wars justified by the 9/11 deception.
Given recent world events – particularly the dangerous willingness of the outgoing Biden administration to risk World War 3 by backing the launching of long-range missiles into Russia – one might wonder whether there is a new opportunity for the two movements to find common ground. The timing seems particularly good since there is now greater willingness on the part of political figures like Tucker Carlson, Jimmy Dore, Russell Brand, and Jill Stein to openly question the 9/11 official story.
To figure out why the two movements haven’t worked together more closely, one must look at what happened in the years right after 9/11. Was it simply a lack of communication and understanding? Or was possible cooperation prevented by agents of the deep state?
Anti-war activist and 9/11 truther Phil Restino has been fighting on both fronts since he became an active opponent of the Iraq War in the early to mid 2000s. He particularly remembers being angered by George W. Bush’s flippant comments at the 2005 White House Correspondents’ Dinner about the government’s inability to produce the weapons of mass destruction that it had claimed were in Iraq. (Not only did Bush make a joke about looking for the WMDs under the podium, but politicians and journalists in attendance laughed along with him.)
“Kids were coming home in body bags every day, and they were laughing.” Restino says.
He talks about how he wanted to end the wars taking place after 9/11 even before he realized that 9/11 was a false flag.
“I remember watching the buildings coming down on 9/11 and thinking, ‘This can’t be happening,’” he explains. “But the power of the media and all the propaganda arms is just amazing. So that questioning went away, and the narrative was plugged in.”
But once he did see through the deception, he committed himself to exposing the truth about 9/11 and ending the wars that resulted.
“It was just common sense,” he says. “The wars are based on the 9/11 lie, and these are the 9/11 wars.”
Restino, who spent two years in the Army (although not in combat), approached the group Veterans For Peace about starting a new chapter in Central Florida, where he lives. Joining the chapter was famed veteran, whistleblower, and peace activist Col. Bob Bowman, who had headed up the government’s Strategic Defense Initiative in the 1970s.
Image: Col. Bob Bowman became an active voice for 9/11 Truth.
Bowman ended up protesting what the Reagan administration did with SDI in the 1980s, which led to him being attacked and ostracized by many of his military colleagues. He went on to become an active member of Veterans For Peace as well as working for 9/11 Truth until his death in 2013.
Restino explains that his idea in 2005 was to approach local Vietnam veterans about joining the new chapter, but that wasn’t as successful as he’d hoped.
“I thought if they had this information about how much of a lie this was, they would not allow what happened to them – being lied into that war – to happen to this generation.”
Unfortunately, he adds, many veterans likened questioning the war to “not supporting the troops who were in harms way.”
Restino points out that in the early years after 9/11, truthers and peace activists did find themselves allied to a greater degree than they were later. He recalls being part of a major Anti-War protest in Washington D.C. in 2005 that was attended by people like George Galloway, Cindy Sheehan, and Cynthia McKinney, a former congresswoman who also became a voice for 9/11 truth.
But as time went on, Restino noticed that the leadership of major peace groups like Veterans For Peace and CODEPINK was cool to the idea of pursuing challenges to the 9/11 story. Meanwhile, rank and file peace activists were being discouraged from questioning 9/11 by being branded as “conspiracy theorists.”
Image: Restino with Cynthia McKinney and WeAreChange’s Brett Bracewell in 2010
As to why the leaders of the Anti-War Movement were not interested in 9/11 Truth, Restino posits that the movement may well have been co-opted, pointing out that while the FBI’s COINTELPRO program was supposedly discontinued in 1971, efforts to infiltrate activist groups continue to this day.
“Those who pulled off 9/11 to justify the wars that followed had to know there would be some kind of anti-war movement,” Restino says. “To think that these guys didn’t have people in place in the 9/11 Truth and Anti-War movements is naïve at best.”
Other longtime peace activists – who are also active in 9/11 Truth – will suggest that infiltration of the peace movement has played a significant role in keeping the two factions from combining their efforts.
Longtime Canadian journalist Barrie Zwicker, author of the essential book Towers of Deception: The Media Cover-Up of 9/11, says he remembers going to an Anti-War conference in Boston years ago, and he noted that 9/11 was obvious in its omission from the agenda.
“We know that agents of the state have long infiltrated the peace movement – and then the 9/11 Truth Movement, and that these agents’ orders would include stymying of mutual reinforcement by the two movements.”
Image: Restino and then partner Kathy Bracewell of CODEPINK in 2006
Also, Cheryl Curtiss, who has participated in both movements (she and I are co-facilitators of the monthly 9/11 and Other Deep State Teleconference) says that the Anti-War Movement gained prominence after 9/11, particularly because the Bush administration falsely blamed Saddam Hussein for 9/11, a charge that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“The peace movement got really huge after 9/11,” she explains. “I mean, at one point there were something like 15 million people around the world protesting at the same time against the war in Iraq.”
Curtiss says that those in the peace movement knew that the justification given for the war was based on lies, but only some were prepared to also question 9/11.
It is obvious now, as it was to many in those first few years of the new millennium, that wars are almost always justified by lies and propaganda. Lies continue to be told about what happened on 9/11, just as they were to justify the invasions of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries.
Today, new lies are being added to justify new wars and new mass murder. It is essential that we have the courage to see through the kinds of deceptions that get us into wars if we ever want to break the pattern. The Anti-War and 9/11 Truth movements both understand the damage these lies do.
Imagine how much truth they could uncover if they worked together.
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On December 4th, 2024, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released a 500-page report (Read Here.) concluding the 2-year investigation into the COVID Operation. This after-action review describes congressional findings on fraudulent practices during the pandemic, particularly by government actors and government grantees. The report cites specific names and the responsibilities thereof.
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic was originally constituted as the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis by the 116th Congress to oversee the pandemic response by the first Trump Administration in April 2020. However, it wasn’t until the 118th Congress that the subcommittee’s activities resumed and was renamed what it is today.
Since February of 2023, the Subcommittee, as per its final report, has conducted more than 30 transcribed interviews and depositions, held 25 hearings and meetings, and reviewed more than one million pages of documents.
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The Report
In the introductory letter of the Final Report, written by the Chairman of the Select Subcommittee, Brad Wenstrup, he lays out five points in which he mentions that “bipartisan consensus” was reached. These points are as follows:
The possibility that COVID-19 emerged because of a laboratory or research related accident is not a conspiracy theory.
EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. and Dr. Peter Daszak should never again receive U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Scientific messaging must be clear and concise, backed by evidentiary support, and come from trusted messengers, such as front-line doctors treating patients.
Public health officials must work to regain American’s trust; Americans want to be educated, not indoctrinated.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo participated in medical malpractice and publicly covered up the total number of nursing homes fatalities in New York.
The 557-page report provides detailed information and clear evidence of malpractice and fraudulent activity in the public health response to the COVID Operation. Not only that, but they also admit that the SARS-CoV-2 virus “possesses a biological characteristic that is not found in nature”, within their five strongest arguments in favor of the “lab leak” theory.
The report is divided into various sections that describe in detail the occurrences of the pandemic and the resulting policy. The sections are as follows:
The Origins of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Including but Not Limited to the Federal Government’s Funding of Gain-of-Function Research
The Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Transparency of the Use of Taxpayer Funds and Relief Programs to Address the Coronavirus Pandemic, Including Any Reports of Waste, Fraud, or Abuse
The Implementation or Effectiveness of Any Federal Law or Regulation Applied, Enacted, or Under Consideration to Address the Coronavirus Pandemic and Prepare for Future Pandemics
The Development of Vaccines and Treatments, and the Development and Implementation of Vaccination Policies for Federal Employees and Members of the Armed Forces
The Economic Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Associated Government Response on Individuals, Communities, Small Businesses, Health Care Providers, States, and Local Government Entities
The Societal Impact of Decisions to Close Schools, How the Decisions Were Made and Whether There is Evidence of Widespread Learning Loss or Other Negative Effects as a Result of These Decisions
Cooperation By the Executive Branch and Others with Congress, the Inspectors General, the Government Accountability Office, and Others in Connection with Oversight of the Preparedness for and Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic
The purpose of this report ultimately was to investigate the facts of the pandemic response by the U.S. government, but also to lay the groundwork for future public health responses. Chairman Wenstrup mentions:
“This work will help the United States, and the world, predict the next pandemic, prepare for the next pandemic, protect ourselves from the next pandemic, and hopefully prevent the next pandemic.”
What This Means
For those of us who have been fighting for this cause since Day 1, not much of this is news. However, the fact that the official discourse is finally ceding ground to some key points marks a positive development. First of all, the point that the virus did not originate naturally. Second of all, not only did the vaccines not work, but the mandates were ultimately harmful.
This report is in essence Biopolitiks. They admitted some fundamental things that mark, as stated in the title, “a path forward.” Showcasing that there is a blueprint for a better response if there is to be another Operation of this magnitude.
In February of 2023, nearly two years ago, I had the honor of being invited to the Mexican Senate of the Republic by brave lawmakers, such as Senator Rafael Espino, to speak about these topics. With quite a similar title to the report, interestingly, “Pandemic and Vaccines, Lessons Learned.” At this conference, I was able to present to lawmakers and members of civil society the true consequences of the dangerous public policy that came to rise in the pandemic era.
The message I intended to convey to this audience was—that the damage was already done, and how can we learn from these experiences and move forward. The pandemic policy was catastrophic. I explained to them how the mass formation psychosis generated by the official discourse, did not allow people a choice and that the lack of coordination of official messaging caused this chaos. This is precisely what the congressional report explains, specifically the points outlined above by Chairman Brad Wenstrup. Coordination in the messaging is a necessity in the path forward.
But more important than that, it’s first vital that we define who the authorized voices should be leading the discourse. Chairman Wenstrup also gives us insight into this, which I agree with 100%. He says that the “trusted messengers” on these topics should be “front-line doctors treating patients” This is fundamentally Biopolitikal. The experts in the field coordinating with the political class in the public health decision-making process.
In my opinion, public health guidance for future communicable disease contingencies should be the following:
Step 1: Stay Calm
Step 2: Analyze the Situation Rationally
Step 3: Call the Best (trusted messengers)
Undoubtedly, the COVID operation has been the worst public health catastrophe in recent history. And looking forward, there are many potential biological threats. For example, there are about 25 or so viral families that are most likely to harbor a novel “Disease X”. No one can predict where or when the next Disease X will emerge, but now we know how not to react.
Many questions arise in the aftermath, one of them being why physicians worldwide violated their Hippocratic Oath, “First do no harm.”
What would’ve happened if governments had listened to the experts? How many lives could’ve been saved?
These are considerations that only clinicians who treated patients during this Operation understand. Perspective is vital. We faced a disease treated by everyday clinicians and front-line doctors, but never once did any government agency or bureaucrat consult with them for recommendations. They instead relied on faulty epidemiological data, which seeped into norms of care, eventually influencing the way physicians treated their patients. What resulted was not only faulty population health policy but also faulty treatment of individual cases.
For example, billions of PCR tests were conducted worldwide as part of efforts to detect SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, even Kary Mullis, 1993 Nobel Prize-winning biochemist, recognized for his invention of PCR, emphasized that PCR technology was developed as a technique to amplify DNA sequences for research purposes, not as a definitive diagnostic tool.
Additionally, the use of Computed Tomography Scans (CT Scans) to diagnose COVID pneumonia was unprecedented. That was the standard of care. A chest CT scanexposes you to about 50–70 times more radiation than a single chest X-ray, the use of ventilators with a fatality rate between 45-84% depending on the age group, as well as the toxic effect of the “miracle drug”, Remdesivir.
Here are some of my questions, since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, it is estimated that approximately 40.4 million people have died from AIDS. in 44 years they haven’t been able to develop a vaccine for HIV yet it took them less than a year to research, develop, and distribute a vaccine with a new technology mRNA for a new virus.
More than pointing fingers at those responsible, I believe that it’s time for a revision in the way we approach public health globally. In places such as the United States, healthcare and pharma are set to be reshaped completely by the incoming health secretary, RFK Jr. The new administration has emphasized accountability, not retroactively but rather proactively. More trials, and further research to evaluate the safety of the products we consume.
As citizens, we don’t care about the origin as much as we do the solutions. How we will react the next time something like this occurs, that’s what the public cares about.
The views of freedom-fighting causes are permeating into public policy initiatives. As I mentioned previously—for those who have been fighting since Day 1, not much of this is news to us. I do, however, see this as a major step in the right direction. This is a new dawn for Biopolitiks.
I’d like to recognize the efforts of awakened doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers during this crisis, who have risked more than their careers for the truth. I believe the release of this report closes a chapter in history. However, it also opens a new chapter in the history of global health. One in which we as citizens alongside the government shape the way public health is done, worldwide.
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Dr. Alejandro Diaz is a Pediatric Allergist / Immunologist and Global Health Expert with extensive international experience. he has delivered conferences in over 27 countries around the globe on topics of medicine, migration, biosecurity, and related topics. This includes prestigious venues such as the White House, the US Capitol, the Romanian Parliament, the European Parliament in Brussels, the Mexican Senate of the Republic, the United Nations in Geneva, Japanese Parliament, among others.
His career encompasses diverse roles in healthcare including private practice, health systems, and advisory positions for medical service companies, governments, and government entities worldwide.
Apesar de todas as advertências russas de que o conflito na Ucrânia está a atingir um ponto perigoso, o Ocidente continua as suas medidas de escalada. Recentemente, um importante político britânico apelou à expansão da assistência militar a Kiev, mostrando claramente que Londres não está interessada na desescalada. Parece não haver limites para a belicosidade dos líderes ocidentais, que querem levar a guerra com a Rússia até às últimas consequências.
Numa conversa privada com outros líderes do G7, o primeiro-ministro britânico, Keir Starmer, disse que é necessário “continuar a maximizar a dor de Putin” através de medidas militares e econômicas. Ele disse que os países do G7 precisam de expandir a sua assistência militar, bem como as sanções econômicas, impondo medidas ainda mais coercivas contra a Federação Russa e os seus aliados.
O gabinete de Starmer divulgou comunicado sobre a reunião, esclarecendo os temas que ele comentou. O primeiro-ministro do Reino Unido disse que o presidente russo, Vladimir Putin, parece forte e obstinado em continuar as ações militares na Ucrânia, o que Starmer disse ser devido à fraqueza do Ocidente em impor-lhe “dor”. O líder britânico acredita que só infligindo danos à Rússia será possível fazer Putin “repensar” a operação militar especial e, eventualmente, desistir.
“O primeiro-ministro disse que com [o presidente russo Vladimir] Putin não mostrando nenhum sinal de ceder, é vital que reforcemos o nosso apoio para colocar a Ucrânia na melhor posição possível para o futuro (…) Ele apelou aos colegas do G7 que continuem a maximizar a dor de Putin, aumentando o apoio militar aos ucranianos e aumentando a pressão econômica, inclusive através de novas sanções, sempre que possível”, diz a declaração.
Starmer não parece acreditar em qualquer caminho diplomático, ignorando completamente qualquer possibilidade de diálogo com a Rússia. Ao contrário do seu homólogo alemão, Olaf Scholz, que conversou recentemente com Putin e prometeu fazê-lo novamente, o chefe do parlamento britânico afirma que é necessário alcançar a vitória ucraniana desgastando a Rússia, acreditando assim que o plano da OTAN para uma guerra prolongada com Moscou é viável.
Ao agir desta forma, o Primeiro-Ministro britânico ignora todos os alertas recentes dados pela Federação Russa sobre os perigos de uma escalada descontrolada do conflito. Moscou alerta o Ocidente sobre o perigo que representa a participação cada vez mais ativa da OTAN nas ações militares ucranianas, especialmente no que diz respeito à utilização de mísseis de longo alcance contra alvos no território russo reconhecido. O Reino Unido está entre os países que fornecem estas armas à Ucrânia e, portanto, é participante nos crimes cometidos pelo regime de Kiev contra regiões russas fora da zona de conflito.
Como é sabido, estas armas de longo alcance contêm tecnologia especial que a OTAN não quer dar aos ucranianos. Neste sentido, o equipamento militar é operado por pessoal especializado ocidental baseado ilegalmente em solo ucraniano. Isto significa que tais ataques são ações deliberadas do Ocidente contra territórios russos reconhecidos.
De acordo com a nova doutrina nuclear russa, tais ataques da Ucrânia estão a legitimar uma resposta nuclear russa. Moscou abstém-se de tomar tais medidas para evitar uma catástrofe, mas se as provocações continuarem a aumentar, poderá chegar o momento em que será impossível evitar a resposta.
Ao ignorar estes avisos russos, Starmer contribui deliberadamente para a escalada do conflito e aproxima-o cada vez mais do ponto sem retorno. Deve-se ressaltar que restam poucas medidas militares a serem tomadas. Dado que já estão a ser utilizadas armas de longo alcance, há pouco que o Ocidente possa fazer para aumentar ainda mais a escalada. Alguns falcões da OTAN apelam ao envio de tropas para o terreno ou à entrega de armas nucleares à Ucrânia, por exemplo. É claro que qualquer uma destas ações irresponsáveis desencadearia uma resposta nuclear russa.
Quanto às sanções, o sucesso econômico da Rússia nos últimos três anos deixou claro que nenhuma medida comercial coerciva terá qualquer efeito prático. Moscou preparou-se para a guerra comercial do Ocidente criando uma estratégia para entrar no mercado asiático antes de perder as suas parcerias com a Europa. No final, os lucros russos expandiram-se e o próprio Ocidente, especialmente os países europeus, foi prejudicado pelas sanções. Portanto, exigir medidas mais coercivas é apenas uma perda de tempo, uma vez que isto afetará o próprio Ocidente e não a Rússia.
O Ocidente tem agora de escolher entre ir às consequências extremas, potencialmente nucleares, da guerra ou seguir o caminho da desescalada. Falcões como Starmer parecem estar prontos para arriscar uma guerra total, mas espera-se que prevaleça uma visão mais racional do conflito para evitar o pior cenário.
Western democracy is just a process for legitimizing elite interests, and these same elites sometimes repeat the process until they get their desired result.
It was assessed late last month that “The Outcome Of Romania’s Presidential Election Could Spoil The US’ Potential Escalation Plans” if then-frontrunner Calin Georgescu, a populist conservative-nationalist that’s critical of NATO’s proxy war on Russian in Ukraine, had won the second round on 8 December. His first-round victory was annulled by the Constitutional Coup in a move that he condemned as a coup, however, on the pretext that his pre-election support on TikTok might have been due to foreign backing.
Nothing like this has ever happened before. Nobody alleges that the electoral process itself was fraudulent. The only claim is that classified evidence supposedly exists allegedly suggesting that the popularization of Georgescu’s content on TikTok might have been inorganic. When all was said and done, however, more voters still chose him over anyone else. This means that speculative degrees of separation between them and a foreign actor via social media was enough to annul the election.
This is a disturbing precedent that can easily be exploited by the West the next time that a populist conservative-nationalist with “politically incorrect” foreign policy views wins an election. At the time of writing, a redo hasn’t yet been scheduled, but it’s expected after the new pro-Western parliament convenes on 20 December. About that, their elections were held after the first presidential round, but no accusations of foul play followed. This is obviously due to the West receiving its desired result.
It remains unclear who’ll serve as Commander-in-Chief until the next one is elected, but whoever it is, nobody should anticipate them implementing any radical policies like Georgescu’s. Accordingly, more time has been bought for NATO to organize its reportedly planned peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, even if it’s carried out under a non-NATO mandate. Had Georgescu won the second round and been inaugurated later this month, he could have ruled out his country’s participation in this possible plan.
Romania isn’t as indispensable for NATO’s military logistics to Ukraine as Poland is, but it still borders Ukraine’s western and southwestern regions that are of strategic importance for the bloc. Even if Romania wouldn’t directly participate in any such mission, regardless of whether it’s carried out under the peacekeeper pretext, it could still let the alliance’s troops and equipment transit through its territory to Odessa for example. Georgescu, however, could have cut that off and greatly complicated their plans.
Keeping him out of office or at least delaying his victory, if he’s even allowed to run again that is (and the results aren’t annulled again or defrauded like they were in neighboringMoldova), is therefore of supreme Western importance in order to keep their military logistics options open. Even if they succeed, there are still “10 Obstacles To Trump’s Reported Plan For Western/NATO Peacekeepers In Ukraine” that he’d have to overcome, which readers can learn about from the preceding hyperlinked analysis.
It might therefore turn out that all of this meddling was for naught if no such peacekeeping mission follows or if Romania doesn’t play a significant role therein. In any case, that’s the cost that the West was willing to pay simply to keep such options maximally open, thus showing how its leaders really feel about the democratic process. At the end of the day, Western democracy is just a process for legitimizing elite interests, and these same elites sometimes repeat the process until they get their desired result.
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Andrew Korybko is an American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
The case that began on September 17 concerning the control of the Murdoch family trust has been decided. It saw a dicey attempt by the one of the most ruthless newspaper and media moguls in history to limit influence and control of his publishing and broadcasting empire after his death. The relevant parties? The children, of course.
The central instrument of dispute was a trust, intended as an irrevocable instrument born from the divorce of Rupert Murdoch and his second wife Anna Torv Murdoch Mann. Anna’s wish was that Rupert and the children share control over the businesses of the imperium. Any new contenders – namely those arising from Rupert’s union with Wendy Deng – would also be shut out, though not financially. This meant that Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James would each have an equal voting share concerning company decisions after their father’s croaking.
Power, and its exercise, instils a permanent restlessness. Rupert was unlikely to leave the trust, whatever its status, alone. Patriarchs of such character are bound to have their favourites, angling for those who advance their concerns and interests while marginalising perceived threats and inadequate helpers. Over time, Lachlan seemed to push his way through to the front as one most likely to continue the father’s media vision. According to The New York Times, it was he who ultimately pushed matters to alter the trust in mid-2023 given rattling moves from Elisabeth Murdoch. At a subsequent meeting of the trust, Rupert stated that, while he loved his brood, “these companies need a designated leader and Lachlan is that leader”.
The other children had also stirred the patriarch’s sense of peace, much of it arising from the role played by Fox News and News Corp. James, for instance, is seen as the most “troublesome” by Lachlan, given his grumblings over the Fox-News Corp besmirching of climate change science and other unenviable causes. The result was Project Harmony, an attempt to cut out the other children from making decisions on the future direction of the media imperium. This change of heart was always going to be difficult to realise, given the limits imposed on any unilateral changes made by the “settlor” in Nevada law.
In June, Nevada’s Probate Commissioner gave Rupert a streak of hope. Changes could be made to the trust subject to the proviso that they be done in good faith and for the sole benefit of the heirs. The father’s sly contention was that granting Lachlan full control would end up advantaging all the children. The tribal chieftain had spoken.
This month, Commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr. made his sharp assessment: he was far from impressed.
“The effort was an attempt to stack the deck in Lachlan Murdoch’s favour after Rupert Murdoch’s passing so that the succession would be immutable. The play might have worked; but an evidentiary hearing, like a showdown in a game of poker, is where gamesmanship collides with the facts and at its conclusion all the bluffs are called and the cards lie face up.”
Both Rupert and Lachlan had acted in bad faith in engaging what Gorman regarded as a “carefully drafted charade” intended to favour Lachlan’s position of power.
James, Elisabeth, and Prudence, keeping up appearances, supplied a statement to The New York Times welcoming the Commissioner’s finding “and hope that we can move beyond this litigation to focus on strengthening and rebuilding relationships among all family members.” This seems unlikely, given a few contingencies. For one thing, the commissioner’s finding is to be passed on to the Probate Court, requiring a district judge to ratify or reject it. Either way, this will permit the defeated party to appeal the ruling. The lawyers on all sides are swooning.
Media vultures in search of carrion see this ruling as remarkable – probably more so than it is. A former Murdoch editor turned snow white, Eric Beecher, argues that the leadership of both New Corp and Fox “is now deeply uncertain as a result of the commissioner’s ruling. The non-Murdoch shareholders – who own more than 80% of each company – have woken up to the news that their chairman is likely to lose when his father dies”. Shareholders and markets, Beecher goes on to remind us, “hate uncertainty.”
This certainly presents a problem for the Murdoch family. Whatever their disagreements, the cash incentive has always been sovereign in power. Principles have been treated as baubles and luxuries. Fox News, beastly as it is, remains a sacred cow in the profit stakes. For over 20 years, it has raked in the viewer numbers. It has an enviable primacy over others in the swill bucket of cable news, seizing some 70% of the market in November. Competitors such as CNN and MSNBC have seen their audiences fall since the November election.
That said, the model Fox News breathes and feeds on has an inbuilt obsolescence. Alternative avenues were cultivated by the Trump campaign in 2024, most notably through podcast formats offered by such figures as Joe Rogan. Subscription television is on a precipitous decline in the US. Lachlan’s siblings may end up seeing the very outlets of Daddy Rupert they despise yet profit from atrophy over time. No one should shed a tear for that fact.
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Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He currently lectures at RMIT University. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Email: [email protected]
“The vaccines were forced on the people by the Australian Government.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Medical Board of Australia did a criminal thing in March 2021 and issued a gag order to all nurses, doctors, psychologists and every other health practitioner in Australia to shut up and be quiet about the risks of so-called COVID vaccines.”
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The Worldwide Corona Crisis, Global Coup d’Etat Against Humanity
by Michel Chossudovsky
Michel Chossudovsky reviews in detail how this insidious project “destroys people’s lives”. He provides a comprehensive analysis of everything you need to know about the “pandemic” — from the medical dimensions to the economic and social repercussions, political underpinnings, and mental and psychological impacts.
“My objective as an author is to inform people worldwide and refute the official narrative which has been used as a justification to destabilize the economic and social fabric of entire countries, followed by the imposition of the “deadly” COVID-19 “vaccine”. This crisis affects humanity in its entirety: almost 8 billion people. We stand in solidarity with our fellow human beings and our children worldwide. Truth is a powerful instrument.”
Reviews
This is an in-depth resource of great interest if it is the wider perspective you are motivated to understand a little better, the author is very knowledgeable about geopolitics and this comes out in the way Covid is contextualized. —Dr. Mike Yeadon
In this war against humanity in which we find ourselves, in this singular, irregular and massive assault against liberty and the goodness of people, Chossudovsky’s book is a rock upon which to sustain our fight. –Dr. Emanuel Garcia
In fifteen concise science-based chapters, Michel traces the false covid pandemic, explaining how a PCR test, producing up to 97% proven false positives, combined with a relentless 24/7 fear campaign, was able to create a worldwide panic-laden “plandemic”; that this plandemic would never have been possible without the infamous DNA-modifying Polymerase Chain Reaction test – which to this day is being pushed on a majority of innocent people who have no clue. His conclusions are evidenced by renown scientists. —Peter Koenig
Professor Chossudovsky exposes the truth that “there is no causal relationship between the virus and economic variables.” In other words, it was not COVID-19 but, rather, the deliberate implementation of the illogical, scientifically baseless lockdowns that caused the shutdown of the global economy. –David Skripac
A reading of Chossudovsky’s book provides a comprehensive lesson in how there is a global coup d’état under way called “The Great Reset” that if not resisted and defeated by freedom loving people everywhere will result in a dystopian future not yet imagined. Pass on this free gift from Professor Chossudovsky before it’s too late. You will not find so much valuable information and analysis in one place. –Edward Curtin
ISBN: 978-0-9879389-3-0, Year: 2022, PDF Ebook, Pages: 164, 15 Chapters
Ukrainian fighters are deprived of the possibility of holding their positions while the Russian Armed Forces are steadily advancing, writes the newspaper Le Figaro, citing a source in the French Army. Although Russian forces are methodically advancing, majorly contributing to the rapid collapse of Ukrainian frontlines is the retaliatory destruction of energy infrastructure following the Kiev regime’s missile attacks on Russian territory.
According to the French interlocutor, Ukrainian troops are facing serious problems due to a lack of resources and troop rotation, to the point that they cannot even build defensive structures.
“The Russians are not accelerating their offensive. The Ukrainians are simply no longer able to hold the front. At this point, no decisive momentum is visible. The Russians are advancing methodically, sector by sector,” the article quotes the source as saying.
It is also noted that the Ukrainian landscape, composed mainly of the steppe, benefits the Russian military by allowing them to detect and destroy enemy equipment quickly.
“Such tactics are a consequence of the transparency of the battlefield: any concentration of forces for the offensive is immediately detected and hit by the adversary. […] The Ukrainians have almost no alternative options,” concluded the author.
Russia’s methodical advance is not only forcing the collapse of the Ukrainian military but is also taking its toll on the country’s energy infrastructure.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine has not built a single power plant. All of its nuclear, hydroelectric and thermal power plants were built during the Soviet era. Now, after months of combat and a campaign of precision Russian strikes triggered by Kiev’s attacks on Russian territory, some 80 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure lies in ruins.
This grim situation is further exacerbated by rampant corruption, which is hampering efforts to protect Ukrainian energy facilities by moving them to reinforced underground shelters.
Kiev has already lamented that if Russian attacks on energy infrastructure continue, Ukrainians could face power outages lasting 12 to 20 hours a day this winter. The dire state of Ukraine’s power grid has also begun to affect the country’s remaining nuclear power plants.
Russia, on December 13, launched a huge attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the 12th large-scale attack on energy facilities this year, which, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was conducted with 93 missiles and more than 200 drones. Authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk said it was the worst attack on the region so far.
Five of Ukraine’s nine operational nuclear reactors were forced to slow their output on December 13 at the behest of the Ukrainian power grid operator. These changes were made because nuclear plants require reliable connections to the power grid, not only to transmit the power they generate but also to receive the electricity needed for cooling. The lack of such connections would require shutting down the plant or facing the prospect of failures in safety systems with potentially catastrophic consequences.
The Kremlin highlighted that the attack was in response to the Kiev regime striking a military airbase in southwest Russia using US-made missiles.
A day before the attack, President-elect Donald Trump told Time magazine that he “very vehemently” disagreed with American-made missiles targeting sites in Russia, describing it as “crazy.”
“We’re just escalating this war and making it worse,” he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Trump’s comments were “fully aligned” with Moscow’s position.
“That impresses us,” he continued. “It is obvious that Trump understands exactly what is escalating the situation.”
Since the beginning of the war, Russian forces have destroyed eight power plants and more than 800 heat supply facilities in Ukraine, leading to more than $10 billion in damage to the country’s energy system.
In August alone, Russia fired more than 200 missiles and drones at Ukrainian power production facilities to cut out energy generation capacity. On November 17, Russia launched one of its largest attacks against Ukraine’s power grid since the start of the war, consisting of 120 missiles and 90 drones. Then, as mentioned, there were the devastating attacks on December 13.
Russia’s wave of coordinated strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities, including thermal power plants, plunges the entire country into the dark of winter and disrupts water distribution, heating, sewage and sanitation systems, and electrical supplies. Due to this, Ukrainian civilians and businesses have suffered from sustained blackouts and power outages, creating fear since the energy situation will become even more dire as the winter deepens.
Yet, even with front lines collapsing and the energy situation becoming increasingly dire, Zelensky refuses to negotiate an end to the war and remove the 2022 decree that ruled out talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials, meaning that the suffering for ordinary Ukrainians is only going to get much worse before it gets any better.
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“Im sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone – if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white. We all want to help one another.
Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery.
We don’t want to hate and despise one another.
In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.
….
In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” – not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.
Then – in the name of democracy – let us use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world – a decent world that will give men a chance to work – that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!
Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world – to do away with national barriers – to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!
We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.
Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost…”
Click the video below to watch it on youtube.
TRANSCRIPT
I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone – if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white. We all want to help one another.
Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery.
We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in.
Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost…
The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men – cries out for universal brotherhood – for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world – millions of despairing men, women, and little children – victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.
.
.
To those who can hear me, I say – do not despair.
The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed – the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress.
The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish…
Soldiers! don’t give yourselves to brutes – men who despise you – enslave you – who regiment your lives – tell you what to do – what to think and what to feel! Who drill you – diet you – treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder.
Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men – machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate – the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!
In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” – not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.
Then – in the name of democracy – let us use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world – a decent world that will give men a chance to work – that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!
Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world – to do away with national barriers – to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!
Chaplin spent many months drafting and re-writing the speech for the end of the film, a call for peace from the barber who has been mistaken for Hynkel. Many people criticized the speech, and thought it was superfluous to the film. Others found it uplifting. Regrettably Chaplin’s words are as relevant today as they were in 1940.
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“Here in Deir al-Balah, it’s like an apocalypse. There is no room for you to pitch a tent; you have to set it up near the coast… You have to protect your children from insects, from the heat, and there is no clean water, no toilets, all while the bombing never stops. You feel like you are subhuman here.” —Mohammed, a 42-year-old father of three, speaking in June 2024 about his experience of displacement from Rafah to Deir al-Balah governorate.
On 7 October 2023, Israel embarked on a military offensive on the occupied Gaza Strip (Gaza) of unprecedented magnitude, scale and duration. Since then, it has carried out relentless aerial and ground attacks, many of them with large explosive weapons, which have caused massive damage and flattened entire neighbourhoods and cities across Gaza, along with their life-supporting infrastructure, agricultural land, and cultural and religious sites and symbols deeply engrained in Palestinians’ collective memory. Israel’s military offensive has killed and seriously injured tens of thousands of Palestinians, including thousands of children, many of them in direct or indiscriminate attacks, often wiping out entire multigenerational families. Israel has forcibly displaced 90% of Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants, many of them multiple times, into ever-shrinking, ever-changing pockets of land that lacked basic infrastructure, forcing people to live in conditions that exposed them to a slow and calculated death. It has deliberately obstructed or denied the import and delivery of life-saving goods and humanitarian aid. It has restricted power supplies that, together with damage and destruction, led to the collapse of the water, sanitation and healthcare systems. It has subjected hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinians from Gaza to incommunicado detention and acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment that had apparently resulted in at least 53 deaths by August 2024. The unlawful acts inflicted on Palestinians simultaneously, for months without respite, have had a profound, cumulative impact on the mental and physical health of Gaza’s entire population: those who survived were left weakened, hungry or traumatized, with likely permanent effects on their mental and physical health.
Such is the treatment that Israel has inflicted upon Palestinians in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Early that morning, Hamas fighters indiscriminately fired a barrage of rockets into Israel and, joined by fighters from other Palestinian armed groups, breached the border fence that surrounds Gaza. Hamas and other armed groups attacked civilian and military targets, carrying out deliberate mass killings, summary killings and other abuses, causing suffering and physical injuries. They destroyed civilian property by burning houses, making them uninhabitable and causing the internal displacement of civilians. They abducted 223 civilians, Israeli and foreigners, including children, and captured 27 Israeli soldiers. Some of their actions constituted war crimes under international law. With approximately 1,200 people killed, over 800 of them civilians, including at least 36 children, these were the deadliest single-day attacks in Israel’s history. Amnesty International’s detailed findings about the crimes perpetrated by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in the context of their attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 are the focus of a forthcoming publication.
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Photo released by the Israeli military from the events of October 7, 2023. (Photo: Israeli Defense Forces)
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This report focuses on the Israeli authorities’ policies and actions in Gaza as part of the military offensive they launched in the wake of the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 while situating them within the broader context of Israel’s unlawful occupation, and system of apartheid against Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. It assesses allegations of violations and crimes under international law by Israel in Gaza within the framework of genocide under international law, concluding that there is sufficient evidence to believe that Israel’s conduct in Gaza following 7 October 2023 amounts to genocide.
Given that the report is based on Amnesty International’s field and desk research into violations perpetrated by Israel in Gaza between 7 October 2023 and early July 2024, it focuses on this nine-month period. However, it reflects overarching data until early October 2024 and key international developments until the end of November 2024.
To make a determination on genocide, Amnesty International first examined whether Palestinians in Gaza constitute part of a protected group under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention), that is a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. It then focused on three out of the five prohibited acts under the Genocide Convention: “killing members of the group”; “causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group”; and “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”. It finally examined whether Israel committed these acts with the specific “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, [the] group, as such”.
To this end, Amnesty International interviewed 212 people as part of its research. They included Palestinian victims, survivors and witnesses of air strikes, displacement, detention, the destruction of farms, homes and agricultural land, as well as individuals who faced the impact of Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid. Amnesty International also spoke with members of local authorities in Gaza, Palestinian healthcare workers and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies involved in the humanitarian response in Gaza.
Amnesty International complemented these interviews with its analysis of an extensive range of visual and digital evidence, including satellite imagery, video footage and photographs posted on social media or obtained directly by its researchers. It authenticated and, where possible, geolocated video footage and photographs. It reviewed an extensive collection of media reports, statements, reports and data sets published by UN agencies and humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, as well as Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups. It reviewed statements by senior Israeli government and military officials and official Israeli bodies, including spokespersons of the Israeli military and the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit within Israel’s Ministry of Defense tasked with administering civilian matters in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Amnesty International also examined submissions made to and decisions taken by the Israeli Supreme Court as well as publicly available material relating to South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Despite its repeated attempts to engage with the Israeli authorities through information and meeting requests, the organization received no substantive answer to any of its letters sent between 30 October 2023 and 16 October 2024.
Overview of Israel’s Offensive
Hours after the 7 October 2023 attacks, Israel conducted a first wave of retaliatory air strikes on Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the offensive would continue “with neither limitations nor respite” until Israel destroyed Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and brought all hostages back to Israel. He translated his words into actions. In the first two months of the offensive alone, the Israeli air force carried out about 10,000 air strikes in Gaza. Many used large explosive weapons with wide area effects on densely populated residential areas, including in the vicinity of hospitals and other critical infrastructure. The impact of such attacks on one of the most densely populated places on earth, with about 6,300 people per square kilometre, was devastating.
On 13 October 2023, the Israeli military issued its first mass “evacuation” order, instructing some 1.1 million people – the entire population living north of Wadi Gaza – to move to the area south of Wadi Gaza “for their safety and protection”, and failing to take measures to ensure the displaced population’s access to basic necessities. The order applied to hundreds of thousands of people who were already displaced and were sheltering in UN schools, as well as all patients and staff working in 23 hospitals and medical facilities in the area. Humanitarian organizations, which had used Gaza City as their hub for years, were also subjected to the order and forced to leave behind warehouse supplies, equipment and vehicles, and to re-establish a humanitarian infrastructure from scratch in Rafah.
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A boy sits in rubble in Gaza. Photo Credit: UNICEF
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Meanwhile, senior Israeli military and government officials intensified their calls for the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, using racist and dehumanizing language that equated Palestinian civilians with the enemy to be destroyed.
In a widely publicized statement made at a press conference on 12 October 2023, President Isaac Herzog held all Palestinians in Gaza responsible for Hamas’s attacks:
“It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible. It’s not true this rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved.”
While he maintained that his words had been misinterpreted, the slogan “there are no uninvolved civilians” was later scrawled near settlements in the occupied West Bank, demonstrating the statement’s spread. In another illustrative example, on 11 November 2023, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video clip from a show on Israeli TV in which he said that Palestinians who expressed support for Hamas and its actions were considered “terrorists” and must also be destroyed. He added this comment:
“To be clear, when they say that Hamas needs to be eliminated, it also means those who sing, those who support and those who distribute sweets, all of these are terrorists. And they should be eliminated!”
Within weeks of Israel’s offensive, genocide and legal scholars, UN experts, as well as civil society organizations, warned that Palestinians in Gaza may be at risk of genocide. On 29 December 2023, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over alleged breaches by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinians in Gaza. This prompted the court to issue a series of legally binding provisional measures over the following months to guarantee the right of Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts of genocide. Yet, Israel failed to implement them. Despite expressing concern over Israel’s conduct, and in the face of the ICJ’s orders, the international community failed to take sufficient action to modify or stop Israel’s actions. When the UN Security Council eventually adopted a three-phase ceasefire plan in June 2024, after an earlier resolution called for a time-limited ceasefire during the month of Ramadan in March 2024, it was too little too late.
On 6 May 2024, Israeli forces went ahead with a long-threatened ground operation in Rafah despite a consensus among humanitarian organizations and repeated warnings by many states, including Israel’s staunchest allies, that it would have cataclysmic implications for Palestinian civilians and the humanitarian response. Not only did Rafah provide shelter for over 1 million Palestinians after they were displaced following a series of mass “evacuation” orders by the Israeli military, but it also served at that point as the main hub for the humanitarian response. The operation drew near-unanimous international condemnation and prompted the ICJ to issue new provisional measures ordering Israel to “immediately halt its military offensive”. Israeli officials knew precisely the devastation the ground operation in Rafah would inflict on Palestinian civilians.
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Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Rafah, the last refuge in southern Gaza. Photo credit: MENAFN
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The offensive on Rafah was launched a week after Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, a member of Israel’s security cabinet, explicitly called for the city’s destruction by referring to a well-known Biblical story of absolute vengeance in which an entire nation – the people of Amalek – is ordered to be destroyed:
“There are no jobs half done. Rafah, Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat, destruction! Blot out the memory of [the people of] Amalek from under heaven,” he said at a public event on 29 April 2024.
In fact, Minister of Finance Smotrich and Minister of National Security Ben-Gvir, who also made some of the most explicit calls for the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, threatened to quit the government coalition if Prime Minister Netanyahu abandoned plans to attack Rafah. Minister of Finance Smotrich’s statement came months after Prime Minister Netanyahu first referred to the story of the total destruction of the people of Amalek in the first week of Israel’s ground offensive in late October and early November 2023. He used it to garner support for what was, at the time, a new and highly destructive phase of the conflict. As Israel’s highest office-holder, who oversaw the offensive on Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu would have most certainly known that his words would be understood by soldiers, particularly those affiliated with the settler movement and religious nationalist parties led by the two ministers, as calls for the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza.
Following the operation, almost the entirety of Rafah’s population, residents and displaced people, were forced to look for new temporary shelters in the governorate of Khan Younis, which had been made nearly uninhabitable due to the large-scale destruction caused by Israeli attacks and fighting with Palestinian armed groups, and in the Israeli-designated “humanitarian zone” of Al-Mawasi and “expanded humanitarian area” of Deir al-Balah, where newly displaced families struggled to find space to set themselves up amid tightly packed tents. Those forced out of Rafah were not able to return, and neither were those forced out of the area north of Wadi Gaza. The Rafah crossing, largely destroyed by Israeli forces, closed, cutting off Gaza’s lifeline to Egypt.
By 7 October 2024, the Gaza-based Ministry of Health had recorded 42,010 Palestinian fatalities in Gaza, the vast majority of which were of Palestinians killed during Israel’s offensive, and 97,590 other Palestinians injured since 7 October 2023. The actual toll of those killed during the offensive may be higher and will only become apparent once the conflict is over, including when rescue teams are able to count the dead and retrieve missing bodies from under the rubble. The armed conflict in Gaza has seen some of the highest known death tolls among children (13,319 by 7 October 2024), journalists, as well as health and humanitarian workers of any recent conflict in the world.
The level and speed of damage to and destruction of homes and infrastructure across all sectors of economic activity has similarly not been seen in any other conflict in the 21st century, with remote sensing experts noting that it was “much faster and more extensive” than anything they had mapped before. About 62% of all homes in Gaza were damaged or destroyed by January 2024, affecting approximately 1.08 million people, according to a joint Interim Damage Assessment published by the World Bank, the EU and the UN in March 2024. By July 2024, around 63% of the total structures in Gaza had been damaged or destroyed, according to a UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) satellite imagery-based assessment. Amnesty International estimated that there was, on average, one damaged or destroyed building every 17 metres in Gaza by then. Meanwhile, some 625,000 students missed out on an entire academic year, with an estimated 85% of schools having sustained some form of damage.
In May 2024, the announcement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he had applied to the court for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant over their alleged criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity prompted Israel’s Military Advocate General to publicly confirm that the military police had opened criminal investigations into 70 incidents where the commission of a criminal offence was suspected. This included allegations of deaths under torture, killings and other incidents of violence. However, as far as Amnesty International has been able to confirm from publicly available sources, by 30 September 2024, there had been only one indictment of an Israeli soldier in relation to the torture of Palestinian detainees, demonstrating a near-total lack of accountability in line with a well-documented long-standing pattern of impunity.
Finally, instead of complying with the ICJ advisory opinion issued in July 2024, which concluded that Israel’s 57-year-old occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory is unlawful and called on Israel to withdraw all of its military forces and remove civilian settlements and settlers, Israel entrenched its military presence in Gaza by establishing and maintaining a linear military zone that it referred to as the “Netzarim Corridor” on either side of an existing east-west road south of Gaza City, which cut off the area north of Wadi Gaza from the area south of it. The zone threatened to perpetuate displacement and the fragmentation of Gaza.
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Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, today’s de facto ruler of Damascus, has an eloquent history: he began his jihadist militancy in al-Qaeda’s ranks as an associate of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the “caliph” who founded ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, in 2013.
Given the destruction and partitioning of Syria, it has become impossible to consider United States foreign policy without some acceptance that it is driven and, in a sense, directed by Israel and Israel’s formidable domestic lobby in the US.
While Article 13 of the Washington Treaty appears to be simplistic, one can expect numerous pressures and fraudulent actions with a view to preventing a NATO member state from canceling its NATO membership. What is crucial is to fracture and weaken NATO: an intergovernmental alliance of 32 member states.
In a 296-page report sporting the ominous title “You Feel Like You Are Subhuman”, the human rights body, after considering the events in Gaza between October 2023 and July 2024, identified a “pattern of conduct” that indicated genocidal intent.
There are times when withholding the truth would be in the highest interest. Someone lying to the police to protect someone from unjust persecution at the hands of an unjust system. A journalist protecting a source by obfuscating the truth from government agents. A battered wife lying to her husband to calm him down. An abused child lying to their abuser about what they’ve been doing.
The future of Syria and the concerned parties is far from clear now, there being lots of room for infighting among the different rebel factions. Turkey, which has long occupied northern Syria, has taken advantage of the ceasefire in Lebanon to give the rebels the green-light for launching an offensive (with Iran weakened in Syria and Hezbollah cornered in Lebanon).
December 2024 is the fifth anniversary of the “nightmare pandemic” which would radically change our lives! A massive “blunder” that we weren’t ready for! The world was convinced to undertake extreme efforts to contain this “killer virus” in order to limit the carnage that would have resulted.
Dr. Rahul Jandial’s 25 years as a neurosurgeon reveals that dreams are deeply connected to neurological functions, with brain imaging showing distinct patterns between waking and dreaming states
During sleep, your brain’s executive network (prefrontal cortex) becomes less active while your imagination network dominates, allowing for emotionally intense and illogical dream experiences
Your brain remains highly active during sleep, with electrical patterns similar to wakefulness. This “paradoxical sleep” serves to maintain brain health and adaptability
Lucid dreaming, where people become aware they’re dreaming, has been scientifically validated through brain scans and even enabled researcher-dreamer communication through eye movements
Dreams with lingering emotional effects are particularly worthy of reflection, as they provide unique insights into your subconscious mind and waking life experiences
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In the video above, Dr. Rahul Jandial, a neurosurgeon and neurobiologist, explores the power of dreams, bridging the gap between your waking consciousness and the vivid landscapes of your nocturnal visions.1 His insights not only challenge conventional perceptions but also offer a scientific framework to understand the profound impact of dreaming on your daily life.
With 25 years of experience as a brain surgeon, Jandial has witnessed firsthand the delicate interplay of neurons, emotions and the subconscious mind. Drawing from thousands of patient stories, he emphasizes how dreams are intertwined with neurological functions.
“Dreams that are altered, removing parts of brains and dreams that persist, dreams that can’t be stopped,” he notes,2 highlighting the resilience and complexity of our dreaming minds. His transition from the operating room to the laboratory underscores the advancements in neuroscience, enabling a deeper understanding of dreams through exotic imaging and electrical measurements.
The Waking and Dreaming Brain — Two Sides of the Same Coin
Jandial’s presentation includes a compelling comparison between the waking and dreaming brain. “There’s no way to talk about the dreaming brain unless we talk about the waking brain. It’s inseparable from the knowledge of neuroscience,” he asserts.3 This interconnectedness is visualized through brain scans that reveal both similarities and stark differences in neural activation.
During wakefulness, the executive network, primarily located in your prefrontal cortex, dominates. This network is responsible for logic, calculation and task-oriented activities. However, in the dreaming state, this region becomes “dampened,” leading to a reduction in logical processing.
Instead, the imagination network takes the forefront, allowing for the rich, often illogical narratives that characterize our dreams. This shift explains why dreams are fertile grounds for creativity and emotional exploration, unbound by the constraints of our waking logic.
The Electrifying Nature of Dreams
Jandial paints a vivid picture of the brain as an “electrical garden” teeming with 100 billion neurons firing incessantly.4 Even during sleep, your brain remains highly active, challenging the archaic notion that it merely “hibernates.”
“The patterns in certain stages of sleep are so active electrically, metabolically that they’re similar to the patterns we have during waking,” Jandial says.5 This active state, known as paradoxical sleep, underscoring your brain’s relentless pursuit of activity and connectivity.
This persistent activity is not without purpose. Jandial posits that dreaming serves as a fundamental process for maintaining your brain’s health and adaptability, with distinct characteristics from wakefulness:6
“The dreaming brain is hyper-emotional and the waking brain is hyper-executive-task-oriented. These are the two features of the waking brain and dreaming brain that we have to keep in mind. They are the same brain. They produce the same electricity. There’s blood flow going all the time. There’s no activation and deactivation really. There’s just a modulation of shifts.
The waking brain is executive network pointing outward, relying on the prefrontal cortex more. The dreaming brain is less prefrontal cortex and to compensate a lot more emotion, so much emotion can happen in the dreaming brain that even if you tried to be as wild as you could with your waking brain, you couldn’t match it. The top speed of emotion and visual dynamics in the dreaming brain exceed what is possible during the waking brain.”
While highlighting your brain’s capacity to process emotions and visualize scenarios at an intensity unmatched during wakeful hours, this hyperactivity during dreaming facilitates your brain’s ability to fine-tune itself, fostering creativity, problem-solving and emotional resilience.
Decoding Erotic Dreams Offers a Window Into Your Subconscious
Among the myriad of dreams, erotic dreams hold a special place in Jandial’s exploration. Contrary to popular belief, these dreams do not rely on physical stimulation or sensory input. “The sensations are just created by the imagination,” he states, illustrating your brain’s remarkable ability to generate complex emotional and sensory experiences independently.7
Interestingly, erotic dreams often precede the actual development of sensual capabilities in individuals. This phenomenon suggests that dreams play a role in priming your brain for future experiences, a concept that bridges developmental biology and dream science. Moreover, the prevalence of infidelity themes in erotic dreams raises intriguing questions about the interplay between desire, societal norms and subconscious processing.
Understanding the architecture of sleep is pivotal to comprehending the dreaming process. Jandial introduces the concepts of sleep entry and sleep exit — transitionary states that bridge the gap between wakefulness and sleep. These periods are important, as they represent moments where the boundaries between dreaming and waking blur, allowing for a seamless transition of consciousness.
Sleep paralysis, a phenomenon where your mind awakens before your body, often leads to intense experiences of terror and suffocation. Jandial offers a scientific explanation for these experiences, linking them to your brain’s neurotransmitter fluctuations during sleep transitions.
“The feeling of suffocation is you’re feeling panic of being locked in your brain,” he explains, demystifying the age-old tales of goblins and demons that cultures worldwide have used to describe these nocturnal terrors.8
The Reality of Lucid Dreaming — Science Meets Consciousness
Jandial’s talk also covers lucid dreaming — the rare state where individuals become aware that they’re dreaming and exert control over their dream narratives. Initially skeptical, Jandial was persuaded by scientific evidence demonstrating the real-time activation of the executive network in the brain during lucid dreams.
Studies involving medications like the Alzheimer’s drug galantamine have shown a dose-dependent increase in lucid dreaming occurrences, providing tangible proof of its biological underpinnings.
Furthermore, techniques involving eye movements in sleep labs have enabled researchers to communicate with lucid dreamers, confirming the authenticity of their conscious awareness within dreams. This research not only validates the existence of lucid dreaming but also opens avenues for harnessing its potential for creativity and self-exploration.
Jandial even explains the potential of dreams to predict future neurological conditions, particularly Parkinson’s disease. Through observations in sleep laboratories, he discovered that patients who would later develop Parkinson’s exhibited distinct dreaming patterns years before their diagnosis.
These precognitive dreams often involved intense physical movements that, paradoxically, were executed with fluidity in the dreaming state but translated to rigidity and impaired movements in waking life.
This phenomenon, known as paradoxical kinesia, serves as a harbinger of the brain’s impending degeneration. “The dreams in that way reveal what will happen with the human brain — they predict what will happen,” Jandial says, revealing implications of this discovery for early diagnosis and intervention.9
Interpreting Dreams Using a Multifaceted Approach
Dream interpretation, a practice as old as humanity itself, takes on new dimensions with Jandial’s scientific insights. He categorizes dreams into various types — genre dreams, universal dreams, nightmares and erotic dreams — each serving distinct functions in your subconscious processing.
While some dreams require no interpretation, such as those directly reflecting your waking anxieties, others offer deeper insights into your emotional and psychological states. For instance, expansive dreams experienced by terminally ill patients symbolize a predictable companion to their intense emotional journeys.
Junk dreams, characterized by random and seemingly meaningless imagery, serve as your brain’s way of releasing unnecessary cognitive clutter. Jandial advises focusing on dreams with lingering emotional residues, as they offer valuable reflections on your life and mental state:10
“The ones you have a lingering, long emotional residue with — to me those are the ones to reflect upon. Those are the ones to think about the next day because they may offer you an insight into your life and into your mind, into your waking life, that you simply couldn’t get elsewhere. This is the therapist built in.
These are the portals to your subconscious — the emotional dreams that happen in the dreaming brain and the occasional memory and the residue that lingers with you as you wake up.”
The Complexities of Sleep Disorders, Dreams and Technology
The Q&A session following Jandial’s presentation explored practical concerns about sleep and dreams. Addressing questions on insomnia, night terrors and neurodiversity, he reiterated the brain-centric nature of sleep. “Sleep is for the brain,” he affirms, dispelling myths that attribute sleep solely to bodily rest.11
For individuals experiencing night terrors and sleepwalking, Jandial acknowledges the lack of definitive treatments but offers hope through understanding the underlying neurological mechanisms. By recognizing these disorders as manifestations of your dreaming brain’s wildness, patients better navigate their experiences and seek appropriate interventions.
In an era where technology is rapidly advancing, Jandial also pondered the intersection of dreams and artificial intelligence (AI). While acknowledging technologies like Neuralink and large language models, he maintains a critical perspective on the feasibility of translating dream patterns into digital formats.
“Dreaming is divergent,” he explains, contrasting it with the predictive nature of computer algorithms.12 For AI to emulate the adaptability of the human brain, it would need to incorporate a form of dream-like noise to prevent overfitting — a challenge that remains largely unresolved.
Nonetheless, Jandial remains optimistic about the future of integrating dream science with technological innovation, envisioning a symbiotic relationship that enhances both human cognition and artificial intelligence.
The Ever-Present Dreaming Process
Jandial also emphasized the inevitability and necessity of dreaming. “The dreaming process of liberating emotion, liberating movement, liberating vision is happening every night,” he asserts, “Our memory of it, by design I think, is meant to be minimal so we don’t have dreaming and waking life confusion.”13
He likens the process to the brain’s way of keeping itself fine-tuned and adaptable. Whether through sleep entry and exit or the constant toggling between your imagination and executive networks, dreams are integral to your cognitive and emotional well-being.
He encourages individuals to engage actively with their dreams through dream journals, lucid dreaming techniques and mindful reflection. By doing so, you harness the full potential of your dreaming mind, unlocking insights that transcend the limitations of your waking consciousness.
Dreams are not mere byproducts of sleep but essential processes that shape your creativity, emotional resilience and even your future neurological health. In embracing the insights shared by Jandial, you foster a deeper appreciation for your dreaming mind — a place where science meets mystery, and where your innermost self finds expression in the silent narratives of the night.
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“That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be.”
This is a line by fantasy author PC Hodgell, though it’s often misattributed to Carl Sagan.
I think about this quote a lot.
I think about it when reflecting on the way Israel is exterminating Palestinian journalists in Gaza while keeping western journalists out of the enclave to prevent the world from learning the truth about what the IDF is doing there.
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I think about it when reflecting on the mountains of government secrecy with which the western empire protects its information interests, imprisoning whistleblowers and persecuting journalists who try to expose the truth about its criminal actions around the world.
I think about it when reflecting on the nonstop deluge of empire propaganda that public consciousness is hammered with to manipulate the masses into accepting the global leadership the US-centralized power structure.
I think about it when reflecting on the US war machine and how all the military operations of Washington and its allies are always justified by lies.
I think about it when reflecting on dysfunctional relationships that are held in place by secrets and dishonesty, preventing the ones being deceived from freeing themselves and finding their way into a life of authenticity.
I think about it when reflecting on the ego and how easily its illusory nature can be seen with a penetrating insight into the truth of how human perception and cognition are really operating.
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There are times when withholding the truth would be in the highest interest. Someone lying to the police to protect someone from unjust persecution at the hands of an unjust system. A journalist protecting a source by obfuscating the truth from government agents. A battered wife lying to her husband to calm him down. An abused child lying to their abuser about what they’ve been doing.
But as near as I can tell the only times when withholding the truth is in the highest interest is when there’s an abusive power dynamic at play and the person in the down-power position is using untruth to protect someone in an unjust situation which should not exist in the first place. In all other instances, truth is best.
Truth is the great equalizer. It makes the abuses of the powerful much more difficult to execute, and gives the disempowered much more power. This is why our rulers are constantly working to expand surveillance and eliminate the privacy of ordinary citizens while increasing government secrecy to allow themselves to hide the truth, when in a healthy society it would be the exact opposite. In a healthy society ordinary members of the public would have enshrined privacy protections against the government, and any governmental systems would be as transparent as air.
In a healthy society there would be a direct one-to-one correlation between power and transparency. The more power you have the more transparency should be required of you, and the less power you have the more secrecy you should be shielded with. This would protect ordinary citizens from abuse at the hands of the powerful, and prevent the powerful from becoming abusive toward the citizenry. We know this is true because all the most abusive power structures work constantly to reverse this dynamic to the furthest extent possible.
A healthy society will be a truth-based society. It’s hard to imagine what a society that is guided by truth would look like, because we live in a society that is made of lies. If deceit magically became impossible today, all our institutions would crumble by tomorrow. A truth-based society would mean the total destruction of all that is familiar to us right now. But that which can be destroyed by the truth should be.
Truth can be scary, because in any situation sustained by falsehood, truth is a destructive force. It can cause political upheaval. It can end relationships. It can annihilate egoic delusion. Any of these will typically feel like a giant leap into the unknown, and are generally terrifying for exactly that reason. But this is the only path toward health.
If we are to survive on this planet, eventually we’re going to have to take that leap. Eventually we’re going to have to become a truth-driven species. Everything about our current status quo will resist this movement — the untruth in our current power structures, and the untruth within ourselves.
Maybe we won’t take that leap until things get so bad that the unknown looks less terrifying than what the familiar has become. Maybe we will find our courage before it comes to that point. But we’re going to have to jump for it eventually, or we will go the way of the dinosaur.
And if it does come to that, if we are collectively unable to take the leap because we value our lies more than our lives, that too will reveal a truth to us about who we are and what we were always made of. One way or the other, truth will have the final say.
That which can be destroyed by the truth should be. And, eventually, will be.
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Corporate media is heralding the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the emergence of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani as the new leader of Syria, despite his deep ties to both al-Qaeda and ISIS.
“How Syria’s ‘diversity-friendly’ jihadists plan on building a state,” runs the headline from an article in Britain’s Daily Telegraph that suggests that Jolani will construct a new Syria, respectful of minority rights. The same newspaper also labeled him a “moderate Jihadist.” The Washington Post described him as a pragmatic and charismatic leader, while CNN portrayed him as a “blazer-wearing revolutionary.”
Meanwhile, an in-depth portrait from Rolling Stone describes him as a “ruthlessly pragmatic, astute politician who has renounced ‘global jihad’” and intends to “unite Syria.” His “strategic acumen is apparent,” writes Rolling Stone, between paragraphs praising Jolani for leading a successful movement against a dictator.
CNN even scored an exclusive, sit-down interview with Jolani, even as his movement was storming Damascus. When asked by host Jomana Karadsheh about his past actions, he responded by saying,
“I believe that everyone in life goes through phases and experiences…As you grow, you learn, and you continue to learn until the very last day of your life,” as if he were discussing embarrassing teenage mistakes, not establishing and leading the Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s franchise in Syria.
This is a far cry from the first time CNN covered Jolani. In 2013, the network labeled him one of “the world’s 10 most dangerous terrorists,” known for abducting, torturing and slaughtering racial and religious minorities.
Still on the U.S. terrorist list today, the FBI is offering a $10 million reward for information about his whereabouts. Washington and other Western governments consider Jolani’s new organization, Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as one and the same as Al-Qaeda/Al-Nusra.
This poses a serious public relations dilemma for Western nations, who supported the HTS-led overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. And thus, Politico and others report there is a “huge scramble” in Washington to remove HTS and Jolani from the terrorist list as quickly as possible.
The Making of a Radical
Jolani has sought to distance himself from his past and present himself as a moderating force that can attempt to unite an intensely divided Syria. While he has, in recent years, displayed a willingness to compromise with other forces and factions, it is far from clear whether the tens of thousands of soldiers he commands – units made up primarily of former fighters from al-Qaeda/al-Nusra and ISIS – will be in a charitable mood once they cement their power.
“Syria is being purified,” he told a crowd in Damascus on Sunday. “This victory is born from the people who have languished in prison, and the fighters broke their chains,” he added.
Jolani – whose real name is Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a – was born in 1982 in Saudi Arabia to parents who fled the Golan Heights area of Syria after the 1967 Israeli invasion. In 2003, he went to Iraq to fight against American forces. After three years of war, he was captured by the U.S. military and spent over five years in prison, including a stint at the notorious Abu Ghraib torture center.
While in Iraq, Jolani fought with ISIS and was even a deputy to its founder. Immediately upon release in 2011, ISIS sent him to Syria with a rumored $1 billion to found the Syrian wing of al-Qaeda and participate in the armed protest movement against Assad that arose out of the Arab Spring.
Realizing the extremely poor reputation al-Qaeda had in the region and across the world, Jolani attempted to rebrand his forces, officially shuttering the al-Nusra Front in January 2017 and, on the same day, founding HTS. He claimed that HTS preaches a very different ideology and that it will respect Syrian diversity. Not everyone is convinced of this, least of all the British government, who immediately proscribed HTS, describing it as merely an alias of Al-Qaeda.
“Al-Qaeda/ISIS man didn’t ‘reinvent himself.’ He had the whole propaganda and intelligence apparatus of the ‘West,’ including the BBC, doing it for him,” remarked co-founder of The Electronic Intifada, Ali Abunimah.
The New Government: Likes Israel, Hates Hezbollah
The name “al-Jolani” translates to “From the Golan Heights.” And yet, the leader appears distinctly unconcerned with the Israeli invasion of his homeland. The IDF has taken much of southern Syria, including the strategic Mount Hermon, overlooking Damascus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that this is part of a permanent operation. “The Golan Heights…will forever be an inseparable part of the State of Israel,” he proclaimed.
Jolani has already said that he has no intention of confronting Israel.
“Syria is not ready for war and does not intend to go into another war. The source of concern was the Iranian militias, and Hezbollah, and the danger has passed,” he said – a strange thing to say while Israel is carrying out the largest Air Force operation in its history, pounding military targets all over Syria.
Other HTS spokespersons have also categorically refused to comment on Israel’s attack on the country, even when pressed by incredulous Western journalists.
Jolani’s comments, singling out two Shia forces rather than Israel as enemies of the state, will have many concerned that this could signal a return to the process of Shia slaughter ISIS waged over much of Syria and Iraq. In 2016, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 383-0 to classify this process as a genocide.
Fortunately, the new government will likely be a coalition of disparate and moderating forces. However, these groups seem to share a common thread: they all appear to be pro-Israel. A commander of the secular Free Syrian Army, for example, recently gave an interview to The Times of Israel, where he looked forward to a new era of “friendship” and “harmony” with its neighbor to the south.
“We will go for full peace with Israel… Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, we have never made any critical comments against Israel, unlike Hezbollah, who stated they aim to liberate Jerusalem and the Golan Heights,” he said.
The commander added that
“Israel will plant a rose in the Syrian garden” and asked for the country’s financial support in forming a new government.
Other anti-Assad forces have gone even further, with one individual stating that
Israel “isn’t hostile to those who are not hostile toward it. We don’t hate you, we love you very much…we were quite happy when you attacked Hezbollah, really happy, and we’re glad that you won.”
Statements like these might surprise a casual observer. But the reality is that Israel has been funding, training and arming much of the Syrian opposition since its inception. This includes Al-Qaeda, whose wounded fighters are treated by Israel.
And while radical Islamist forces appeared to be enemies with everyone, the one group they fastidiously avoided any confrontation with was Israel. Indeed, in 2016, ISIS fighters accidentally fired upon an Israeli position in the Golan Heights, thinking they were Syrian government forces, then quickly issued an apology for doing so.
From the Golan Heights, the year-long Israeli campaign against Hezbollah and Syrian Army positions also seriously weakened both forces, aiding the opposition in their victory.
Al-Qaeda and the U.S.: A Complicated Relationship
While both journalists and politicians in the U.S. are scrambling to change their opinions on Jolani and HTS, the reality is that, for much of its existence, Washington has enjoyed a very close relationship with al-Qaeda. The organization was born in Afghanistan in the 1980s, thanks in no small part to the CIA. Between 1979 and 1992, the CIA spent billions of dollars funding, arming, and training Afghan Mujahideen militiamen (like Osama bin Laden) in an attempt to bleed the Soviet occupation dry. It was from the ranks of the Mujahideen that bin Laden built his organization.
During the 1990s, bin Laden’s relationship with the U.S. soured, and it eventually became a principal target for al-Qaeda, culminating in the infamous September 11, 2001, attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.
The Bush administration would use these attacks as a pretext to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq, claiming that America could never be safe if al-Qaeda were not thoroughly destroyed. Bin Laden became perhaps the most notorious individual in the world, and American society was turned upside down in a self-described effort to rout Islamic extremism.
And yet, by the 2010s, even as the U.S. was ostensibly at war with al-Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was secretly working with it in Syria on a plan to overthrow Assad. The CIA spent around $1 billion per year training and arming a wide network of rebel groups to this end. As National Security Advisor Jake Sullivantold Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a leaked 2012 email, “AQ [al-Qaeda] is on our side in Syria.”
Thus, while many casual observers may be shocked to see the media and political class embrace the leader of al-Qaeda in Syria as a modern, progressive champion, the reality is that the U.S. relationship with the group is merely reverting to a position it has previously held. Consequently, it appears that the War on Terror will come to an end with the “terrorists” being redesignated as “moderate rebels” and “freedom fighters.”
Who Gets to Define “Terrorist”?
Of course, many have argued that the U.S. Terrorist List is entirely arbitrary to begin with and is merely a barometer of who is in Washington’s good books at any given time. In 2020, the Trump administration removed Sudan from its state sponsors of terror list in exchange for the country normalizing relations with Israel, proving how transactional the list was.
A few months later, it removed the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (a Uyghur militia currently active in Syria) from its list because of its hardening attitude towards China, seeing ETIM as a useful pawn to play against Beijing.
Washington also continues to keep Cuba on its terror list despite there being no evidence of the island supporting terror groups.
And the U.S. refused to remove Nelson Mandela from its list of the world’s most notorious terrorists until 2008 – 14 years after he became President of South Africa. In comparison, Jolani’s redesignation might take fewer than fourteen days.
A giant rebranding operation is taking place. Both corporate media and the U.S. government have attempted to transform the founder and head of an al-Qaeda affiliate organization into a woke, progressive actor. It remains to be seen how exactly Jolani will govern and whether he can maintain support from a wide range of Syrian groups. Given what we have seen in the past week, however, he can be confident of enjoying strong support from the Western press.
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It was bound to happen. With continuing operations in Gaza, and increasingly violent activities being conducted against Palestinians in the occupied territories, human rights organisations are making increasingly severe assessments of Israel’s warring cause. While the world awaits the findings of the International Court of Justice on whether Israel’s campaign, as argued by South Africa, amounts to genocide, Amnesty International has already reached its conclusions.
In a 296-page report sporting the ominous title “You Feel Like You Are Subhuman”, the human rights body, after considering the events in Gaza between October 2023 and July 2024, identified a “pattern of conduct” that indicated genocidal intent. These included, among other things, persistent direct attacks on civilians and objects “and deliberately indiscriminate strikes over the nine-month period, wiping out entire families repeatedly launched at times when these strikes would result in high numbers of casualties”; the nature of the weapons used; the speed and scale of destruction to civilian objects and infrastructure (homes, shelters, health facilities, water and sanitation infrastructure, agricultural land”; the use of bulldozing and controlled demolitions; and the use of “incomprehensible, misleading and arbitrary ‘evacuation’ orders’”.
The report does much to focus on statements made from the highest officials to the common soldiery to reveal the mental state necessary to reveal genocide. 102 statements made by members of the Knesset, government officials and high-ranking commanders “dehumanized Palestinians, or called for, or justified genocidal acts or other crimes under international law against them.” The report also examined 62 videos, audio recordings and photographs posted online featuring gleeful Israeli soldiers rejoicing in the “destruction of Gaza or the denial of essential services to people in Gaza, or celebrated the destruction of Palestinian homes, mosques, schools and universities, including through controlled demolitions, in some cases without apparent military necessity.”
From its alternative universe, the Israeli public relations machine drew from its own agitprop specialists, working on mangling the language of the report. The formula is familiar: attack the authors first, not their premises.
“The deplorable and fanatical organisation Amnesty International has once again produced a fabricated response that is entirely based on lies,” came the howl from Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein.
Other methods of repudiation involve detaching Hamas and its war with Israel from any historical continuum, not least the fact that it was aided, supported and backed by Israel for years as a counter to Fatah in the West Bank. Isolating Hamas as a terrorist aberration also serves to treat it as alien, artificially foreign and not part of any resistance movement against suffocating Israeli occupation and strangulation. They, so goes this argument, are genocidal, and countering such a body can never be, by any stretch, genocidal. The pro-Israeli group NGO Monitor abides by this line of reasoning, calling allegations of genocide against Israel “a reversal of the actual and clearly established intent of Hamas and its allies (including its patron, Iran), to wipe Israel off the map”.
Israel’s closest ally and sponsor, the United States, proved predictable in rejecting the findings while still claiming to respect the humanitarian line. The US State Department’s principal deputy spokesman, Vedant Patel, expressed disagreement “with the conclusions of such a report. We had said previously and continue to find that the allegations of genocide are unfounded.” Patel did, however, pay lip service to the “vital role that civil society organizations like Amnesty International and human rights groups and NGOs play in providing information and analysis as it relates to Gaza and what’s going on.” Vital, but only up to a point.
Far less guarded assessments can be found in the American pro-Israeli chatter sphere. These follow the usual pattern. Orde Kittrie, senior fellow of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a name that can only imply that crimes committed in such a cause are bound to be justifiable, offers a neat illustration. Amnesty, he argues, “systematically and repeatedly mischaracterizes both the facts and the law.” Kittrie suggests his own mischaracterisation by parroting the IDF’s line that Hamas had “increased casualty counts by illegally using Palestinian civilian shields and by hiding weapons and war fighters in and below homes, hospitals, mosques, and other buildings.” This conveniently ignores that point that the numbers are not necessarily proof of genocidal intent, though it helps.
The report also notes that, even in the face of such tactics by Hamas, Israel was still “obligated to take all feasible precautions to spare civilians and avoid attacks that would be indiscriminate or disproportionate.”
Amnesty International’s report is yet another addition to the gloomy literature on the subject. Human Rights Watch, in November, pointed to violations of the laws of war, crimes against humanity, and the provisional measures of the ICJ issued urging Israel to abide by the obligations imposed by the UN Genocide Convention of 1948. The Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem stated in no uncertain terms in October that “Israel intends to forcibly displace northern Gaza’s residents by committing some of the gravest crimes under the laws of war”.
Battling over the designation of whether a campaign is genocidal can act as a distraction, a field of quibbles for paper pushing pedants. The “specific intent” in proof must be unequivocally demonstrated and beyond any other reasonable inference. A smokescreen is thereby deployed that risks masking the broader ambit of war crimes and crimes against humanity. But no amount of pedantry and disagreement can arrest the sense that Israel’s lethal conduct, whatever threshold it may reach in international law, is directed at destroying not merely Palestinian life but any worthwhile sense of a viable sovereignty. Amnesty Israel, while rejecting the central claim of the parent organisation’s report did make one concession: the country’s brutal response following October 7, 2023 “may amount to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.”
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Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He currently lectures at RMIT University. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Email: [email protected]
Since 2020, the vaccine industry has committed highly visible and deadly crimes. The COVID-19 operation and its toxic genetic injections, misrepresented as “safe and effective vaccines,” have killed tens of millions of people and injured at least one billion. The claimed ingredients of these products are not consistent with the ingredients of traditional vaccines. (Learn more)
The COVID-19 operation has exposed ruthless individuals within the vaccine industry. (Details here) However, it has also revealed a rare group of trustworthy scientists, doctors, nurses, and others who stood firm in defending truth, health, and human rights—even when governments and institutions were weaponized against them for doing so.
We were alerted to the vaccine industry’s darker side by the blatant fraud and reckless harm caused by the COVID injections. This scrutiny has brought the industry’s history into sharp focus. As we delve into its practices over the last century, we are uncovering a disturbing pattern of scientific fraud, toxic injections, corruption, and systemic cover-ups.
Long before COVID, Ted Kuntz and Vaccine Choice Canada were working tirelessly to expose the hidden truths and medical crimes of the vaccine industry, advocating for the well-being of us all.
With deep respect for Ted and Vaccine Choice Canada, I share the letter below, embrace its wisdom, contribute what I can, and encourage others to share it as well.
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Dear VCC Community,
The vaccine industry claims that vaccines are “safe and effective”. This is blatantly dishonest. And this deception is not due to incompetence or a lack of information. Recent studies from Dr Anthony Mawson, Joy Garner, Dr Brian Hooker, Dr Peter Aaby, Neil Miller, Dr Paul Thomas and many others provide irrefutable evidence that vaccinated children are sicker than unvaccinated children.
In his latest book, Vax Facts, Dr. Paul Thomas makes the statement that the vaccine industry is poisoning our children. He unambiguously declares – “the poisoning needs to stop”. Vaccine Choice Canada concurs with Dr. Thomas. We have been battling the lies and deception from the vaccine industry and public health for 42 years.
Not only is the vaccine industry harming our children, they have also captured our regulatory agencies, colleges of physicians and surgeons, public health agencies, medical journals and governments. Their goal is to make vaccines mandatory for all citizens everywhere. Two provinces in Canada – Ontario and New Brunswick, have already imposed vaccine mandates for children to attend school. And while exemptions exist to enable parents to opt out of forced vaccination, most parents are unaware of the exemptions.
Many parents have accepted the mantra of “safe and effective”. They have been misled into believing that injecting aluminum, mercury, polysorbate 80, aborted fetal cells, mRNA technology, and other toxic ingredients will make their children healthier. The evidence is overwhelming that vaccinated children are not healthier. The real pandemic today is the pandemic of chronic illness. More that 50% of children today have a lifelong chronic disease.
At the NCI hearings in Vancouver in October, Dr. Paul Thomas provided evidence that the risk of death is higher with every vaccine than from the disease condition the vaccine is intended to provide protection from. This means that our children are more likely to die from the vaccine than from contracting the disease. This fact alone should bring a halt to all vaccines.
We all want healthy children. But vaccines are making our children sicker.
As a result of the egregious violations of rights and freedom, medical ethics, and standards of safety testing, more and more parents are waking up to the lie of vaccination. There is a window of opportunity now where parents are willing to question what they have been told about all vaccines. This is why the New Parents Guide to Understanding Vaccination is so important. This is why we need to support parents to raise their children naturally.
I suggest that our work at Vaccine Choice Canada was never more important. Twice a year we ask for your financial support. Your support helps to keep Vaccine Choice Canada going, and enables us to develop new resources like The New Parents Guide to Understanding Vaccination and Raising Natures Child.
This Fall we have been blessed by the generous support of Laura and Rick Hayes, parents of a vaccine injured child. Laura and Rick have offered to match donations dollar for dollar to a maximum of $25,000. This means that your donation of $100.00 gives $200.00 to Vaccine Choice Canada. To date, we have received approximately $10,000 in donations.
As there are only a few more weeks left in our Fall campaign, I ask you to give generously so that we can make full use of the Hayes’ gift. And more importantly, to educate young parents how to keep their children healthy.
Sincerely,
Ted Kuntz, President
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The Worldwide Corona Crisis, Global Coup d’Etat Against Humanity
by Michel Chossudovsky
Michel Chossudovsky reviews in detail how this insidious project “destroys people’s lives”. He provides a comprehensive analysis of everything you need to know about the “pandemic” — from the medical dimensions to the economic and social repercussions, political underpinnings, and mental and psychological impacts.
“My objective as an author is to inform people worldwide and refute the official narrative which has been used as a justification to destabilize the economic and social fabric of entire countries, followed by the imposition of the “deadly” COVID-19 “vaccine”. This crisis affects humanity in its entirety: almost 8 billion people. We stand in solidarity with our fellow human beings and our children worldwide. Truth is a powerful instrument.”
Reviews
This is an in-depth resource of great interest if it is the wider perspective you are motivated to understand a little better, the author is very knowledgeable about geopolitics and this comes out in the way Covid is contextualized. —Dr. Mike Yeadon
In this war against humanity in which we find ourselves, in this singular, irregular and massive assault against liberty and the goodness of people, Chossudovsky’s book is a rock upon which to sustain our fight. –Dr. Emanuel Garcia
In fifteen concise science-based chapters, Michel traces the false covid pandemic, explaining how a PCR test, producing up to 97% proven false positives, combined with a relentless 24/7 fear campaign, was able to create a worldwide panic-laden “plandemic”; that this plandemic would never have been possible without the infamous DNA-modifying Polymerase Chain Reaction test – which to this day is being pushed on a majority of innocent people who have no clue. His conclusions are evidenced by renown scientists. —Peter Koenig
Professor Chossudovsky exposes the truth that “there is no causal relationship between the virus and economic variables.” In other words, it was not COVID-19 but, rather, the deliberate implementation of the illogical, scientifically baseless lockdowns that caused the shutdown of the global economy. –David Skripac
A reading of Chossudovsky’s book provides a comprehensive lesson in how there is a global coup d’état under way called “The Great Reset” that if not resisted and defeated by freedom loving people everywhere will result in a dystopian future not yet imagined. Pass on this free gift from Professor Chossudovsky before it’s too late. You will not find so much valuable information and analysis in one place. –Edward Curtin
ISBN: 978-0-9879389-3-0, Year: 2022, PDF Ebook, Pages: 164, 15 Chapters
Take a look at the map below. It explains everything.
This is roughly the situation on the ground today. The majority of Syria’s landmass is controlled by 5 groups: Al Qaida (HTS), the Kurds (SDF), the IDF (Israel), the Turks, and remnants of the Syrian Army (SAA). Of course, the situation is extremely fluid so some of the territory is likely to change hands in the near future as rival groups fight among themselves. But here’s what won’t change: A government will not emerge that is capable of stitching together a unified, contiguous, viable centrally-governed Syrian state. That’s not going to happen. The various armies are too powerful for any one group to crush the others and reestablish a government that rules all of Syria’s previously controlled territory.
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Why does that matter?
Because we need to acknowledge that Israel has accomplished what it sought from the very beginning; they not only enlisted allies to help them topple Assad, but they also obliterated the Syrian state. Syria is gone; it no longer exists. And that has been Israel’s goal for more than 40 years.
So, we shouldn’t view the events of the last week as random or spontaneous, because they are neither. Everything that has taken place aligns closely with a strategic blueprint produced by a Zionist intellectual (Oded Yinon) more than four decades ago and which—according to biographer Israel Shahak—concocted “an accurate and detailed plan….for the Middle East which is based on the division of the whole area into small states, and the dissolution of all the existing Arab states.” Full Stop.
This is where readers need to pause for a moment and honestly consider whether this accurately explains the endless fighting and turmoil we’ve seen in the Middle East for the last two decades?
The answer is: It does. Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Syria etc. These are not just countries; they are agenda items on a Zionist checklist for regional domination. So, stop thinking that the wars have something to do with Assad or oil or pipelines or Hamas or even Israeli security. Because they don’t. These are wars aimed at establishing Israeli hegemony across the Middle East. Let’s look at the document itself which is titled A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties by Oded Yinon:
The Moslem Arab World is built like a temporary house of cards put together by foreigners without the wishes and desires of the inhabitants having been taken into account. …every Arab Moslem state nowadays faces ethnic social destruction from within, and in some a civil war is already raging. All of the Arab states east of Israel are torn apart, broken up and riddled with conflict… This national ethnic minority picture extending from Morocco to India and from Somalia to Turkey points to the absence of stability and a rapid degeneration in the entire region. When this picture is added to the economic one, we see how the entire region is built like a house of cards, unable to withstand its severe problems…..A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties, Oded Yinon, voltairenet
So, in the opening paragraphs, the author identifies the vulnerabilities within the current societies that can be exploited for Israel’s strategic advantage. The focus, of course, is on “ethnic minorities” that can be incited to exacerbate existing divisions within the society in order to weaken the larger body politic leading to regime change. Here’s the kicker:
The Western front… is in fact less complicated than the Eastern front. Lebanon’s total dissolution into five provinces serves as a precendent for the entire Arab World….. The dissolution of Syria and Iraq later on into ethnically or religiously unique areas such as Lebanon, is Israel’s primary target on the Eastern front in the long run, while the dissolution of the military power of those states serves as the primary short term target. Syria will fall apart in accordance with its ethnic and reliegious strtucture, into several states such as in present day Lebanon, so that there will be a Shi’ite Alawi state along its coast, a Sunni state in Damascus hostile to its northern neighbor, and the Druzes who will set up a state, maybe even in our Golan, and certainly in the Hauran and in northenr Jordan. This state of affairs will be the guarantee for peace and security in the area in the long run, and that aim is already within our reach today…. A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties, Oded Yinon, voltairenet
Repeat: “This state of affairs will be the guarantee for peace and security in the area in the long run.” In other words, inciting ethnic and religious violence against other groups within the society, is the operational strategy for achieving regional dominance. In order to establish Israeli security, Arabs must be encouraged to kill each other.
Are we clear about that?
Regarding the Palestinians, there’s this little nugget:
Genuine coexistence and peace will reign over the land only when the Arabs understand that without Jewish rule between the Jordan and the sea, they will have neither existence nor security. A nation of their own and security will be theirs only in Jordan. A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties,
Keep in mind, this was written in 1982 which means—that among the politicos in Netanyahu’s party—there was never any intention of exchanging land for peace or fulfilling their obligations under US Resolution 242 to evacuate the occupied territories. It was always a ruse aimed at confusing credulous nitwits in the US.
Economist Jeffrey Sachs has confirmed much of what we’ve stated here. He has recently been quite outspoken in a number of interviews on YouTube where he has laid blame for all the recent wars in the Middle East on Benjamin Netanyahu. Here’s Sach’s in a recent piece at Consortium News:
The fall of Syria this week is the culmination of the Israel-U.S. campaign against Syria that goes back to 1996 with Netanyahu’s arrival in office as prime minister. The Israel-U.S. war on Syria escalated in 2011 and 2012, when former U.S. President Barack Obama covertly tasked the C.I.A. with the overthrow of the Syrian Government in Operation Timber Sycamore. ….
Syria’s fall came swiftly because of more than a decade of crushing economic sanctions, the burdens of war, the U.S. seizure of Syria’s oil….. and most immediately, Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah… Netanyahu’s ambition to transform the region through war, which dates back almost three decades, is playing out in front of our eyes…
The long history of Israel’s campaign to overthrow the Syrian government is not widely understood, yet the documentary record is clear….
Israel’s war on Syria began with U.S. and Israeli neoconservatives in 1996, who fashioned a “Clean Break” strategy for the Middle East for Netanyahu as he came to office…..The core of the “clean break” strategy called for the Israel (and the U.S.) to reject “land for peace,” the idea that Israel would withdraw from the occupied Palestinian lands in return for peace….
...Netanyahu’s strategy was integrated into U.S. foreign policy. Taking out Syria was always a key part of the plan. This was confirmed by General Wesley Clark after 9/11. (The role of the Israel Lobby is spelled out in Ilan Pappé’s new book, Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic)….
The U.S. has by now led or sponsored wars against Iraq (invasion in 2003), Lebanon (U.S. funding and arming Israel), Libya (NATO bombing in 2011), Syria (C.I.A. operation during 2010s), Sudan (supporting rebels to break Sudan apart in 2011), and Somalia (backing Ethiopia’s invasion in 2006).
A prospective U.S. war with Iran, ardently sought by Israel, is still pending….. The U.S. and Israel are high-fiving that they have successfully wrecked yet another adversary of Israel and defender of the Palestinian cause, with Netanyahu claiming “credit for starting the historic process.”...
American interference, at the behest of Netanyahu’s Israel, has left the Middle East in ruins, with over a million dead and open wars raging in Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, and with Iran on the brink of a nuclear arsenal, being pushed against its own inclinations to this eventuality. US & Israel Destroyed Syria & Called it Peace, Jeffrey Sachs, Consortium News
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These are Israel’s wars, and they are prosecuted to pursue Israeli interests not American interests. The US military (and political class) has been hijacked by the maneuverings of strongarm lobbyists who know how to work the levers of power to achieve their own ends. Their rate of success speaks for itself. Much of the Middle East lies in ruins which was the plan from the get-go.
But now comes the hard part, because nothing has really been resolved in Syria. Yes, Assad is gone and, yes, the Syrian state has disintegrated. But how long will it take before Turkey is fighting the US-backed Kurds in the East, or before Israeli and Turkish interests clash in central or southern Syria or before HTS proves to be the unreliable terrorist organization it is known to be and refuses to follow its marching orders from Washington and Tel Aviv? So, yes, the invaders may be congratulating themselves this week “for a job well done”, but the Syrian conflagration is not over yet, not by a long-shot.
There was an important development that took place last week that provides a window into future goings-on in the battered country, although the statement was downplayed by most of the media. On Wednesday, officials of Hayat Tahrir-al Sham (HTS) announced that Mohammed al-Bashir had been appointed as Syria’s interim prime minister. Al-Bashir, who has been running the Idlib province, has been chosen to lead a small cabinet whose job will be to make sure the government agencies, banks and public services continue operate without interruption. More importantly,al-Bashir, who speaks English, is the likely the designated technocrat chosen by Washington to jumpstart the sale of the country’s state-owned assets and businesses, its natural resources, and anything else of value. Judging from past experience, he will probably oversee a sharp reduction in government spending, as well as dramatic cutbacks in education, public safety and health care. He will also seek hefty loans from the IMF for reconstruction that will be diverted to foreign accounts for his family and cronies leaving ordinary Syrians with an ocean of red ink they can never hope to repay. Sound familiar?
Unfortunately, Bashir’s debut did not go as well as expected. Here’s the story from NBC News:
When Syria’s new interim prime minister, Mohammad al-Bashir, chaired a Cabinet meeting in Damascus on Tuesday, hanging behind him was the flag of the country’s suddenly victorious opposition. Next to it, however, was a second banner popular with the region’s Sunni Islamist fighters, featuring the large Arabic letters of the Shahada, an Islamic declaration of faith.
As a new Syria fast emerges from the ruins of the Assad regime, the world is watching for hints of what that might look like — and that second flag has concerned those hoping for a future of moderation and tolerance….
HTS is banned as a terrorist organization in the United Statesand elsewhere and grew out of a branch of Al Qaeda. Its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, said a decade ago that there would be no room for religious minorities in the Islamist Syria of which he dreamed about. He also suggested that he could bring terrorism to the West unless it withdrew from the Middle East’s wars.
More recently, however, Jolani, who now uses his real name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has undergone something of a rebrand, trimming his beard, donning Westernized green fatigues and espousing tolerance for all of Syria’s myriad faiths. Nevertheless plenty of observers are reserving judgment until these words become actions….
Seeing Syria’s corridors of power welcome a flag “indicating Islamist-Salafist leanings” has “put people on alert,” Sukkar said. Although he does not think deploying the emblem was a “wise” move, he sees it as more reflective of the rebels’ origins in Idlib rather than anything else….
The classic worry among Western foreign policy watchers was that Assad might be toppled but replaced by something that is not much better: an extremist terror group….
Displaying the flag in an image meant to represent Syria’s new transition government shows how HTS and Jolani are still “deeply entrenched in their Salafist-Sunni ideology and worldview”….
With the group now making more moderate noises, and also in a position of considerable influence, the United States is exploring removing HTS’ terrorist designation, two current administration officials and a former senior U.S. official told NBC News. Although Washington will watch closely the militant group’s moves from its new political vantage point. Why a photo of Syria’s interim leader could hint at trouble ahead,NBC News
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Mohammed al-Bashir before and after his Western Facelift
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Let’s see if I got this right: The Biden administration replaces Assad with a terrorist organization but is suddenly surprised when it discovers the group is led by terrorists. Is that it?
Indeed, it is. As you can see, none of this resolves the basic crisis created by the removal of Assad. Instead, the main proponents of regime change—Turkey, the US and Israel—have merely transformed Syria into an even bigger battleground where their own competing interests will soon play out by way of mortal combat.
How long will it be before Turkey locks horns with Israel or the United States? How long before sectarian war engulfs the country?
Not long, I’d wager. And for the people who thought that toppling the “evil dictator” would bring peace and security. They’d better think again.
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Michael Whitney is a renowned geopolitical and social analyst based in Washington State. He initiated his career as an independent citizen-journalist in 2002 with a commitment to honest journalism, social justice and World peace.
He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).
Featured image is from MintPress News / All the other images are from TUR
Supporters have clapped and cheered in court after a doctor who clashed with regulators over COVID-19 vaccines had a medical ban lifted.
Dr William Anicha Bay had his registration as a medical practitioner suspended by the Medical Board of Australia on August 17, 2022 in response to five complaints involving his anti-vaccine activities.
Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Thomas Bradley overturned that suspension on Friday after finding Dr Bay had been subject to “bias and failure to afford fair process” over complaints unrelated to his clinical practice.
Justice Bradley said he was not entering the debate about COVID-19 vaccines.
“The court is concerned only with whether the decision or the conduct (of the medical board) was free from an error,” Justice Bradley stated.
One of the complaints was that Dr Bay had posted a social media video claiming COVID-19 vaccines had killed his patient and harmed others.
Another complaint stated Dr Bay had attended an anti-vaccination protest outside the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) office in Brisbane in July 2022.
A health professional filed a mandatory complaint that Dr Bay had interrupted an Australian Medical Association conference while live streaming video to the internet, yelling “stop forcing these vaccines on the people of Australia who are getting killed by them”.
The medical board found Dr Bay’s public statements undermined medical regulators’ “position on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccination”.
It said his statements also “further contravenes the position of local, state and federal government and health authorities, which are in place to protect public health and safety”.
Justice Bradley said the COVID-19 pandemic was an “extraordinary period of history” in which governments encouraged widespread vaccine use.
However he said that did not allow the medical board to deny Dr Bay information about the complaints or disregard potential bias at hearings.
“None of these measures extended the board’s regulatory role to include protection of government and regulatory agencies from political criticism,” Justice Bradley said.
He ordered the medical board and AHPRA to cover Dr Bay’s reasonable legal costs as the regulators had extended the proceedings and made partial admissions at a late stage.
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Featured image: Dr William Bay, who protested against COVID-19 vaccination, has had a medical ban overturned. Photo: Darren England/AAP PHOTOS
The Worldwide Corona Crisis, Global Coup d’Etat Against Humanity
by Michel Chossudovsky
Michel Chossudovsky reviews in detail how this insidious project “destroys people’s lives”. He provides a comprehensive analysis of everything you need to know about the “pandemic” — from the medical dimensions to the economic and social repercussions, political underpinnings, and mental and psychological impacts.
“My objective as an author is to inform people worldwide and refute the official narrative which has been used as a justification to destabilize the economic and social fabric of entire countries, followed by the imposition of the “deadly” COVID-19 “vaccine”. This crisis affects humanity in its entirety: almost 8 billion people. We stand in solidarity with our fellow human beings and our children worldwide. Truth is a powerful instrument.”
Reviews
This is an in-depth resource of great interest if it is the wider perspective you are motivated to understand a little better, the author is very knowledgeable about geopolitics and this comes out in the way Covid is contextualized. —Dr. Mike Yeadon
In this war against humanity in which we find ourselves, in this singular, irregular and massive assault against liberty and the goodness of people, Chossudovsky’s book is a rock upon which to sustain our fight. –Dr. Emanuel Garcia
In fifteen concise science-based chapters, Michel traces the false covid pandemic, explaining how a PCR test, producing up to 97% proven false positives, combined with a relentless 24/7 fear campaign, was able to create a worldwide panic-laden “plandemic”; that this plandemic would never have been possible without the infamous DNA-modifying Polymerase Chain Reaction test – which to this day is being pushed on a majority of innocent people who have no clue. His conclusions are evidenced by renown scientists. —Peter Koenig
Professor Chossudovsky exposes the truth that “there is no causal relationship between the virus and economic variables.” In other words, it was not COVID-19 but, rather, the deliberate implementation of the illogical, scientifically baseless lockdowns that caused the shutdown of the global economy. –David Skripac
A reading of Chossudovsky’s book provides a comprehensive lesson in how there is a global coup d’état under way called “The Great Reset” that if not resisted and defeated by freedom loving people everywhere will result in a dystopian future not yet imagined. Pass on this free gift from Professor Chossudovsky before it’s too late. You will not find so much valuable information and analysis in one place. –Edward Curtin
ISBN: 978-0-9879389-3-0, Year: 2022, PDF Ebook, Pages: 164, 15 Chapters
My former CIA colleague Larry Johnson has a real ability to clarify the significance of the constantly growing deep dark hole that Joe “Mumbles” Biden, he of failing mental capacity, has hurled the American people into. Larry wrote on December 12th that
“There is still plenty of time before Donald Trump is inaugurated for Joe Biden’s team of cretins to start World War III. I think the biggest risk is that Israel may be emboldened to attack Iran and try to destroy sites, and may be encouraged to do so by the Biden lackeys. In short, American interference, at the behest of Netanyahu’s Israel, has left the Middle East in ruins, with over a million dead and open wars raging in Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, and with Iran on the brink of a nuclear arsenal, being pushed against its own inclinations to this eventuality. The collapse of the Assad regime has prompted a punishing military response from Israel, which has launched airstrikes at military targets across Syria and deployed ground troops both into and beyond a demilitarized buffer zone for the first time in 50 years.”
Given the destruction and partitioning of Syria, it has become impossible to consider United States foreign policy without some acceptance that it is driven and, in a sense, directed by Israel and Israel’s formidable domestic lobby in the US. “The Lobby,” as it is commonly referred to, controls both Congress and the White House on key issues and manages the media narrative in such a fashion as to make Israel the permanent victim, never the aggressor. Even though Israel is now marching in triumph across what remains of Syria and has indicated that it will be sticking around as an occupier, the move is being described as “temporary” and “defensive” by White House spokesmen. The Lobby’s success rests on the corruption that lots of money can buy, obvious to nearly everyone in politics, but a forbidden topic, sometimes referred to as an antisemitic “trope,” i.e. “Jews and money.” Israel’s role in managing the Joe Bidens and Donald Trumps is largely exercised in the broader Middle East but it also includes passionately supporting Volodymyr Zelensky’s Ukraine, a process derived in part from Jewish mythologizing and obtaining revenge for the alleged “pogroms” carried out in imperial Russia. Subsequent Jewish dominance of the Soviet intelligence and security services, which saw the killing of millions of Christians in Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, are carefully excluded from the narrative.
In the latest bit of “mowing the grass” by the Israeli military, the country’s new Defense Minister Israel Katz told the press that the Israel Air Force (IAF) had carried out more than 480 strikes across Syria during the two days after the initial invasion, deliberately destroying most of Syria’s strategic weapon stockpiles. Meanwhile, the Israeli navy totally destroyed the Syrian fleet based at Latakia overnight. Katz hailed the operation as “a great success.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the day before, had called the rapid defeat of the Bashar al-Assad’s regime as “a new and dramatic chapter… The collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran… we are changing the face of the Middle East.”
When informed of the initial invasion of al-Assad’s Syria by Israeli, Turkish, insurgent and US forces, Donald Trump said that the conflict was none of our business and it would be best to keep out of it. Hopefully that will be the policy after January 20th inauguration, but one recalls that Trump’s record of pandering to Israel is almost as bad as Biden’s, and he was the one who decided (admittedly under pressure from the Pentagon) to continue in 2017 the military occupation of a third of Syria that included its oil resources and its best agricultural land. Add in the crippling US and European sanctions on Damascus and one might argue that since that time Syrians have been poor and starving, causing refugee flows and hostility towards al-Assad government that contributed to the success of the recent uprising.
To be sure, many Syrians are celebrating the fall of an admittedly repressive, authoritarian, and corrupt Bashar al-Assad government. But other Syrians, particularly from hitherto protected minority groups like Christians, Alawites and Shiites, are now living in fear of or fleeing from the violent sectarian insurgents that have taken the place of President al-Assad. Christian Churches have already been looted and desecrated and warned not to hold Christmas services, not to sponsor Christmas parades, and not to display the image of St. Nicholas.
To be sure, fearing what is to come is legitimate as the “rebel” leader of the al-Qaeda derived Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Terror group, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who now goes by his given name Ahmed al-Shara, is a founder of al-Qaeda in Syria, al-Nusra, and a former deputy to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The US State Department has listed him as a terrorist as well as HTS as a terrorist group, and has placed a $10 million bounty on al-Jolani’s head, which presumably will soon be removed by Joe Biden. There is plenty of blood on al-Jolani’s hands and little in the way of evidence that he will not opt to slaughter those who he sees as his enemies, much of the killing being guided by the extreme religious groups that make up his followers. Indeed, there are already reports of group killings, including numerous soldiers in the Syrian Arab Army who surrendered rather than fight the insurgents.
Al-Jolani now claims that his extremism was just a “phase” and he has several times confirmed that he wants good relations with Israel, clearly a condition imposed by the US to allow him to remain in power. He has even suggested that Israeli air support enabled his warriors to move quickly from their bases in the north to Damascus. But al-Jolani has never actually apologized for or disowned the atrocities committed on his watch in 2011-3 when he was actively killing fellow Syrians. This includes August 2013 massacres in some of the Alawite areas of Latakia, which included “the systematic killing of entire families,” an international investigation later determined. One observer also reported that the insurgents were devoted to “sectarian mass murder” This is the legacy of the new “inclusive” government in Syria. According to one other ominous report, it appears that Sharia law has already been announced by the newly installed justice minister, Shadi Alwaisi.
So, what is in it for the United States? Nothing but a curt thank you from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who clearly connived with Joe Biden’s Special Envoy Amos Hochstein, an Israeli by birth, to set the ball rolling towards Syria through adroit use of an attack on southern Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah followed by a phony ceasefire in Lebanon that gave Netanyahu a free hand and empowered Israel to invade and overthrow its neighbor Syria, parts of which will undoubtedly be annexed to help create Eretz or “Greater” Israel. It was and is all part of a plan by the US and Israel to reshape the Middle East to benefit the Jewish state and you can bet that Iran is the next target. And a delusional Joe Biden took credit for it all in his usual haphazard way, claiming after the regime change that Assad’s “main allies” — Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia — “are far weaker today than they were when I took office.” Their inability to save Assad was “a direct result of the blows that Ukraine, Israel have delivered upon their own self-defense, with unflagging support of the United States.”
Sure Joe, what bullshit. At the end of the day, to bring down Syria the US spent billions of dollars arming an insurgency that they knew was dominated by al-Qaeda in a government replacement scheme that benefited only Israel and Turkey and which targeted a country that in no way threatened the United States. It sure makes sense to me and I hope you will be comforted by it when you are hauled off to prison after you leave office and are prosecuted for exceeding your constitutional authority by involving the United States in two unnecessary wars. Some might call it treason!
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This article was originally published on The Unz Review.
Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation (Federal ID Number #52-1739023) that seeks a more interests-based U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is councilforthenationalinterest.org, address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is [email protected].
He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
Featured image: NICE SUNSET by NEMØ, Politicalcartoons.com
O regime de Kiev deixou claro mais uma vez que não irá cooperar com qualquer esforço de redução de tensões, boicotando todas as iniciativas tomadas para aliviar o sofrimento de soldados e civis. Recentemente, o primeiro-ministro húngaro revelou que as autoridades ucranianas rejeitaram uma proposta de cessar-fogo durante as celebrações de Natal, o que mostra claramente a falta de respeito da Ucrânia pela fé do seu próprio povo.
Viktor Orban afirmou em um discurso recente que o presidente ucraniano, Vladimir Zelensky, rejeitou uma proposta conjunta para um armistício de Natal e uma troca em grande escala de prisioneiros. A medida estava sendo negociada de forma conjunta pelos húngaros e outros europeus, mas não foi aceita pelos ucranianos, que a rejeitaram sem sequer avaliá-la adequadamente.
“No final da presidência húngara da UE, fizemos novos esforços pela paz. Propusemos um cessar-fogo de Natal e uma troca em grande escala de prisioneiros. É triste que [Zelensky] tenha claramente rejeitado e descartado isso hoje. Fizemos o que pudemos!”, disse Orban.
Em vez de seguir o caminho da desescalada, Zelensky não apenas rejeitou a medida, mas também criticou fortemente Orban por tentar estabelecer o acordo. Segundo o líder ucraniano, o primeiro-ministro húngaro tem intenções políticas egoístas ao promover tal diálogo. Zelensky acusou Orban de tentar aumentar sua própria imagem pessoal, e de não se preocupar verdadeiramente com o povo ucraniano. Zelensky pediu que os europeus se unissem e acrescentou que só por meio da união os europeus podem alcançar o sucesso compartilhado. Não apenas isso, o presidente neonazista afirmou que não é possível manter diálogo com os russos, não admitindo qualquer possibilidade de discutir uma resolução dentro do quadro diplomático.
“Ninguém deve aumentar a imagem pessoal à custa da união geral; todos devem focar no sucesso compartilhado. A unidade na Europa sempre foi a chave para alcançá-lo. Não pode haver discussões sobre a guerra que a Rússia trava contra a Ucrânia sem a Ucrânia”, disse Zelensky.
Além disso, Dmitry Litvin, um assessor de Zelensky, afirmou que não há possibilidade de diálogo entre Kiev e Budapeste sobre cessar-fogo ou troca de prisioneiros. Segundo ele, essas questões não podem ser discutidas com a Hungria, sugerindo que a participação de Orban em um processo diplomático não é bem-vinda pelo regime de Kiev. No entanto, Litvin confirmou que houve conversas, supostamente sem a presença húngara, sobre uma possível troca de prisioneiros até o final do ano.
“Como sempre, a Ucrânia não autorizou a Hungria a fazer nada. Como sempre, a Ucrânia está trabalhando diariamente para libertar prisioneiros, e há duas semanas contatos relevantes estão em andamento sobre uma troca significativa até o final do ano”, disse Litvin a jornalistas ucranianos.
Não é a primeira vez que há discussões sobre possíveis acordos de cessar-fogo em datas religiosas. Anteriormente, a Rússia tomou a iniciativa de parar temporariamente as hostilidades em datas importantes para ambos os lados. No entanto, Kiev nunca respeitou tais iniciativas, agindo sempre de maneira a prejudicar qualquer processo de redução de tensões no conflito.
Não é surpreendente que o regime neonazista ignore propostas de cessar-fogo durante os feriados cristãos. Recentemente, a junta de Maidan aprovou uma lei banindo a Igreja Ortodoxa, tornando ilegal a fé de mais de 80% dos ucranianos. De fato, a perseguição religiosa e o desrespeito pela fé tradicional tornaram-se comuns na Ucrânia de Zelensky, e é por isso que qualquer trégua de Natal deve ser ignorada.
No entanto, é interessante observar como a Hungria está tentando manter uma postura conciliatória e diplomática, enquanto a Ucrânia age de maneira hostil em relação a Budapeste. Em vez de aceitar os esforços de Orban pela paz e tentar cooperar para reduzir as tensões no continente europeu, o governo de Zelensky parece estar interessado apenas em levar o conflito às suas últimas consequências – mesmo sabendo que tais consequências podem ser catastróficas para Kiev.
Um cessar-fogo temporário de um ou dois dias seria extremamente benéfico para os ucranianos, pois traria alívio para as tropas e ajudaria com questões como moral e condições de combate. No entanto, os políticos e burocratas ucranianos não estão interessados no que é melhor para suas tropas, mas apenas em ganhar dinheiro com os pacotes de ajuda ocidentais de bilhões de dólares, com os soldados sendo meros sacrifícios para que possam alcançar tais ganhos.
بعدمرور أسبوع على ديكين روميين في عيد الشكر، أصدر الرئيس بايدن عفوا عن ابنه هانتر. لقد أُدين هانتر بايدن بالكذب في مسألة استخدام المخدرات في عملية شراء أسلحة فيدرالية في عام 2018، والتهرب الضريبي بمئات الآلاف من الدولارات، ومنها اقتطاعات تكاليف المرافقين والتسجيل في نادٍ جنسي. وقد منحه الرئيس، والده، عفواً كاملاً وغير مشروط عن هذه الجرائم. وقد أثار هذا انتقادات حتى في الحزب الديمقراطي. لكن لا أحد يتحدث عن الصفقات القذرة الأكثر خطورة التي لعب فيها هانتر بايدن دورا قياديا.
وفي عام 2014، بعد انقلاب “الميدان” في أوكرانيا، انضم إلى مجلس إدارة شركة أنشأها قطب الغاز، وهو وزير أوكراني سابق، كان يحاول إعادة بناء صورته بينما يواجه تحقيقا دوليا بتهمة غسيل الأموال. من خلال تعيينه في مجلس الإدارة ودفع راتب جيد لابن جو بايدن، الذي كان آنذاك نائب رئيس إدارة أوباما، يوفر رجل الأعمال لنفسه غطاء فعالا لمسائله الغامضة.
والأخطر من ذلك بكثير هو الدور الذي لعبه هانتر بايدن في إنشاء شبكة أمريكية من المختبرات الحيوية في أوكرانيا يروج لها ويمولها البنتاغون. تظهر أدلة دامغة من تحقيق نشره “ذا ناشيونل بالز” The National Pulse في 24 مارس 2022، وهو مركز أمريكي للصحافة الاستقصائية مقره واشنطن:
“شركة رزمونت سَناكا تكنولوجي بارتنرز، (RSTP)، التي يشغل هانتر بايدن وكريستوفر هاينز منصب مديرها الإداري، والثاني هو صهر جون كيري، وزير الخارجية في ذلك الوقت في إدارة أوباما، تضم في محفظتها شركة “ميتابيوتا كومْبني”، يقع مقرها الرئيسي في سان فرانسيسكو، وهدفها المعلن هو اكتشاف وتتبع وتحليل الأمراض المعدية الناشئة، وتعمل في اتصال وثيق مع معهد “أنتوني فوسي” الوطني للحساسية والأمراض المعدية (NIAID)..
“كما يتضح من عقود “ميتابيوتا” مع وزارة الدفاع الأمريكية والمختبرات الحيوية الأوكرانية، فقد تلقت “ميتابيوتا” في عام 2014 منحة قدرها 18.4 مليون دولار لمشاريع بحثية في أوكرانيا، بما في ذلك تلك التي تعزل سلالات مسببات الأمراض القاتلة مثل فيروس حمى الخنازير الأفريقية. أجرى باحثون من ميتابيوتا وثلاثة معاهد مقرها في أوكرانيا تسلسل الجينوم الكامل لفيروس حمى الخنازير الأفريقية الخبيثة من خنزير محلي في أوكرانيا”.
وكما يظهر أيضًا من خلال تحقيق موثق أجراه الاتحاد الروسي، فليس من المعقول أن يكون الهدف من أكثر من 30 مختبرًا بيولوجيًا أنشأتها الولايات المتحدة بشكل مباشر وغير مباشر في أوكرانيا هو إجراء أبحاث حول الفيروسات القاتلة لحماية السكان الأوكرانيين. ولو كان الأمر كذلك، فلا حاجة لما يربو عن ثلاثين مختبراً، ولو كان الهدف مدنياً، لما كان من الضروري أن يتم تكليف البنتاغون بإجراء الأبحاث والتجارب. ينبغي فتح تحقيق دولي في أنشطة المختبرات البيولوجية في أوكرانيا، وهي جزء من أكثر من 300 مختبر بيولوجي أنشأته الولايات المتحدة في 36 دولة حول العالم.
الحقيقة قالها بوضوح روبرت كينيدي جونيور في مقابلة مع منشط قناة فوكس تاكر كارلسون (اوت، آب 2023): “لدينا مختبرات بيولوجية في أوكرانيا لأننا نطور أسلحة بيولوجية. وتستخدم هذه الأسلحة البيولوجية جميع أنواع البيولوجيا الاصطناعية الجديدة وتقنيات الهندسة الوراثية التي لم تكن متاحة للجيل السابق”.
وعلى هذه الخلفية لا ينبغي أن نتفاجأ بالمعلومات التي نشرتها صحيفة كييف بوست الأوكرانية ومفادها أن الجماعات الإسلامية المرتبطة سابقاً بتنظيم القاعدة والتي احتلت حلب في سوريا قد تم تدريبها على يد القوات الخاصة التابعة لمجموعة خيميك التابعة لمديرية المخابرات الأوكرانية. . وهذا يؤكد أن سيناريو الحرب الأوكرانية، في إطار استراتيجية الولايات المتحدة وحلف شمال الأطلسي، مرتبط بسيناريو الشرق الأوسط، حيث تمتد الحرب إلى لبنان وسوريا، في حين تبني إسرائيل قواعد عسكرية على أراضي غزة وتتواجد في المنطقة. عملية الاستيلاء على الضفة الغربية لمحو دولة فلسطين بشكل نهائي.
ملخص موجز للاستعراض الصحفي الدولي Grandangolo
6 ديسمبر 2024 على قناة Byoblu التلفزيونية الإيطالية
“لقد تم رفع راية الإسلام السلفي السوداء في سماء دمشق.. لقد فاز تنظيم الدولة الإسلامية- القاعدة.. انهم الإرهابيون انفسهم الذين هاجمونا في 11 سبتمبر.. الذين شننا عليهم الحرب في أفغانستان والعراق وأماكن أخرى.. لقد فقدنا الآلاف من جنودنا، رجالا ونساء. بتكلفة تريليونات الدولارات.. لقد فازوا.. ولقد ساعدناهم.. أمريكا لم تعد تمثل أي شيء”.
سكوت ريتر
حذر الجنرال مايك فلين، وهو رئيس سابق لوكالة الاستخبارات الدفاعية التابعة للبنتاغون (DIA)، زملاءه في إدارة أوباما من أن دعم جماعات إرهابية لشن حروب بالوكالة نيابة عن واشنطن هو مشروع محفوف بالمخاطر قد ينقلب في نهاية الأمر ضدهم، مع إنشاء الولايات المتحدة لـ”إمارة سلفية في سوريا”.. لقد أصبح هذا التحذير حقيقة الآن.
من بين المقالات الرئيسية الخمسين تقريبا المخصصة لسقوط الحكومة السورية، لم يكلف أي منها نفسه عناء الإشارة إلى أن الميليشيا السنية التي أطاحت ببشار الأسد موجودة حاليا على قائمة وزارة الدفاع للمنظمات الإرهابية. كما أنهم لم يذكروا أن هذه الجماعة الجهادية نفسها مدرجة في قائمة الأمم المتحدة للمنظمات الإرهابية. كما لم يذكروا أن زعيم العصابة أبو محمد الجولاني تم رصد مكافأة من الحكومة الأمريكية مقابل القبض عليه بقيمة 10 ملايين دولار. لم يتم نشر أي من هذه المعلومات للجمهور لأن وسائل الإعلام لا تريد أن يعرف الشعب الأمريكي أن واشنطن ساعدت للتو في تثبيت نظام إرهابي في وسط الشرق الأوسط. ومع ذلك فإن هذا ما يحدث بالفعل.
ان الأمور أسوأ بكثير مما تبدو عليه، فالحملة على سوريا، التي استمرت 13 عاما، لا تستهدف سوريا حقا في نهاية المطاف، ، بل إيران.. إن سوريا لم تكن سوى العقبة الأخيرة على الطريق إلى طهران.. لكن طهران هي كرز الزينة على الكعكة.
من خلال القضاء على إيران، ستحتل إسرائيل “رأس الجسر” في الشرق الأوسط وتثبت نفسها كقوة مهيمنة في المنطقة. في هذه الأثناء، يتمكن العم سام من الوصول إلى ممرات خطوط الأنابيب التي كان يطمع فيها منذ أكثر من عشرين عاما، وهي الممرات التي ستنقل الغاز الطبيعي من قطر إلى البحر الأبيض المتوسط، ثم إلى الأسواق الأوروبية.
سيتم توفير الغاز من خلال دمية في يد الولايات المتحدة، تستغلها شركات النفط الغربية، ويباع بالدولار الأمريكي ويستخدم للحفاظ على قبضته على السياسة الأوروبية. وفي الوقت نفسه، سيتعرض جميع المنافسين الآخرين الى العقاب، أو سيتم تخريبهم، أو استبعادهم تماما.
لا يدرك معظم الناس مدى تأثير سياسة خط أنابيب الغاز على الأحداث في سوريا، ما جعل هذا البلد هدفاً للعدوان الأمريكي. لكن منذ عام 1949 الى يومنا هذا، حاولت أجهزة المخابرات الأمريكية مراراً وتكراراً الإطاحة برئيس الحكومة السورية من أجل الإشراف والسيطرة على خط أنابيب عبر العرب: “يهدف إلى ربط حقول النفط السعودية بموانئ لبنان عبر سوريا”. . وقد لخص روبرت ف. كينيدي ذلك في مقال رائع كتبه منذ أكثر من عقد من الزمن:
بدأت وكالة الاستخبارات المركزية (الامريكية) التدخل النشط في سوريا في عام 1949، بالكاد بعد مرور عام على تأسيس الوكالة. وكان الوطنيون السوريون قد أعلنوا الحرب على النازيين، وطردوا الحكام الاستعماريين الفرنسيين الموالين لـ”فيشي”، وأنشأوا ديمقراطية علمانية هشة على أساس النموذج الأمريكي.
لكن في مارس 1949، تردد الرئيس السوري المنتخب ديمقراطيا، شكري القوتلي، في الموافقة على خط الأنابيب العابر للمنطقة العربية، وهو مشروع أمريكي يهدف إلى ربط حقول النفط السعودية بالموانئ اللبنانية عبر سوريا. في كتابه “إرث الرماد”، يروي “تيم وينر”، مؤرخ وكالة المخابرات المركزية الامريكية، أنه ردا على عدم تحمس القوتلي لخط الأنابيب الأمريكي، نظمت وكالة المخابرات المركزية انقلابا لاستبدال القوتلي بدكتاتور اختارته وكالة المخابرات المركزية، وهو محتال مُدان يُدعى حسني الزعيم. ولم يكد الزعيم يأخذ وقته الكافي لحل البرلمان والموافقة على خط الأنابيب الأمريكي حتى عزله مواطنوه بعد أربعة أشهر ونصف من توليه الحكم..
مقال: “لماذا لا يريدنا العرب في سوريا؟”
روبرت كينيدي/ بوليتيكو.
فهذا، إذن، السبب الذي يجعل سوريا تلعب مثل هذا الدور المهم في الخطط الجيوسياسية الأمريكية.. خطط للسيطرة على الموارد الحيوية للحفاظ على هيمنة الدولار واحتواء النمو الاقتصادي الهائل في الصين. إن الولايات المتحدة عازمة على السيطرة على الموارد الهائلة في الشرق الأوسط للحفاظ على هيمنتها على النظام العالمي. وهذا ليس كل شيء:
“من خلال الموافقة على “خط أنابيب الغاز الإسلامي” الذي أقرته روسيا، والذي من شأنه أن يربط الجزء الإيراني من حقل الغاز بالموانئ السورية واللبنانية، زاد الأسد من غضب ملوك الخليج السنيين. إذ من شأن خط أنابيب الغاز الإسلامي هذا أن يجعل إيران الشيعية، وليس قطر السنية، المورد الرئيسي لسوق الطاقة الأوروبية، وسيزيد بشكل كبير من نفوذ طهران في الشرق الأوسط وفي جميع أنحاء العالم. وكانت إسرائيل مصممة أيضاً على إحباط خط الأنابيب الإسلامي، الذي من شأنه أن يثري إيران وسوريا، وبالتالي يساهم في ازدهار وكيليهما، حزب الله وحماس.
تشير برقيات وتقارير سرية واردة من وكالات الاستخبارات الأمريكية والسعودية والإسرائيلية إلى أنه بمجرد أن رفض الأسد خط أنابيب الغاز القطري، أجمع المخططون العسكريون والاستخباراتيون بسرعة على إثارة انتفاضة سنية في سوريا للإطاحة ببشار الأسد غير المتعاون، وكان هذا هو أفضل وسيلة لتحقيق الهدف المشترك المتمثل في الانتهاء من ربط الغاز بين قطر وتركيا.
في عام 2009، وفقا لموقع ويكيليكس، بعد وقت قصير من رفض بشار الأسد خط أنابيب الغاز القطري، بدأت وكالة المخابرات المركزية في تمويل جماعات المعارضة في سوريا. وتجدر الإشارة إلى أن هذا حدث قبل وقت طويل من الانتفاضة ضد الأسد التي أطلقها الربيع العربي.
“لماذا لا يريدنا العرب في سوريا”.
روبرت كينيدي/ بوليتيكو
وهكذا، فبالتصديق على “خط الأنابيب الإسلامي”، فإن الأسد قد أخطأ، ولن تسمح واشنطن أبداً لمثل هذا السيناريو ان يتجسد. وكما تم بيانه سابقاً، فإن واشنطن اضطلعت بالسيطرة على الموارد الحيوية في الشرق الأوسط، محاولة احتواء الصين والحفاظ على قبضتها غير المؤكدة بشكل متزايد على القوة العالمية. تعد اتفاقيات أبراهام أيضًا جزءًا من هذه الاستراتيجية الجيوسياسية، من خلال تطبيع العلاقات بين إسرائيل وجيرانها الإسلاميين (المملكة العربية السعودية بشكل رئيسي، من أجل إنشاء ممر اقتصادي يشجع النقل السريع للمنتجات المصنعة من الهند إلى أوروبا). تتصور واشنطن أن التكامل الاقتصادي في المنطقة هو المحرك الرئيسي لتفوقها على بقية العالم، لا يعني هذا أن طموحات إسرائيل في السيطرة على الشرق الأوسط لم تكن الدافع الأقوى للحرب.. كان هذا هو الحال في سوريا والإطاحة بالأسد، لكن الاعتبارات الجيوسياسية الأخرى لعبت دوراً أيضاً.
ولهذا السبب أرادت الولايات المتحدة تشكيل حكومة أكثر تقبلاً لمصالح واشنطن. ومع ذلك، من الصعب أن نفهم كيف من المفترض أن يعمل كل هذا. لقد رحل الأسد وانتصرت القاعدة. نحن نعرف ذلك.. والآن ماذا يحدث؟
لم أستطع أن أتخيل أن المجندين الشباب الذين أمضوا السنوات العشر الأخيرة من حياتهم يجوبون الصحراء بسيارات الدفع الرباعي ويفجرون كل شيء يتحرك، يعرفون كيف يديرون الحكومة. إذن، من سيتولى إدارة الوكالات، ودفع رواتب الموظفين، وتنفيذ المهام الإدارية اليومية المتوقعة من أي حكومة؟ من سيدير المدارس ويصلح الطرق وينفذ أعمال الشرطة في الشوارع؟
بالطبع، ربما يكون لدى السيد الجولاني مواهب خفية وسوف يرقى بأعجوبة إلى مستوى الحدث، من خلال ضمان عمل الوكالات بسلاسة وتشغيل القطارات في الوقت المحدد، ولكن هذا السيناريو يبدو مستبعدا للغاية. والأكثر من ذلك هو أن مهندسي هذا الفشل الذريع خططوا لإغراق البلاد واقتصادها المتعثر، وتكثيف معاناة المواطنين العاديين بشكل كبير، وزيادة استياء السكان حتى يتعرض النظام الجديد لإطاحة وحشية.
ربما لا.. ليس لدى مقاتلي هيئة تحرير الشام السنية سوى فرصة ضئيلة لتلبية احتياجات السكان وتوجيههم نحو مستقبل مزدهر وآمن. لكننا نعلم جميعا أن هذا لن يحدث. إن هذا النظام مجرد أداة في أيدي المصالح الأجنبية الحريصة على الاستيلاء على أكبر قدر ممكن من الثروات الطبيعية لسوريا، مع العمل في الوقت نفسه على إزالة التهديد المحتمل للتوسع الإسرائيلي المتواصل. باختصار، فإن المحافظين الجدد الذين أثاروا هذه الاستراتيجية الشيطانية فعلوا ذلك دون أدنى اهتمام بسلامة ورفاهية 23 مليون شخص يعيشون حالياً في سوريا.. حياتهم لا يهم.
ما يهم (بالنسبة لتل أبيب وواشنطن) هو وجود جيش احتياطي جاهز لتنفيذ أوامرها في الحرب المقبلة ضد إيران. هذا ما يهم. ولهذا تلجأ الولايات المتحدة وتركيا الى جنود “متعاقدين” سيفعلون ما يُطلب منهم مقابل رواتب باهظة. يتم الدفع لهيئة تحرير الشام مقابل خدماتها، وستتضمن هذه الخدمات هجمات على إيران وحزب الله. وبالتالي فإن هذه “ليست” تجربة لأشكال جديدة من الحكم. هيئة تحرير الشام لا تسعى إلى الحكم على الإطلاق. سوريا ليست سوى القاعدة العملياتية لنشر الهجمات ضد إيران وحزب الله. هذا كل شيء. هذا هو ما يدفعون له، لخوض الحرب.
الأمر كله يتعلق بالجغرافيا والغاز والدولار الأمريكي وإسرائيل. ومن بين هذه العناصر الأربعة، تحتل إسرائيل المكانة الغالبة.
This interview serves as a reminder regarding the diabolical timeline of America’s hegemonic project. Is Iran the next target “to be taken out”?
All these countries including Lebanon and Iran are on the Pentagon’s drawing board. These seven countries have directly or indirectly been the object of US aggression.
America’s hegemonic military agenda has reached a dangerous threshold: The assassination of IRG General Soleimani ordered by Donald Trump in early January was tantamount to an Act of War against Iran.
The Beirut explosion of August 4th. Is this tragic event part of a Middle East War Timeline?
Washington’s stated objective (according to General Wesley Clark) is to take Lebanon and Iran, with the support of Israel.
And Israel’s diabolical objective is “To Take Out” Palestine, with the support of the US, as part of “The Greater Israel Project”.
Michel Chossudovsky, January 4, 2019, August 24, 2024
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General Wesley Clark. Retired 4-star U.S. Army general, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the 1999 War on Yugoslavia .
Complete Transcript of Program, Democracy Now.
Today we spend the hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. In 2004 he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He recently edited a series of books about famous U.S. generals including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant – both of whom became president after their military careers ended.
Complete Video Interview:
Well for the rest of the hour we are going to hear General Wesley Clark on the possibility of a U.S. attack on Iran, the impeachment of President Bush, the use of cluster bombs, the bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo War and much more. I interviewed Wesley Clark on Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.
Short version of video interview:
Gen. Wesley Clark. Retired 4-star US Army general. Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War.
AMY GOODMAN: Today, an exclusive hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. He has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2004, he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He recently edited a series of books about famous US generals, including Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant, both of whom became president after their military careers ended.
On Tuesday, I interviewed Wesley Clark at the 92nd Street Y Cultural Center here in New York City before a live audience and asked him about his presidential ambitions.
AMY GOODMAN: What do you think of these generals who run for president?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I like them. It’s happened before.
AMY GOODMAN: Will it happen again?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It might.
AMY GOODMAN: Later in the interview, I followed up on that question.
AMY GOODMAN: Will you announce for president?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I haven’t said I won’t.
AMY GOODMAN: What are you waiting for?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I’m waiting for several different preconditions, which I’m not at liberty to discuss. But I will tell you this: I think about it every single day.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for the rest of the hour, we’ll hear General Wesley Clark in his own words on the possibility of a US attack on Iran; the impeachment of President Bush; the use of cluster bombs; the bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo War under his command; and much more. I interviewed General Clark on Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.
AMY GOODMAN: Now, let’s talk about Iran. You have a whole website devoted to stopping war.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see a replay in what happened in the lead-up to the war with Iraq — the allegations of the weapons of mass destruction, the media leaping onto the bandwagon?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, in a way. But, you know, history doesn’t repeat itself exactly twice. What I did warn about when I testified in front of Congress in 2002, I said if you want to worry about a state, it shouldn’t be Iraq, it should be Iran. But this government, our administration, wanted to worry about Iraq, not Iran.
I knew why, because I had been through the Pentagon right after 9/11. About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in. He said, “Sir, you’ve got to come in and talk to me a second.” I said, “Well, you’re too busy.” He said, “No, no.” He says, “We’ve made the decision we’re going to war with Iraq.” This was on or about the 20th of September. I said, “We’re going to war with Iraq? Why?” He said, “I don’t know.” He said, “I guess they don’t know what else to do.” So I said, “Well, did they find some information connecting Saddam to al-Qaeda?” He said, “No, no.” He says, “There’s nothing new that way. They just made the decision to go to war with Iraq.” He said, “I guess it’s like we don’t know what to do about terrorists, but we’ve got a good military and we can take down governments.” And he said, “I guess if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem has to look like a nail.”
So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, “Are we still going to war with Iraq?” And he said, “Oh, it’s worse than that.” He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, “I just got this down from upstairs” — meaning the Secretary of Defense’s office — “today.” And he said, “This is a memo that describes how we’re going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran.” I said, “Is it classified?” He said, “Yes, sir.” I said, “Well, don’t show it to me.” And I saw him a year or so ago, and I said, “You remember that?” He said, “Sir, I didn’t show you that memo! I didn’t show it to you!”
AMY GOODMAN: I’m sorry. What did you say his name was?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I’m not going to give you his name.
AMY GOODMAN: So, go through the countries again.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, starting with Iraq, then Syria and Lebanon, then Libya, then Somalia and Sudan, and back to Iran. So when you look at Iran, you say, “Is it a replay?” It’s not exactly a replay. But here’s the truth: that Iran, from the beginning, has seen that the presence of the United States in Iraq was a threat — a blessing, because we took out Saddam Hussein and the Baathists. They couldn’t handle them. We took care of it for them. But also a threat, because they knew that they were next on the hit list. And so, of course, they got engaged. They lost a million people during the war with Iraq, and they’ve got a long and unprotectable, unsecurable border. So it was in their vital interest to be deeply involved inside Iraq. They tolerated our attacks on the Baathists. They were happy we captured Saddam Hussein.
But they’re building up their own network of influence, and to cement it, they occasionally give some military assistance and training and advice, either directly or indirectly, to both the insurgents and to the militias. And in that sense, it’s not exactly parallel, because there has been, I believe, continuous Iranian engagement, some of it legitimate, some of it illegitimate. I mean, you can hardly fault Iran because they’re offering to do eye operations for Iraqis who need medical attention. That’s not an offense that you can go to war over, perhaps. But it is an effort to gain influence.
And the administration has stubbornly refused to talk with Iran about their perception, in part because they don’t want to pay the price with their domestic — our US domestic political base, the rightwing base, but also because they don’t want to legitimate a government that they’ve been trying to overthrow. If you were Iran, you’d probably believe that you were mostly already at war with the United States anyway, since we’ve asserted that their government needs regime change, and we’ve asked congress to appropriate $75 million to do it, and we are supporting terrorist groups, apparently, who are infiltrating and blowing up things inside Iraq — Iran. And if we’re not doing it, let’s put it this way: we’re probably cognizant of it and encouraging it. So it’s not surprising that we’re moving to a point of confrontation and crisis with Iran.
My point on this is not that the Iranians are good guys — they’re not — but that you shouldn’t use force, except as a last, last, last resort. There is a military option, but it’s a bad one.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to get your response to Seymour Hersh’s piece in The New Yorker to two key points this week, reporting the Pentagon’s established a special planning group within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to plan a bombing attack on Iran, that this is coming as the Bush administration and Saudi Arabia are pumping money for covert operations into many areas of the Middle East, including Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, in an effort to strengthen Saudi-supported Sunni Islam groups and weaken Iranian-backed Shias — some of the covert money has been given to jihadist groups in Lebanon with ties to al-Qaeda — fighting the Shias by funding with Prince Bandar and then with US money not approved by Congress, funding the Sunnis connected to al-Qaeda.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don’t have any direct information to confirm it or deny it. It’s certainly plausible. The Saudis have taken a more active role. You know, the Saudis have —
AMY GOODMAN: You were just in Saudi Arabia.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Hmm?
AMY GOODMAN: You just came back from Saudi Arabia.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. Well, the Saudis have basically recognized that they have an enormous stake in the outcome in Iraq, and they don’t particularly trust the judgment of the United States in this area. We haven’t exactly proved our competence in Iraq. So they’re trying to take matters into their own hands.
The real danger is, and one of the reasons this is so complicated is because — let’s say we did follow the desires of some people who say, “Just pull out, and pull out now.” Well, yeah. We could mechanically do that. It would be ugly, and it might take three or four months, but you could line up the battalions on the road one by one, and you could put the gunners in the Humvees and load and cock their weapons and shoot their way out of Iraq. You’d have a few roadside bombs. But if you line everybody up there won’t be any roadside bombs. Maybe some sniping. You can fly helicopters over, do your air cover. You’d probably get safely out of there. But when you leave, the Saudis have got to find someone to fight the Shias. Who are they going to find? Al-Qaeda, because the groups of Sunnis who would be extremists and willing to fight would probably be the groups connected to al-Qaeda. So one of the weird inconsistencies in this is that were we to get out early, we’d be intensifying the threat against us of a super powerful Sunni extremist group, which was now legitimated by overt Saudi funding in an effort to hang onto a toehold inside Iraq and block Iranian expansionism.
AMY GOODMAN: And interestingly, today, John Negroponte has just become the number two man, resigning his post as National Intelligence Director to go to the State Department, Seymour Hersh says, because of his discomfort that the administration’s covert actions in the Middle East so closely echo the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, and Negroponte was involved with that.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I’m sure there are a lot of reasons why John would go back to the State Department. John’s a good — he’s a good man. But, you know, the question is, in government is, can you — are you bigger than your job? Because if you’re not bigger than your job, you get trapped by the pressures of events and processes into going along with actions that you know you shouldn’t. And I don’t know. I don’t know why he left the National Intelligence Director’s position. He started in the State Department. Maybe he’s got a fondness to return and finish off his career in State.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about — do you know who the generals are, who are threatening to resign if the United States attacks Iran?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: No, I don’t. No, I don’t. And I don’t want to know.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you agree with them?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I’ll put it this way. On Labor Day weekend of 1994, when I was the J5 — I was a three-star general. I was in the Pentagon. And it was a Saturday morning, and so I was in the office. Walt Kross was the director of the Joint Staff, and he was in the office. And I think it was either Howell Estes or Jack Sheehan who was the J3 at the time. The three of us — I think it was Jack still on the job for the last couple of days. And the three of us were in Shalikashvili’s office about 11:00 in the morning on a Saturday morning, and he had just come back from a White House meeting. And he was all fired up in the way that Shali could be. And he said, “So,” he said, “we will see who will be the real soldiers this weekend! There’s much work to be done! This operation on Haiti has to be completed! The planning must be done correctly, and it must be done this weekend! So we will see who are the real soldiers!”
Then the phone buzzed, and he got up from this little round table the four of us were sitting at to take the call from the White House. We started looking at each other. We said, “Gosh, I wonder where this came from.” I mean, we were all getting ready to check out of the building in an hour or so. We had finished off the messages and paperwork. And we just usually got together because there was normally a crisis every Saturday anyway, and so we normally would come in for the Saturday morning crisis. And so, Shali came back, and so I said to him, I said, “Well, sir, we’ve been talking amongst ourselves, and we’re happy to work all weekend to get all this done, but this is just a drill, right, on Haiti?”
He looked at me, and he said, “Wes,” he said, “this is no drill.” He said, “I’m not authorized to tell you this. But,” he said “the decision has been made, and the United States will invade Haiti. The date is the 20th” — I think it was this date — “of the 20th of September. And the planning must be done, and it must be done now. And if any of you have reservations about this, this is the time to leave.” So I looked at Jack, and I looked at Walt. They looked at me. I mean, we kind of shrugged our shoulders and said, “OK, if you want to invade Haiti, I mean, it’s not illegal. It’s not the country we’d most like to invade. The opposition there consists of five armored vehicles. But sure, I mean, if the President says to do it, yeah, we’re not going resign over it.” And so, we didn’t resign. Nobody resigned.
But Shali was a very smart man. He knew. He knew he was bigger than his job, and he knew that you had to ask yourself the moral, legal and ethical questions first. And so, I’m encouraged by the fact that some of these generals have said this about Iran. They should be asking these questions first.
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. He says he thinks about running for president again every day. We’ll come back to my interview with him in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We go back to my interview with General Wesley Clark.
AMY GOODMAN: What about the soldiers who are saying no to going to Iraq right now?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Iraq?
AMY GOODMAN: To going to Iraq. People like First Lieutenant Ehren Watada, first commissioned officer to say no to deploy. And they just declared a mistrial in his court-martial. He will face another court-martial in a few weeks. What do you think of these young men and women — there are now thousands — who are refusing? But, for example, Ehren Watada, who says he feels it’s wrong. He feels it’s illegal and immoral, and he doesn’t want to lead men and women there.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think, you know, he’s certainly made a personally courageous statement. And he’ll pay with the consequences of it.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think he should have to go to jail for that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think that you have to have an effective armed forces. And I think that it’s not up to the men and women in the Armed Forces to choose where they’ll go to war, because at the very time you need the Armed Forces the most is — there will be a certain number of people who will see it the other way. And so, I support his right to refuse to go, and I support the government’s effort to bring charges against him. This is the way the system works.
Now, the difference is, the case that I described with Shalikashvili is, we would have been given the chance to retire. We would have left our jobs. We might not have retired as three-star generals, because we hadn’t done our duty. But we weren’t in the same circumstance that he is, so there wasn’t necessarily going to be charges brought against us.
But an armed forces has to have discipline. It’s a voluntary organization to join. But it’s not voluntary unless it’s illegal. And you can bring — the trouble with Iraq is it’s not illegal. It was authorized by the United States Congress. It was authorized by the United Nations Security Council resolution. It’s an illegitimate war, but not an illegal war.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think it’s wrong?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It’s wrong to fight in Iraq? Well, I think it’s a mistake. I think it’s a bad strategy. I think it’s brought us a lot of grief, and it will bring us a lot more grief. I think it’s been a tremendous distraction from the war on terror, a diversion of resources, and it’s reinforced our enemies. But on the other hand, his case is a moral case, not a legal case. And if you’re going to be a conscientious objector morally like this, then what makes it commendable is that you’ll take your stand on principle and pay the price. If there’s no price to be paid for it, then the courage of your act isn’t self-evident. So he’s taken a very personally courageous stand. But on the other hand, you have to also appreciate the fact that the Armed Forces has to be able to function.
So, you know, in World War I in France, there were a series of terribly misplaced offensives, and they brought — they failed again and again and again. The French took incredible losses. And these were conscript armies. And after one of these failures, a group of thousands of soldiers simply said, “We’re not doing this again. It’s wrong.” You know what the French did? They did what they call decimation. They lined up the troops. They took every tenth soldier, and they shot them. Now, the general who ordered that, he suffered some severe repercussions, personally, morally, but after that the soldiers in France didn’t disobey. Had the army disintegrated at that point, Germany would have occupied France. So when you’re dealing with the use of force, there is an element of compulsion in the Armed Forces.
AMY GOODMAN: But if the politicians will not stop it — as you pointed out, the Democrats joined with the Republicans in authorizing the war — then it’s quite significant, I think, that you, as a general, are saying that this man has taken a courageous act. Then it’s up to the people who are being sent to go to say no.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. But the courage that we need is not his courage. We need the courage of the leaders in the United States government: the generals who could affect the policy, the people in Congress who could force the President to change his strategy. That’s the current — that’s the courage that’s needed.
AMY GOODMAN: And how could they do that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, you start with a non-binding resolution in the United States Congress, and you build your momentum from there. And you keep hammering it. The Congress has three principal powers. It has the power to appoint, power to investigate, power to fund. And you go after all three. On all three fronts, you find out what the President needs, until he takes it seriously. I think it’s a difficult maneuver to use a scalpel and say, “Well, we’re going to support funding, but we’re not going to support funding for the surge,” because that’s requiring a degree of micro-management that Congress can’t do.
But you can certainly put enough squeeze on the President that he finally calls in the leaders of the Congress and says, “OK, OK, what’s it going to take? I’ve got to get my White House budget passed. I’ve got to get thirty judges, federal judges, confirmed. I’ve got to get these federal prosecutors — you know, the ones that I caused to resign so I could handle it — they’ve got to get replacements in place. What do I have to do to get some support here?” I mean, it could be done. It’s hard bare-knuckle government.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think Congress should stop funding the war?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I think Congress should take a strong stand to get the strategy changed. I don’t think that if you cut off funding for the war, it’s in the — right now that’s not in the United States’ interest. What is in the United States’ interest is to change the strategy in the war. You cannot succeed by simply stopping the funding and saying, “You’ve got six months to get the Americans out.” That’s not going to end the misery in Iraq. It’s not going to restore the lives that have been lost. And it’s not going to give us the power in the region to prevent later threats.
What we do have to do is have a strategy that uses all the elements of America’s power: diplomatic, economic, legal and military. I would send a high-level diplomatic team into the region right now. I’d have no-holds-barred and no-preconditioned discussion with Iran and Syria. And I would let it be known that I’ve got in my bag all the tricks, including putting another 50,000 troops in Iraq and pulling all 150,000 troops out. And we’re going to reach an agreement on a statement of principles that brings stability and peace and order to the region. So let’s just sit down and start doing it. Now, that could be done with the right administrative leadership. It just hasn’t been done.
You know, think of it this way. You’re on a ship crossing the Atlantic. It’s a new ship. And it’s at night. And you’re looking out ahead of the ship, and you notice that there’s a part of the horizon. It’s a beautiful, starry night, except that there’s a part of the horizon, a sort of a regular hump out there where there are no stars visible. And you notice, as the ship plows through the water at thirty knots, that this area where there are no stars is getting larger. And finally, it hits you that there must be something out there that’s blocking the starlight, like an iceberg. So you run to the captain. And you say, “Captain, captain, there’s an iceberg, and we’re driving right toward it.” And he says, “Look, I can’t be bothered with the iceberg right now. We’re having an argument about the number of deck chairs on the fore deck versus the aft deck.” And you say, “But you’re going to hit an iceberg.” He says, “I’m sorry. Get out of here.” So you go to the first officer, and he says, “I’m fighting with the captain on the number of deck chairs.”
You know, we’re approaching an iceberg in the Middle East in our policy, and we’ve got Congress and the United States — and the President of the United States fighting over troop strength in Iraq. It’s the wrong issue. The issue is the strategy, not the troop strength.
AMY GOODMAN: General Clark, do you think Guantanamo Bay should be closed?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Absolutely.
AMY GOODMAN: If Congress cut off funds for the prison there, it would be closed. Should they?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think the first thing Congress should do is repeal the Military Commissions Act. I’m very disturbed that a number of people who are looking at the highest office in the land have supported an act which advertently or inadvertently authorizes the admission into evidence of information gained through torture. That’s not the America that I believe in. And the America that I believe in doesn’t detain people indefinitely without charges. So I’d start with the Military Commissions Act.
Then I’d get our NATO allies into the act. They’ve said they don’t like Guantanamo either. So I’d like to create an international tribunal, not a kangaroo court of military commissions. And let’s go back through the evidence. And let’s lay it out. Who are these people that have been held down there? And what have they been held for? And which ones can be released? And which ones should be tried in court and convicted?
You see, essentially, you cannot win the war on terror by military force. It is first and foremost a battle of ideas. It is secondly a law enforcement effort and a cooperative effort among nations. And only as a last resort do you use military force. This president has distorted the capabilities of the United States Armed Forces. He’s used our men and women in uniform improperly in Guantanamo and engaged in actions that I think are totally against the Uniform Code of Military Justice and against what we stand for as the American people.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think that President Bush should be impeached?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think we ought to do first thing’s first, which is, we really need to understand and finish the job that Congress started with respect to the Iraq war investigation. Do you remember that there was going to be a study released by the Senate, that the senator from Iowa or from Kansas who was the Republican head of the Senate Intelligence Committee was going to do this study to determine whether the administration had, in fact, misused the intelligence information to mislead us into the war with Iraq? Well, I’ve never seen that study. I’d like to know where that study is. I’d like to know why we’ve spent three years investigating Scooter Libby, when we should have been investigating why this country went to war in Iraq.
AMY GOODMAN: The Center for Constitutional Rights has filed a complaint against Donald Rumsfeld, General Miller and others in a German court, because they have universal jurisdiction. Do you think that Donald Rumsfeld should be tried for war crimes?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I’d like to see what the evidence is against Rumsfeld. I do know this, that there was a lot of pressure put on the men and women in uniform to come up with intelligence. I remember — I think it was either General Sanchez or General Abizaid, who stated that we don’t need more troops — this is the fall of 2003 — we just need better information. Well, to me, that was immediate code words that we were really trying to soak these people for information.
And it’s only a short step from there to all the kinds of mistreatment that occur at places like Abu Ghraib. So we know that Al Gonzales wrote a couple of really — or authored, or his people authored and he approved, a couple of outrageous memos that attempted to define torture as deliberately inflicted pain, the equivalent of the loss of a major bodily organ or limb, which is — it’s not an adequate definition of torture. And we know that he authorized, to some degree, some coercive methods, which we have — and we know President Bush himself accepted implicitly in a signing statement to a 2005 act on military detainees that he would use whatever methods were appropriate or necessary. So there’s been some official condoning of these actions.
I think it’s a violation of international law and a violation of American law and a violation of the principles of good government in America. There have always been evidences of mistreatment of prisoners. Every army has probably done it in history. But our country hasn’t ever done it as a matter of deliberate policy. George Washington told his soldiers, when they captured the Hessians and the men wanted to run them through, because the Hessians were brutal and ruthless, he said, “No, treat them well.” He said, “They’ll join our side.” And many of them did. It was a smart policy, not only the right thing to do, but a smart policy to treat the enemy well. We’ve made countless enemies in that part of the world by the way we’ve treated people and disregarded them. It’s bad, bad policy.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask — you’re a FOX News contributor now?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Oh, at least.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you what you think of the dean of West Point, Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, together with a military interrogator named Tony Lagouranis and the group Human Rights First, going to the heads of the program 24, very popular hit show on FOX, to tell them that what they’re doing on this program, glorifying torture, is inspiring young men and women to go to Iraq and torture soldiers there, and to stop it?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: And not only that, but it doesn’t work. Yeah, Pat Finnegan is one of my heroes.
AMY GOODMAN: So what do you think about that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I think it’s great.
AMY GOODMAN: And have you been involved in the conversation internally at FOX, which runs 24, to stop it?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, as far as I know, they actually put out a call to all the writers in Hollywood. My son’s a writer, and he was one of them who got a call. They were all told: stop talking about torture. It doesn’t work. So I think it was an effective move by Pat Finnegan.
AMY GOODMAN: So you support it?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Absolutely.
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. I’m interviewing him at the 92nd Street Y. We’re going to come back to the conclusion of that interview in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark recently edited a series of books about famous US generals: Grant, LeMay, Patton and Eisenhower. When I interviewed him at the 92nd Street Y, I asked him a question about the presidency of General Dwight Eisenhower
AMY GOODMAN: 1953 was also a seminal date for today, and that was when Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Teddy Roosevelt, went to Iran and led a coup against Mohammed Mossadegh under Eisenhower.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: People make mistakes. And one of the mistakes that the United States consistently made was that it could intervene and somehow adjust people’s governments, especially in the Middle East. I don’t know why we felt that — you can understand Latin America, because Latin America was always an area in which people would come to the United States, say, “You’ve got to help us down there. These are banditos, and they don’t know anything. And, you know, they don’t have a government. Just intervene and save our property.” And the United States did it a lot in the ’20s. Of course, Eisenhower was part of that culture. He had seen it.
But in the Middle East, we had never been there. We established a relationship during World War II, of course, to keep the Germans out of Iran. And so, the Soviets and the Brits put an Allied mission together. At the end of World War II, the Soviets didn’t want to withdraw, and Truman called their bluff in the United Nations. And Eisenhower knew all of this. And Iran somehow became incorporated into the American defense perimeter. And so, his view would have been, we couldn’t allow a communist to take over.
AMY GOODMAN: But wasn’t it more about British Petroleum?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Oh, it’s always — there are always interests. The truth is, about the Middle East is, had there been no oil there, it would be like Africa. Nobody is threatening to intervene in Africa. The problem is the opposite. We keep asking for people to intervene and stop it. There’s no question that the presence of petroleum throughout the region has sparked great power involvement. Whether that was the specific motivation for the coup or not, I can’t tell you. But there was definitely — there’s always been this attitude that somehow we could intervene and use force in the region. I mean, that was true with — I mean, imagine us arming and creating the Mujahideen to keep the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Why would we think we could do that? But we did. And, you know, my lesson on it is, whenever you use force, there are unintended consequences, so you should use force as a last resort. Whether it’s overt or covert, you pay enormous consequences for using force.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you about what you think of the response to Jimmy Carter’s book, Peace, Not Apartheid.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I’m sorry to say I haven’t read the book. And it’s one of the things I’ve been meaning to read, and I just haven’t. I will tell you this, that we’re in a very, very difficult position in Israel. I say “we,” because every American president has committed to the protection and survival of the state of Israel. And I think that’s right. And I certainly feel that way, and I’m a very strong supporter of Israel.
But somehow we’ve got to move off top dead center in terms of these discussions with the Palestinians. And this administration has failed to lead. They came into office basically determined not to do anything that Bill Clinton did. I think that was the basic guideline. And so, they have allowed unremitting violence between Israel and the Palestinians with hardly an effort to stop that through US leadership. And now, it’s almost too late. So Condi was over there the other day, and she didn’t achieve what she wanted to achieve, and people want to blame the Saudis. But at least the Saudis tried to do something at Mecca by putting together a unity government. So I fault the administration.
Jimmy Carter has taken a lot of heat from people. I don’t know exactly what he said in the book. But people are very sensitive about Israel in this country. And I understand that. A lot of my friends have explained it to me and have explained to me the psychology of people who were in this country and saw what was happening in World War II, and maybe they didn’t feel like they spoke out strongly enough, soon enough, to stop it. And it’s not going to happen again.
AMY GOODMAN: General Clark, I wanted to ask you a tough question about journalists.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, now, that would be the first tough question you’ve asked me tonight.
AMY GOODMAN: There are more than a hundred journalists and media workers in Iraq who have died. And particularly hard hit are Arab journalists. I mean, you had Tariq Ayoub, the Al Jazeera reporter, who died on the roof of Al Jazeera when the US military shelled Al Jazeera, then went on to shell the Palestine Hotel and killed two reporters, a Reuters cameraman and one from Telecinco in Spain named Jose Couso. Many Arab journalists feel like they have been targeted, the idea of shooting the messenger. But this tough question goes back to your being Supreme Allied Commander in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Radio Television Serbia. Do you regret that that happened, that you did that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: No, I don’t regret that at all. That was part of the Serb command and control network. And not only that, I was asked to take out that television by a lot of important political leaders. And before I took it out, I twice warned the Serbs we were going to take it out. We stopped, at one news conference in the Pentagon, we planted the question to get the attention of the Serbs, that we were going to target Serb Radio and Television.
AMY GOODMAN: RTS.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah. And that night, in fact, Milosevic got the warning, because he summoned all the foreign journalists to come to a special mandatory party at RTS that night. But we weren’t bombing that night. We put the word out twice before we actually I did it.
AMY GOODMAN: You told CNN, which was also there, to leave?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: I told — I used — I think I used CNN to plant the story and to leak it at the Pentagon press conference. But we didn’t tell anyone specifically to leave. What we told them was it’s now a target. And it was Milosevic who determined that he would keep people there in the middle of the night just so there would be someone killed if we struck it. So we struck it during the hours where there were not supposed to be anybody there.
AMY GOODMAN: But you killed civilians.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Six people died.
AMY GOODMAN: I think sixteen. But I think it’s the media — it’s the beauticians, the technicians. It was a civilian target.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Yeah, they were ordered to stay there by Milosevic. Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: But it was a civilian target.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: It was not a civilian target. It was a military target. It was part of the Serb command and control network
AMY GOODMAN: What do you think of Amnesty International calling it a war crime?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think it was investigated by the International Criminal Tribunal in Yugoslavia and found to be a legitimate target. So I think it’s perfectly alright for Amnesty International to have their say, but everything we did was approved by lawyers, and every target was blessed. We would not have committed a war crime.
AMY GOODMAN: Upon reflection now and knowing who died there, the young people, the people who worked for RTS, who — as you said, if Milosevic wanted people to stay there, they were just following orders.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, it was a tragedy. But I’ll tell you something. If you want to talk about tragedies, how about this one? We bombed what we thought was a Serb police station in Kosovo. We saw the Serb vehicles. We flew unmanned aerial vehicles over it. And we did everything we could to identify it. And we found that there were Serb police vehicles parked there at night, so we sent an F-16 in, dropped two 500-pound laser-guided bombs and took it out. We killed eighty Albanians who had been imprisoned by the Serbs there. They were trying to escape, and the Serbs locked them up in this farmhouse and surrounded them with vehicles. So, I regret every single innocent person who died, and I prayed every night that there wouldn’t be any innocent people who died. But this is why I say you must use force only as a last resort.
I told this story to the high school kids earlier, but it bears repeating, I guess. We had a malfunction with a cluster bomb unit, and a couple of grenades fell on a schoolyard, and some, I think three, schoolchildren were killed in Nish. And two weeks later, I got a letter from a Serb grandfather. He said, “You’ve killed my granddaughter.” He said, “I hate you for this, and I’ll kill you.” And I got this in the middle of the war. And it made me very, very sad. We certainly never wanted to do anything like that. But in war, accidents happen. And that’s why you shouldn’t undertake military operations unless every other alternative has been exhausted, because innocent people do die. And I think the United States military was as humane and careful as it possibly could have been in the Kosovo campaign. But still, civilians died. And I’ll always regret that.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think cluster bombs should be banned?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: You know, we used, I think 1,400-plus cluster bombs. And there’s a time when you have to use cluster bombs: when they’re the most appropriate and humane weapon. But I think you have to control the use very carefully. And I think we did in Yugoslavia.
AMY GOODMAN: Right now, the US has rejected an international call to ban the use of cluster bombs. On Friday, forty-six countries were in Oslo to develop a new international treaty to ban the use of cluster munitions by — I think it’s 2008. Would you support that?
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Well, you know, people who are against war often make the case by trying to attack the weapons of war and stripping away the legitimacy of those weapons. I’ve participated in some of that. I’d like to get rid of landmines. I did participate in getting rid of laser blinding weapons. And I was part of the team that put together the agreement that got rid of laser blinding weapons. I’d like to get rid of nuclear weapons. But I can’t agree with those who say that force has no place in international affairs. It simply does for this country. And I would like to work to make it so that it doesn’t. But the truth is, for now it does. And so, I can’t go against giving our men and women in uniform the appropriate weapons they need to fight, to fight effectively to succeed on the battlefield, and to minimize their own casualties.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’ll have to leave it there. I thank you very much, General Wesley Clark.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.
AMY GOODMAN: General Wesley Clark. I interviewed him at the 92nd Street Y, the cultural center here in New York, on the publication of the Great General Series, on Grant, LeMay, Patton and Eisenhower.
The position of a state broadcaster, one funded directly by taxpayers from a particular country, places it in a delicate position. The risk of alignment with the views of the day, as dictated by one class over another; the danger that one political position will somehow find more air than another, is ever present. The pursuit of objectivity can itself become a distorting dogma.
Like its counterpart in the United Kingdom, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation can count itself lucky to be given a place of such dominance in the media market. None of that gimmickry to boost subscriber numbers. No need for annual, or half-yearly fund drives.
Why, then, did the ABC chairman, Kim Williams, do it? And by doing it, this involved attacking US-based podcaster Joe Rogan in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra, a foolish, bumbling excursion into the realms of broadcasting and podcasting the ABC might do well to learn from.
In the question session, when asked about the influence of Rogan (“the world’s most influential podcaster”, sighs the ABC journalist), Williams shows little interest in analysis. Rather than understanding the scope of his appeal, one that drew Donald Trump to the microphone in a meandering conversational epic of waffle and disclosure lasting three hours, he “personally” found “it deeply repulsive, and to think that someone has such remarkable power in the United States is something that I look at in disbelief.” He further felt a sense of “dismay that this can be a source of public entertainment when it’s really treating the public as plunder for purposes that are really quite malevolent.”
Williams makes a point of juxtaposing the weak, impressionable consumer of news – one who will evidently be set straight by the likes of his network – and those of Rogan and his tribe of entrepreneurial podcasting fantasists who “prey on all the elements that contribute to uncertainty in society”, suggesting that “conspiracy outcomes” are merely “a normal part of social narrative”.
It is worth noting here that Williams is a former chief executive of an organisation that loved (and still loves) preying on anxieties, testing the waters of fear, and pushing absurdly demagogic narratives in boosting readership and subscriptions. That most unscrupulous outfit is a certain News Corp, its imperishable tycoon Rupert Murdoch still clinging to the pulpit with savage commitment.
Once Williams crossed the commercial river to become ABC chair, he had something of a peace-loving conversion, all part of a festival of inclusivity that has proven tedious and meretricious. The public broadcaster, he said in June this year, should become a “national campfire” to enable a greater understanding of Australia’s diverse communities.
It did not take long for the Williams show of snark to make its way to Rogan Land and his defenders, notably Elon Musk, who spent time with Rogan in the lead-up to November’s US presidential election spruiking the credentials of Trump. Showing how Williams had exposed his flank, and that of the organisation he leads, the tech oligarch, relevantly the director of X Corp (formerly Twitter), was bound to say something given his ongoing skirmishes with Australian regulators and lawmakers in their efforts to regulate access to social media.
From such infantilising bureaucrats as eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant to the spluttering Williams who bemoans the “Joe Rogan effect”, Musk is being given, rather remarkably, a whitewash of respectability. Their efforts to protect Australians from any prospect of being offended, mentally corrupted, unduly influenced and one might even say being excited, is of such an order as to beggar belief. With little imagination, Musk retorted with boring predictability: “From the head of Australian government-funded media, their Pravda.”
“You make a comment in response to a legitimate question from a journalist, you answer it concisely and give an honest answer in terms of what your own perception of what [Rogan] is and suddenly I get this huge pile-on from people in the most aggressive way”.
Accusations include having “a warped outlook on the world”, being “an embarrassment” and showing signs of being “unhinged”. Ignorance would be the better distillation here.
There is something to be said about Williams being hermetic to media forms that have prevented him from getting to the national campfire he championed. He speaks of communities and users as vague constructions rather than accessible groups. He also ignores, for instance, that Rogan was open to allowing Trump’s opponent, the Democrat contender, Kamala Harris, to come onto his program conducted in his Texas podcast studio during the campaign. This offer was eventually withdrawn given the conditions Harris, ever terrified by unscripted formats and lengthy interviews, demanded Rogan follow. The strategists and handlers had to have their say, and for their role and for Harris’s caution, she paid a price.
For a man with a News Corp pedigree and one no doubt familiar with the Murdoch Empire’s creepy techniques of influence and seduction exercised over the electorates and political processes of other countries – the United States, the UK and Australia immediately come to mind – Williams has shown himself the media iteration of a bamboozled, charmless Colonel Blimp.
Williams might best focus on the problems at his own broadcaster, the organisation the Australians call Auntie. It boasts, constantly, that it is the place where “news” can be found, but more importantly, “news you can trust”. But the current iteration of news remains bland, benign and pitifully regulated. It is clear what the talking points are when it comes to reporting on such areas of the world as the Middle East. Killings by the Israeli Defence Forces, even if they do involve the liquidation of whole buildings and villagers, are never massacres but measures of overzealous self-defence. Hamas and Hezbollah, being Israel’s adversaries, are always prefaced as indulgent terrorists. The list goes on, and, it would seem, the problems Williams is facing.
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Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He currently lectures at RMIT University. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Email: [email protected]
There are two main approaches among Western public opinion regarding the role of Israel, its relations with the United States, and, consequently, the significance of both of these factors for the situation in the Middle East.
Israel as the US Colony
The first opinion, popular especially in leftist intellectual circles, sees Israel as merely a quasi-colony of the United States.
Thus, it is America that is therefore the driving force behind Middle Eastern conflicts, acting in accordance with the logic of imperialism.
This doesn’t, of course, reduce the responsibility of the Zionist regime for the crimes it commits and the wars it provokes, but from this perspective,
Bibi Netanyahu and others seem more like just collaborators with the American military-industrial complex and its interests.
They are bloodier tools rather than perpetrators.
American policy is therefore becoming the main target of the protests, and Washington is expected to act for peace in the Middle East and resolve the Palestinian issue in accordance with the officially proclaimed slogans of democracy and protection of human rights.
United States as the Zionist Colony
However the second position, much more popular in America, in anti-system circles of both right and left, sees the United States themselves rather as a colony of Israel.
“Capitol is occupied not less than Palestine!” – I’ve heard that sentence many times from my American friends.This is a completely different perspective, which forces us to focus on the immanent criminality of Zionism itself, which is more than just a convenient tool, an ideology used to cover imperialist goals.
This is the very essence of the Palestinian crisis, the reason why the solution to the Middle East issue is beyond the reach of the international debate, especially only with the participation of non-governmental organisations.
Nazi Question
The Nazi question haven’t been solved by negotiations or by wondering whether Hitler was working for big capital.
The options of “Nazism with a human face” or compromise with “Nazi pragmatists” were not on a table.
Nazism had to be defeated on the battlefields, in the bloodiest war in human history.The Nazi Third Reich was abolished as a state, the nation was denazified, and the territories conquered and occupied by the Nazis were returned to their historic inhabitants.Since Zionism is a specific, Israeli form of Nazism it would be utopian to believe that it can be treated differently from Hitlerism, i.e. German Nazism, or Banderism, i.e. Ukrainian Nazism.
And just as historically not all powers contributed equally to the victory over Nazism, so today the attitude of the main international actors towards Zionism differs significantly.Much more unequivocal, however, is the attitude of the nations themselves, making the matter clear: Zionism will meet the same end as Nazism in Hitler’s bunker under the ruins of the Reich Chancellery.
Political Limitations of Popular Movements
Actions such as Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) have a huge impact on integrating public opinion in its opposition to Zionist crimes and their sponsors.The reaction of Western societies to the genocide in Gaza, these multi-hundred-thousand marches for peace and for Palestine in London and other cities are the largest independent popular movements in decades.
This is a real awakening against war, racism and imperialism. However, we must be aware of the limits of such involvement.
In the West, we are dealing with a systemic crisis of liberal democracy, which is currently being extinguished as a form of political organisation of states and societies.
Oligarchies, which have always dominated Western politics, are now almost openly present, while the basic assumptions of liberal democracy, such as freedom of speech, freedom of the media and scholarship, democratic elections of political representation, are no longer of real importance.Even such a mass popular movement as the campaigns in support of Palestine are met with indifference at best, and more often with direct repressions.
Millions of people can march through the streets of Western cities to protest the genocide in Gaza, and Western governments can ignore it, continuing to provide active support to the Netanyahu’s regime, as the British Government does.
Breaking Apartheid
This confirms the futility of political assimilation of Muslims living in Europe. Their voice is not and cannot be heard within the framework of the current system, which has the characteristics of practical apartheid. All those suspected of sympathising with the Palestinian cause are eliminated from mainstream Western parties, and censorship prevails in universities and in the media, including social media.
In this situation, all opponents of Zionism, all supporters of peace, in order to be heard, to gain influence and control, must organise themselves.
There are currently around 28 million Muslims living in the countries of the European Union and in the UK, and their percentage will only grow.This is a potentially powerful force, if only it stops allowing itself to belimited to the matter of migration, divisions between old and new immigrants, or cultural issues.This is a force of potential geopolitical change, completely reevaluating the Western strategy towards the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
And there can be only one perspective: Zionist came from overseas – they should go further, across the ocean.They have New York, Miami and California, so they don’t need Palestine anymore. Unless, of course, it is the Anglo-Saxons who need a foothold in the Middle East, and the inhabitants of Palestine, regardless of nationality and religion, are only hostages of foreign geopolitical interests.Therefore, justifying the occupation with humanitarian reasons or “historical justice towards the Jewish nation” turns out to be all the more mendacious.The falsehoods are exposed.The Palestinian syndrome must be overtaken in one way or another and from the River to the See Palestine must be free.
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Washington finally completed its dirty war in Syria. What started as a CIA covert operation to smuggle weapons and jihadists from Libya to Syria has resulted in Syria leader Bashar al-Assad being deposed and replaced by Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
Julani found his way to Damascus by rising through the ranks of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Julani was a close associate of both AQI leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and founded the al-Qaeda affiliate group Syria in coordination with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
As more Americans became aware of the CIA’s covert operation in Syria to back jihadists, Julani changed his organization’s name from Al Nusra to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, then Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) to obscure his group’s al-Qaeda links. However,HTS was no moderate group and focused on bringing ISIS forces under Julani’s control following the collapse of Baghdadi’s caliphate.
Even the US State Department was not fooled by Julani’s rebrands. In 2017, the State Department issued a $10 million reward for the capture of Julani.
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For most of the past decade, Julani has ruled over northwestern Syria under the protection of Washington’s NATO ally, Turkey. Had Turkish troops not set up outposts surrounding Julani’s territory, Syria, and its Russian, Iranian, and Hezbollah allies may have eliminated the lingering jihadist threat. During this period, Julani’s Idlib province was the largest safe haven for jihadists on the planet.
Since the ISIS caliphate was defeated, the frontlines in the Syrian War largely froze. Still, Washington and its allies engaged in a relentless assault on Damascus.
Turkey protected jihadists on Syria’s northern border, allowing them to terrorize the Kurds that lived there.
Israel engaged in weekly strikes on Assad and his allied forces. Over the past year, those strikes have escalated to hit civilian and diplomatic targets in downtown Damascus. Tel Aviv even bombed the Aleppo Airport following a major earthquake, preventing aid from reaching the desperate citizens.
The US illegally occupied the eastern quarter of Syria, exploiting and stealing some of Damasus’s most valuable resources. In this region, the US allowed the Kurds to lord power over the local Arabs. The Kurdish SDF runs a massive torture prison known as the al-Hol camp, and local citizens protest the Kurds conscripting their children as young as 15.
Washington waged an economic war on Syria, deliberately meant to prevent Damascus from rebuilding its war-destroyed infrastructure. The US also bombed Assad’s allied forces near the Iraq-Syria border.
Additionally, Turkey and Ukraine used this period to bolster the HTS forces.
The long-frozen conflict thawed rapidly over the past two weeks. Seemingly in coordination with the announcement of a truce in Lebanon, Julani’s forces went on the march, first seizing Aleppo. Reported to be aided by advanced drones, HTS made quick work of any Syria forces that resisted, and on Sunday, Julani arrived in Damascus and declared the “mujahideen” won the war. And Washington celebrated.
“Syria is free. The rebels won. The people liberated themselves from tyranny. Freedom won,” the Washington Post’s Josh Rogin wrote on X. “Russia, Iran, Hezbollah & Assad lost. Historic. The road ahead for Syria won’t be easy. But it will be better than the past. The world should celebrate Syria’s liberation & help it succeed.”
“Assad – after a quarter-century of ruthless rule – had fled the country. Syria was free at last.”
“The fall of Assad. On some days, one can believe that while the arc of the moral universe is long, it bends toward justice,” neocon Bill Krystol wrote on X.
Of course, what happened to Syria is not about the Syrians. The real goal of Washington was to weaken Damascus because they believed it would weaken Moscow, Tehran, and Hezbollah.
What happens next in Syria is unlikely to be good for many of the minority groups that enjoyed some level of protection under Assad. However, Washington and its allies are swooping in like hungry vultures to feats on the remains of Syria.
Shortly after Assad left Damascus, in Tel Aviv Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuannounced Israel would be seizing a “buffer zone” in southwestern Syria. Turkey also launched airstrikes on a Kurdish-held city in northern Syria.
No doubt, in the coming days, we will hear crowing from the hawks in Washington about their triumph in Syria by severing Tehran’s land connection to Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon. In the White House, Biden’s staff is no doubt discussing how to exploit Assad’s downfall as far as possible; this includes attempts to remove Russia from its military bases along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
The biggest losers in Syria are the Syrian people, who, for nearly a decade and a half, have been subject to a brutal and complex war that shows no signs of ending. They have been bombed by a seemingly unending number of countries, all with their unique geopolitical interests. The Syrian people have been intentionally starved and impoverished by the US to bring about Assad’s downfall. While Assad was a tyrant, no doubt Julani will come with his own, and likely more oppressive, tyranny.
Among the other losers are the American people. More American lives and treasure were wasted on a project to dispose of another Middle East dictator. In Iraq and Libya, this policy caused unimaginable suffering for the locals.
The top threat is that our government has empowered the only true enemies of the American people. Iran, Russia, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Assad’s Syria, etc. all present no threat to the American homeland. However, now an al-Qaeda terrorist sits on the throne in Damascus, and Washington’s support for Tel Aviv’s genocide in Gaza has given him an endless supply of anti-American hatred.
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After combating terrorism and rebel groups for over twelve years, the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the capital of Damascus with his family on December 7, shortly before it fell to the rebels. The victorious insurgents are the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) organization along with an umbrella group called the Syrian National Army.
Craig Murray (former British ambassador to Uzbekistan), in a panel about “the end of pluralism in the Middle East”, described the “Syrian rebels” as “a tool of NATO, Israel and Turkey”. This is a complex description for a complex situation indeed. Of the three, many analysts are focusing on the Israeli and Turkish angle—not so much on the American angle, though.
To recap, since the 2011 terrorist attacks, Syria has counted on military aid from its allies Iran and Russia. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard, as well as the (Tehran-backed) Lebanese Hezbollah have in fact been the main anti-terrorist actors in the Levant, by deterring the expansion of terrorist group ISIS (Daesh) and thereby making the region safer for Christians and other minorities. Islamic Wahhabi/Salafi extremists were, after all, beheading some of them while kidnapping others and selling women as slaves.
The fact is that the rebels who have won in Syria now are not of a very different persuasion, and it is no wonder many are now concerned. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens for one has urged the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to aid the Christian population in Syria. He wrote:
“The advance of extremist armed groups and the capture of Aleppo threaten… the interfaith composition of the region’s population… there is now a looming danger of the complete eradication… of Greek Orthodoxy and Christianity from the wider region.”
Such concerns are well founded. One should bear in mind that (Saudi-born) Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the very leader of Turkish-backed HTS, the group who has captured Aleppo (Syria’s second largest city), joined Al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003, later establishing its split branch in Syria, the so-called al-Nusra Front. This group, under al-Julani, cooperated with the infamous Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Al-Qaeda’s split offshoot called “Islamic State in Iraq”, later known as ISIL (ISIS) or Daesh.
Al-Julani’s own later split from al-Qaeda and creation of the aforementioned HTS has been described as a merely “bid” to “stress his group’s national, as opposed to transnational, ambitions.” In other words, the group is just another re-branded offshoot of ISIS/Al-Qaeda. And those are the people who have now conquered Syria.
One might disapprove of Assad’s ruling but such a development can hardly be described by most as anything other than a disaster. Turkey (who aids the rebels) and Israel, as already mentioned, do benefit from this outcome, however, for their own reasons—and much is already being talked about that. But not so many analysts are highlighting the American role in all of it.
For example, the US-backed Syrian Free Army (a coalition which has taken control of Hom’s Palmyra district) announced that they are “open to friendship with everyone in the region – including Israel. We don’t have enemies other than the Assad regime, Hezbollah and Iran. What Israel did against Hezbollah in Lebanon helped us a great deal”–while claiming they are not allied with Turkey. The group, being increasingly dependent on Turkey, is a close ally of the United States, and was even hosted at the American military base at al-Tanf. Turkey, despite its differences with Washington is of course also, let us not forget it, a NATO member.
The future of Syria and the concerned parties is far from clear now, there being lots of room for infighting among the different rebel factions. Turkey, which has long occupied northern Syria, has taken advantage of the ceasefire in Lebanon to give the rebels the green-light for launching an offensive (with Iran weakened in Syria and Hezbollah cornered in Lebanon). However Turkish-American differences pertaining to the Kurdish question are to remain a focal point for tensions.
HTS is indeed Turkish-backed but, as mentioned, its roots can be traced to Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other such groups empowered by Washington’s policy. One should not forget the fact that there are still around 900 US troops in Syria (mostly in the northeast, near Turkish strongholds) which witnessed the rebel victory. This has led some analysts to comment that “whether the Pentagon wants to admit it or not”, these troops are “likely involved in the broader conflict unfolding there right now.”
Moreover, there is nothing new about the West praising and empowering brutal terrorism and radicals when such is deemed geopolitically convenient: if former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton under President Barack Obama had achieved her stated goals, Syria would be in a similar situation to Libya since 2011 – in Libya, coincidence or not, arms provided by the US to rebels there also “ended up” in ISIS hands, according to Amnesty reports.
Back to the Levant region, it is a well-established fact that Washington played a key role in the empowerment of ISIS (or Daesh) both in Syria and Iraq (as well as other brutal radicals), with the Pentagon and the CIA arming mostly foreign Islamic militias that ended up even fighting among themselves. This is consistent with American foreign policy elsewhere too. The infamous Clinton emails also show how the US was aware of their allies Qatar and Saudi Arabia supporting Daesh terror.
The White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Sean Savett said in a recent statement that Washington “has nothing to do with this offensive.” Considering all of the above, one can certainly be justified in taking such statements with a grain of salt. For Washington, further destabilizing Syria might also serve the role of “countering” Russia in the region. The US has consistently aided, funded, armed and trained Fundamentalist rebels who operate in the Levant for over a decade and there is no reason to assume anything is different now with the newest developments.
Finally, still on the topic of the Christian minority, US foreign policy—for a variety of reasons—has actually often involved dividing or destabilizing Eastern Christian (both Orthodox and Miaphysitist) populations or sometimes even aiding or turning a blind eye to the ethnic-religious cleansing of such groups or of Christians in general in the Levant region, for that matter.
This is of course quite ironic for a country such as the US who often hails itself as “one nation under God” or as a “Christian nation”– this being the Republican party line at least. Trump for one has posted that “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend”.
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“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” -Hosea 8:7
The collapse of the Assad government in Syria is certain to be greeted with considerable satisfaction in Jerusalem and Washington. Both capitals of the Zionist Co-Dominium have long seen the Assads much as they did Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi. All were obstacles to Israel’s designs in the region.
All three were also targets of that nefarious policy of “regime change” highlighted by in the US after 9/11, as were four other countries in the region. Now the last of the three has fallen, albeit much later than the mostly Jewish neoconservative “chicken hawks” (so called because all advocated war but very few ever served in uniform) had anticipated back in 2001.
So What Caused the Collapse?
Internal dynamics within Syria that played their part, to be sure, but I will focus here on the external factors. A major reason was the unrelenting pressure and considerable resources poured into the assorted militias and jihadists trying to overthrow Syria’s regime. Money talks, and it talked very loudly here. So did the frequent Israeli air and artillery strikes into Syria. Shielded by the US, Russian forces in Syria could do little for their ally.
Then, too, the numerically small but politically significant, open-ended US military presence on the ground in Syria had their own impact, so did the limited but strategically significant direct military attacks by the US and other NATO countries on Syrian government forces and installations. Image matters, and here it mattered greatly.
Syria’s Assad could never match that. Only Russia (to a very limited extent) and Iran (to a even lesser one) really did much of anything. But Russia is caught up with the Ukrainian “tar baby” and Iran is hedging its bets in anticipation of America’s own “regime change.” A scarcity of strong, reasonably reliable allies also counts, and it counted here, but not in a good way.
Second, Syria lost the information and propaganda war, in a very big and very decisive way. The Jewish-dominated media in the US and most of Europe made sure that virtually every claim, no matter how ludicrous, of the jihadists and other anti-government elements in Syria was treated as Gospel truth. Few in the legacy media disputed their assertions, although many did in the alternative media and on social media platforms.
It wasn’t enough. Israel can rip Gaza apart and kill tens of thousands of civilians, but any criticism of its very real war crimes is almost universally denounced in the media and Western capitals as “vicious antisemitism” that needs to be suppressed and punished. That criticism was nothing of the sort, but it demonstrates the exceptional degree of Jewish influence throughout the West. It also underscores the accuracy of the axiom that “truth is the first casualty of war,” at least whenever Israel or its interests are involved.
Third, it is worth noting that this event saw insurgent militias and local jihadists do to the Syrian government forces what the US-backed mujaheddin did to the Afghan government and their Soviet allies, and later the Taliban (the lineal operational descendants of the original mujaheddin) did to another Afghan government and its American patron. It seems that local governments have very great difficulty holding out against insurgents who have an external sanctuary, external assistance, or both.
In all three cases cited above, the insurgents had both. In Syria, the government forces had also to contend with direct military attacks by Israel, the US and other NATO countries. What made it harder for them was that they essentially fought these external forces with one hand firmly tied behind their backs.
Other than in defense, Syrian government forces could only engage in occasional artillery duels with the Israelis, but not respond to air attacks in kind. Nor could the Russians assist them, other than defensively. Any attempt to respond directly to US, Israeli or other attacks meant a direct confrontation with the US, Israel covered by its American puppet, or NATO. The Syrians could not do this alone, and Syria simply was not worth enough to Russia to risk that kind of engagement.
Reflections
It will take some time for the implications of all this to become clearer (perhaps “less murky” would be more accurate). I expect the current Syrian government officials and senior military commanders are wondering if they will still be alive next week. I am not a specialist on Syrian affairs, but the historical track record in these situations would not reassuring to them.
I expect, however, a major consideration on the part of the winners will be the role intended for them by their foreign patrons .Do we want the new Syrian government to be another Egypt, at least insofar as Israel is concerned? Or is it something else?
Whatever it is, insurgent forces – even heavily infiltrated ones – have shown themselves to be exceptionally difficult to predict or to control, or even to influence, once they are in power.. Recall that the people the US armed to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan morphed into a Taliban which employed some of those weapons and techniques to force yet another humiliating American debacle.
The Israeli experience with these things is even more problematic. I was told back in the 1980s by a senior Israeli officer that they had successfully infiltratedevery single Arab government and movement, relying principally on Sephardic Jews. So when Israel set up Hamas in the 1980s as a counter-weight to the PLO, I expect they thought they had made a good bargain. Yet it, too, changed over the years. Infiltrated or not, it has given Israel a more “interesting” time than it anticipated.
The case of ISIS and the Syrian jihadists is even more interesting. Now, “false flags” (attacking someone but making people believe someone else is doing it) is something of an Israeli specialty. The motto of Mossad, the best-known Israeli intelligence organization, is aptly “By Deception, Shall You Wage War.
Mossad it and its sister organizations have lived up to that motto since the founding of Israel. They have been aided worldwide by dual Israeli citizens, or Jews without Israeli citizenship, some Christian Zionists, and outright mercenaries.
Examples abound. Three of particular relevance to the US, for example, are the Lavon Affair in Egypt (1954), the attack on the USS Liberty (1967) and the 9/11 attacks (2001). Worth looking them up (do NOT trust either Wikipedia or Google search engine!), but here is a start on the last-named one.
The case of ISIS is even more intriguing. Supposedly a militant Islamic organization, it seems to have exceptionally great difficulty hitting Israeli or American targets anywhere in the world. This was a problem Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda, with fewer assets, obviously did not share.
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Despite the resources to field fleets of white Toyota pick-up trucks with heavy weapons in their beds and other paraphernalia, they found it an “almost” insurmountable challenge to strike what should be their own principal enemies. Curious, is it not? I wonder how many ISIS leaders have shared drinks with their Mossad and CIA contacts [their identity is never revealed]
Last are the Syrian jihadists, easily the most fascinating facet of the Syrian puzzle. We are told constantly that these people are Islamic fanatics who spend their nights dreaming of how to kill non-believers, and their days trying to do it (or is that backwards?). But apparently there are “good” jihadists and “bad” jihadists. The former are those who do the bidding of Western governments (including Israel) and attack Muslim countries. The latter are those that apparently do not.
Peering Ahead
It is hazardous at best to anticipate what will emerge in the aftermath of the Syrian government’s defeat. At a minimum, I would expect the new rulers to order the Russians out. Of course, the Russians may not go, just as the US ignored the demands of many weaker governments to leave. Imperial powers, even if weakening and in a chaotic world, are often like that.
We may learn a bit more about ISIS and these “good” jihadists in Syria. Precisely what will they do in power? Will they be like the Taliban in Afghanistan? If not, what would that say about their actual character and hat of their leaders? Thought-provoking times, at best.
What is clearer is that what happened in Syria will embolden the Israelis to deal with the Palestinians within and Lebanon and Hezbollah without, especially once Trump is President and recognizes Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Trump is even more beholden to Israel than most US presidents, and Israel will capitalize on it.
Moreover, with Assad’s Syria removed from the game, Iran will move to the regional front burner. No person in the US can now even be a serious candidate for President without being in Israel’s pocket, much less be elected to that office, but the two American political factions have different priorities.
What this means is that the Neo-conservatives stacking up in Trump’s administration are an odds-on certainty to see this as a golden opportunity to complete their 2001 agenda and neutralize Iran. Knowing them, they and Jewish money will push (perhaps I should say “nudge”) Trump to do one of three things: (1) support Israel in attacking Iran, (2) join Israel in doing that, or (3) attacking Iran without Israel.
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The net effect is a far more dangerous 2025 than recent years have seen, and they have not been exactly a joy. We face civil upheaval at home and more war abroad, if Trump actually puts his agenda into effect. For Israel, Syria’s defeat and Trump’s presidency augur well on its march to a “Greater Israel.” For Palestinians. Lebanese and so many others in the reason, things have gone from bad to an almost unimaginably worse. For Americans, challenging times, indeed.
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Alan Ned Sabrosky (PhD, University of Michigan) is a ten-year US Marine Corps veteran. He served in Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division and is a graduate of the US Army War College. Dr. Sabrosky can be contacted at [email protected]
“Then I went and looked up the second study he quoted from January through March of 2020. That drug trial was for COVID-19 patients. They picked 52 patients from around the world and that study was sponsored by Gilead the maker of remdesivir. And what did they publish? 30% of everybody they treated for COVID-19 within nine days developed acute kidney failure and 10% of them had to have kidney transplants as a result.”
December 2024 is the fifth anniversary of the “nightmare pandemic” which would radically change our lives! [1]
A massive “blunder” that we weren’t ready for! The world was convinced to undertake extreme efforts to contain this “killer virus” in order to limit the carnage that would have resulted. With time, the rapid and capable work of scientists around the globe, working hand in glove with the technologically advanced systems in our friendly neighbourhood big pharmaceutical corporations managed to work up a new vaccine (!) dispatched in the nick of time to prevent people from succumbing to this tiny creature who does not care about our survival. [2]
And of course, our media were doing their best to scare the living hell out of us, and propagandize the untested vaccine – for our own good of course! [3]
There were clear casualties. But supposedly, the outcome would have been even worse if lockdowns, masking and vaccine mandates were not in place to control … I mean, to guide vast numbers of people in the service of the “scientific experts” in authority. [4]
Over time, a lot of people started complaining and then organizing protests against the World Health thugs who clothed themselves in white lab coats, and called such dissident thinkers “anti-vaxxers,” and “dis-informationists.” People who chose not to take the COVID-19 vaccine would face punishment in the form of not being allowed to enter restaurants, stadiums, museums, or any other public places … for the protection of the public.
(Even though vaccinated people are supposedly protected against COVID-19, how are they threatened by unvaccinated people?)
This website has supplied dozens, possibly hundreds of pages of articles and research that detail how the great trial of humanity we just experienced was more a massive psychological operation misleading the public, then the “Mother of all Flus.” But what interests us on this anniversary occasion is the unique elements of human nature combined with propaganda to advance a mass of people in an Elite direction – to Elite advantage.
The really scary thing to contemplate is that this process is a manifestation of totalitarianism, not unlike the forces that thrust the Nazis to power in Germany in just a few short years. Back then, people became convinced that Jews were a major threat. Today, “anti-vaxxers” have too much influence, and we must censor them… for the public good!
The divisions among the people may have subsided temporarily, but it seems unlikely that the process will not be used again. With these grim fates in store, we will give a platform to thinkers who are daring to ask skeptical questions of every effort to restrict freedoms in the name of saving the environment/human democracy/children’s health/etc.
On the Global Research News Hour, we will speak to each of the guest speakers at the recent Prepare to Stand event, held in Winnipeg on the 24th of September.
Speaker Dr. Bryan Ardis gives added insight into the deaths of so many starting with the death of his own father-in-law BEFORE THE COVID CRISIS STARTED. He will also mention the role of the drug Remdesivir which while a mysterious possible culprit in many deaths, medical authorities claim “COVID-19 killed him/her.”
Speaker Mattias Desmet is up next. A Professor of Clinical Psychology, he talk about “mass formation” which together with state propaganda generates totalitarian conditions and that the COVID-19 “pandemic” was the latest instance of this phenomenon and how we can avoid such states in the future.
Finally, we hear from James Ferguson, founder and head of Freedom Train International, about the work he and his colleagues are doing to counter the trends toward enhancement of globalist control in our lives today.
Dr. BryanArdisis a retired Chiropractor, Certified Acupuncturist and Nutritionist.and considered one of the most influential doctors in alternative medicine. Thanks to his new book, Moving Beyond the Covid-19 Lies: Restoring Health and Hope for Humanity, he is now a best-selling author.
Mattias Desmetis a Professor of Clinical Psychology, a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist at Ghent University in Belgium and holds a masters degree in statistics and has published 126 articles in peer-reviewed journals.Professor Desmet began working on his theory of mass formationwell before the pandemic began, but during the pandemic he watched the phenomenon play out in real time. His new book, The Psychology of Totalitarianism, lays out what mass formation is, how it develops, how it leads to totalitarianism, and what we must do to change the conditions that makes these mass formation events possible.
James Ferguson is a former Parliamentary candidate with The Brexit Party Barnsley, a Businessman entrepreneur, and Founder of Freedom Train International.
Transcript of Dr. Bryan Ardis, September 24, 2024.
Global Researh: Could you talk about your basically what happened to your father-in-law and how you know the things that happened within the hospital that kind of drove you you know angry.
Bryan Ardis: Yeah very good question yeah it made me very angry. So in February of 2020 my 92 year old father-in-law walked into a hospital complaining of fever and a headache and within 10 days he was dead.
That was the real story and in the meantime he was diagnosed with the flu, pneumonia, acute kidney failure after being admitted. Each of those scenarios were actually published side effects of the drugs they chose to treat him for on day one and he actually I had them review with me on day five as he continued to get worse and worse every single day. He actually by day five was unconscious and in a coma and it was induced by the drugs that were shutting down his kidneys.
I asked the doctors to show me the medical reports from day one which would include what’s called a pathology test which is what infections may he have in his blood. So they’re looking for every bacterial infection, viral infection, and fungal infection actually and he was negative for all infections but they said to me and to him and to our family that he tested positive for the flu on day one only to find out he actually never tested positive for the flu on day one, two, three, four, five. They also told us on day two he tested positive for pneumonia.
He never did it.
GR: So there are standard tests to determine what what what is ailing in your system and they didn’t take any of those tests?
BA: No, they did the tests and they all came back negative. They then made up a diagnosis of the flu because they thought it was a I heard on day five when I said why did y’all tell us he tested positive for the flu when he didn’t, and the medical doctor said we guess his symptoms said he had the flu so we just assumed it was a false negative test and I said well I don’t care what the result of that test was, if you thought he had a virus looking at the IV stand he had a drug called vancomycin on the stand that was pumping into his veins every day since he walked in there and this made me very upset because vancomycin has published side-effects to cause death, to cause acute kidney failure, and to cause rapid pulmonary edema which is water accumulating in your lungs from your kidneys being shut down by the drug and that’s exactly what was being reported to us as a family one day after another for five straight days before I showed up.
GR: So that means basically it there is a place for it but maybe it should be like as a last resort or something but it seems like they’re using it a little bit more regularly.
BA: Absolutely, great point. So vancomycin and I asked the medical doctor why is he on that because that’s an antibiotic and antibiotics only treat infections so reporter when they said he must have a virus called the flu why would they pump him full of a drug that doesn’t treat viruses?
In fact I looked at the MD and I said why are you giving him an antibiotic you know on the CDC’s website right now it says if someone is diagnosed with a viral infection giving them antibiotics can make them worse? It is not warranted for viral infections!
So I actually demanded that the medical doctors take him off that drug, switch the drugs he was on and in four hours of working with the team and switching the medication protocols on day six he actually came back to life, lost 20 pounds of water weight, could breathe all on his own came off of a breathing apparatus within four hours. He’d been on for several days and he came back to life and was conscious for the first day and 48 hours.
And we were so thrilled when we got home the medical doctors and the administrators of that same hospital had met after hours and then told the nurse’s station to call my wife and tell them I was banned from the hospital and they would never talk to me again because I wasn’t a direct descendant of this guy my father-in-law and they would only talk to the family members. And if I came back up they’d kick me out with security.
Well the very next morning I went up there and they kicked me out with security and then put him back on the same hospital protocol for the false diagnosis of a flu that they had before I made the adjustments to help save his life. And when the hospital realized that I had actually exposed the liability to the harm they created in him with their hospital protocol, that included vancomycin. It was all they were going to do was to make sure that they continued that protocol until the very end so that they could not ever be exposed.
So they kicked me out knowing what I know and then went back on the original protocol and within two days he was dead.
GR: You consider taking some kind of a legal action when they they followed these procedures? It’s demonstrably flawed.
BA: 100% I did except my mother-in-law who was his wife absolutely believed everything the medical doctors told them. All of my wife’s family, not my wife but her older brother and older sister, all of them were in support of just listening to the medical doctors, trusting the establishment. And I was the retired chiropractor, so I looked at the family and said are you gonna trust the medical doctors or me who actually helped to bring him back to life yesterday? And they said we’re gonna we only can trust the medical doctors we don’t have any help professional experience so I was then kicked out by security.
GR: So I guess this caused you to go even deeper down this particular rabbit hole and find other sorts of flaws in the system, correct?
BA: Absolutely, but actually the next three months I was very depressed, very angry. I actually wanted every day I had to talk myself out of not going and hunting down a member of the medical staff’s family members and take them out so that those medical doctors nursing staff administrators could feel what me and my wife were feeling because they literally took someone from us who was not ready to die. He would still be here if they would have not continued those drugs that were a part of that protocol.
The hospital protocol was my problem they wouldn’t bend off of this protocol which was actually creating more harm than good because when we changed it he recovered within four hours. So for me for the next three months I was very lost I was actually building out my own case to take legal action and sue the hospital for medical malpractice.
This was in February of 2020. For the next three months I’m hearing whispers coming out of New York City that there’s this new respiratory virus called COVID-19 and there’s this epicenter in New York City that’s now it’s breached from China and reached American shores.
And I decided to go look up what were the medical professionals and press conferences and administrators of hospitals in New York, what were they saying about this COVID-19 infection as they were treating those patients. And what I did was listen to ten interviews that were only about a minute long on every platform you think of online. And what every single nurse, medical doctor, and administrator for every hospital said was this: we’ve never seen a respiratory virus ever do this before. From the moment we start treating COVID-19 sick patients, within 24 to 48 hours the virus goes from their lungs and shuts down their kidneys and they’re going into acute kidney failure within 24 hours. a large percentage of people.
And they said in every single interview we not only have a shortage of respirators and oxygen providing machines to people, breathing machines ,we actually need more dialysis machines for the kidney failure rates that we’re seeing. Now as I watch this I just had this experience three months earlier and I knew it wasn’t the virus they said my father-in-law had that was also a respiratory virus they called the flu.
GR: So you’re saying that all of these people seem to develop the same kinds of symptoms as your father did before this mysterious virus had reached the shore.
BA: Exactly right! So what did happen to my father-in-law is now being reported it’s occurring to everybody in the COVID-19 hospitals except what we’re watching on the news is body bags being thrown into tractor trailers as if it’s just some massive horrific infection spreading through this area.
Well my problem was is I wanted to know well what’s the hospital protocol they’re using for COVID because in my situation, for my father-in-law, it was a drug called vancomycin that’s published to cause acute kidney failure in 24 hours. And that’s exactly what happened him. So that’s why we got him off that drug only for the hospital put him back on that drug that led to his demise.
So I thought they must be giving every COVID-19 patient vancomycin like they did my father-in-law. So I went to look up what’s the hospital protocol. I figured it would be on the CDC’s website because it’s called the Center for Disease Control, so I figured there’s a disease called COVID. Surely they have a hospital protocol. And on their website they actually stated in May of 2020: “we don’t have a protocol for treating COVID-19. It is found, (that hospital protocol) on the NIH’s website.” And here’s the link.
So I clicked it went to the National Institutes of Health’s website and I read a three paragraph memo from a guy named Dr. Anthony Fauci. And what this memo says is is there’s only one drug that can be used to treat COVID-19 infected Americans and that drug is not FDA approved. It is an experimental drug called remdesivir, and I’d never heard of this drug but now I know it’s not vancomycin right this is all I learned.
But there were two studies after Anthony Fauci’s quote that remdesivir is safe and effective. He says “it was found safe and effective in two trials, a trial in 2019 against Ebola virus and in 2020 from January to March of 2020 a study done with COVID-19 patients. So I clicked the links to the first study on Ebola in Africa that lasted a year that trial and as I read the paper took me about 15 minutes to get through the paper, I realized Anthony Fauci was lying about remdesivir being proven safe and effective against Ebola.
Imagine my shock to read that that drug killed more people in that trial than Ebola kills and it was the only drug that did that out of four experimental drugs.
So there are four drugs:= remdesivir, Zmapp, MAb114 and a drug called regeneron. So it was three monoclonal antibodies and one antiviral called remdesivir. Remdesivir killed 53% of all people they gave it to and it was suspended from the trial six months in because it was too deadly and too toxic and then the authors of the study wrote we notified the funders of this study that that drug would no longer continue in this trial it’s killing more Africans than anybody else.
So I looked up who funded that study and imagine my shock to see that it’s Dr. Anthony Fauci’s department at the NIH. So the year prior he knew it was the most deadly drug and was found to be the most toxic and deadly least safe, least effective but in May of 2020 less than a year later he’s gonna say to the world, and America that this drug was proven safe and effective against Ebola when it wasn’t.
Then I went and looked up the second study he quoted from January through March of 2020. That drug trial was for COVID-19 patients. They picked 52 patients from around the world and that study was sponsored by Gilead the maker of remdesivir. And what did they publish? 30% of everybody they treated for COVID-19 within nine days developed acute kidney failure and 10% of them had to have kidney transplants as a result.
GR: So all of these people essentially died as a result of medical malpractice where Anthony Fauci’s claim of his drug being the cure was actually getting a worse result it was it says are you you’re basically alleging that it was iatrogenesis that killed all those people not the virus which presently doesn’t exist.
BA: 100% and then I found that the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services which in America is overseeing the insurance for the elderly who are retired over that 60 years old. So it’s called CMS.gov. If you go on CMS.gov starting in May of 2020 our Medicare government agency instilled a 20% add-on bonus for all hospitals if they treated any American older than 60 years old with remdesivir and would tell them that they tested positive for COVID-19.
They did not say we’ll give you 20% add on bonus if you just use the drug, they said we’ll give you a 20% add-on bonus for the whole hospital stay for every COVID-19 American older than sixty years old if you’ll just pump them full of this deadly drug called remdesivir, which I coined for all audiences around the world to be able to remember when they hear this drug they’ve never heard of before.
I coined the phrase “run death is near.” When you hear something that rhymes with “run death is near” that’s the drug I’m talking about. You say no, and so the world needs to know right now that remdesivir is the generic name of the drug. It actually has a brand name and it’s called Veklery – V-E-K-L-U-R-Y. And if you look up the Nordic language, that’s an actual word, you know what Vekleri means historically in the Nordic language? It’s a term that means “chooser of the slain.” Isn’t that interesting?
GR: So I guess in a minute left I mean could you just explain what, how are people supposed to navigate this medical world where you have all of these institutions sort of hobbled by the the presence of Anthony Fauci and everything that he set up. What are we supposed to do is just ignore the hospitals altogether and then meet with you know a local shaman or something like that. How are we supposed to navigate this difficult path?
BA: For all people that are concerned about their health and were afraid during COVID that they might they might in fact get an infection they’re being told there they could possibly get and that their life could be threatened by that infection, every single one of those people from now on you should know that the only reputable aspect of health care modern-day health care is actually trauma and emergency care.
So if you’ve got an injury or an accident or you’ve had a heart attack you need to go to the hospital. Outside of that, there is no benefit to medicine. So you do not need a shaman what you need to start doing is researching on your own how it is that God designed the human body to protect itself from all infections and poisons. And the best way you do that is you start studying how did God design the body and then start studying herbs, minerals, vitamins how does that support our entire body.
In fact all of us here in Canada, in America you’ve all heard of the periodic table of elements? You all memorized it in science classes and biology probably? That periodic table of elements your science teacher would have told you these are the basic building blocks for your life and every living organism on this planet.
You know what’s interesting about that list? When you hear the word “supplement,” what people are talking about are called minerals. And you know what minerals are? All the things you see on the periodic table of elements. So you’ll see salt is a mineral. Calcium is a mineral. Magnesium is a mineral. Did you know that heart attacks and strokes are caused by a magnesium deficiency? Did you know that immune suppression if you can’t fight off infections on your own is a selenium deficiency and that’s on the periodic table of elements. Do you know what’s not on the periodic table of elements? Advil. Tylenol. Vaccines. mRNA technology. Those things are not on the periodic table of elements.
God designed the human body to fight off infections using minerals. It’s designed to heal itself from injury and harm and infections if you just feed the body what it needs. So if you reduce the amount of artificial processed foods that you’re consuming, reduce the amount of sugar which is refined carbohydrates, this is not a joke I’ve educated this people for years, the less sugar you put in the body, the boosting of your immune system occurs. Sugar is an immune suppressant it shuts off your bone marrows production of all the white blood cells that protect you from every virus bacteria fungus and parasite on earth. So if you just limit taking in things into your body, or on your body, or injected into your body that suppress the immune system, your body’s adequately equipped to handle any infection.
In fact every cell in your body called T-cells, neutrophils, B cells, macrophages these are your immune cells God put inside of us. They are already known to kill every cancer cell known to man. That I actually show audiences our own cells grab HIV infected cells by the handfuls. They will grab four at once and dissolve all of them eat them. Your body has this incredible ability to defend itself as long as we get out of our own way.
So exercise, getting sunlight, making sure you’re sweating three or four times a week because the skin is the largest detoxing organ of the body. Make sure you’re pooping every day, make sure you’re eating every day. One of the greatest ways to boost the immune system and most people don’t even know this is to not eat and that’s called intermittent fasting or water fasting. It is already proven you can actually repair any tissue in the human body faster if you stop putting fuel in the body your body has to break down and then it can reserve all its energy to heal the other tissues in your body.
The programme is also broadcast weekly (Monday, 1-2pm ET) by the Progressive Radio Network in the US.
The programme is also podcast at globalresearch.caormer Parliamentary candidate with The Brexit Party Barnsley. Businessman entrepreneur. Founder of Freedom Train International.
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, today’s de facto ruler of Damascus, has an eloquent history: he began his jihadist militancy in al-Qaeda’s ranks as an associate of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the “caliph” who founded ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, in 2013. In 2011, during the preparatory phase, al-Baghdadi sent him to Syria with large sums of money for the creation of the al-Nusra Front, a formally autonomous faction but in reality, part of the Islamic State.
The al-Jolani faction has been involved in the US-NATO operation to destroy the Syrian state since its inception. One of the reasons for this operation is the fact that in July 2011 Syria, Iran and Iraq signed an agreement for a pipeline that would connect Iran’s South Pars field, the largest in the world, to Syria and then to the Mediterranean and Europe. This would create an alternative energy corridor to those through Turkey and other routes controlled by US and European companies.
The covert war in Syria begins with a series of terrorist attacks, mainly in Damascus and Aleppo.Hundreds of elite British SAS specialists operate in Syria alongside US and French units. The operation is commanded from NATO ships in the Turkish port of Alexandretta. The strike force consists of an army of Islamic groups from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Libya and other countries.
The weapons arrive via an international network organised by the CIA, which supplies them to groups infiltrated into Syria, who have already been trained in camps set up on Turkish and Jordanian territory. The operation was directed from the advanced headquarters of the US Central Command at the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar. At this point, in 2015, Moscow decided to intervene directly in support of the Syrian army, at the request of Damascus. The intervention, carried out with air power, showed that the US-led “anti-ISIS coalition” was pretending to fight ISIS. In just over two years, the Russian-Syrian coalition has liberated about three-quarters of the country’s territory that had fallen into the hands of ISIS and other US-backed movements.
In 2016, al-Jolani formally severed ties with al-Qaeda and renamed the group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, and later in 2017 Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Under Jolani, HTS became the dominant force in Idlib, the largest ‘rebel’ stronghold in Northwestern Syria. With the support of Turkey in particular, al-Jolani’s faction is in preparation for a year-long operation in Syria. It is being armed through clandestine channels and trained by the Khimik special forces of Ukrainian intelligence.
After entering Syria on 8 November, al-Jolani’s armed Islamist faction advanced rapidly and captured Damascus on 7 December.
The Syrian army put up no significant resistance, a symptom of internal disintegration, as evidenced by the fact that while President Assad was given asylum in Russia, the Syrian embassy staff in Moscow hoisted the flag of the Islamist “rebels” who had just taken Damascus.
While the USA confirms that it is in contact with the “rebels” through Turkey, Israel seizes another piece of Syrian territory in the Golan Heights and carries out hundreds of so-called “defensive” air strikes against Syrian ports and airports. The seizure of Syria by these forces is a major blow both to Iran, which sees its front of resistance to the Israeli offensive in the Middle East, supported by the USA, NATO and the EU, weakened, and to Russia, which will almost certainly lose access to the Syrian port of Tartus, the only berth for its military ships in the Mediterranean, and risks the slowing down or interruption of the north-south transport corridor through the Middle East that allows it to bypass the blockade in the West.
