Yearly Archives: 2013

Syria rebels fracturing as the Free Syrian Army condemns jihadists

"On Friday, after ISIS seized the northern border town of Azaz, the opposition National Coalition for the first time publicly condemned attacks by jihadists. 'The Coalition condemns the aggressions against the forces of the Syrian revolution and the repeated disregard for the lives of Syrians, and considers that this behaviour runs contrary to the Syrian revolution and the principles it is striving to achieve,' it said, after ISIS seized Azaz on the border with Turkey from FSA hands. Problems between the FSA and ISIS are not only over control, but also about vision. While the FSA is fighting to establish a democratic state in Syria, the aim of ISIS is to create and rule over an Islamic state." Continue reading →

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Damascus clubbers try to dance away constant threat of death

"When night falls in Damascus, gaggles of determined revellers still head out on the town seeking to drown out the thunder of outgoing artillery fire with the boom of music. The shells are raining down on suspected rebel positions in suburbs just a few kilometres away but, while most people lock themselves fearfully in their homes, some head out to try to forget the war on their doorstep. 'I come here for a change of atmosphere,' says Mohammad, a 25-year-old car salesman, who has clearly had a drink or three. 'There is joy here,' he says of the nightclub in the upscale Shaalan neighbourhood, where the barman juggles bottles of spirits. 'I want to live, I don’t want to hear any more bad news.'" Continue reading →

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In public shift, Israel calls for Assad’s fall

"Israel wants to see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad toppled, its ambassador to the United States said on Tuesday, in a shift from its non-committal public stance on its neighbor's civil war. Even Assad's defeat by al Qaeda-aligned rebels would be preferable to Damascus's current alliance with Israel's arch-foe Iran, Ambassador Michael Oren said in an interview with the Jerusalem Post. His comments marked a move in Israel's public position on Syria's two-and-1/2-year-old war." Continue reading →

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Lindsey Graham Should Have Visited Iran

"Has Senator Graham examined the continuing tragedy of Fallujah and its people in order to understand what one of his previous wars has wrought? Or he is an ignorant man? Or has he turned a blind eye? Or doesn’t he care? Or is he so full of himself, so distant from common people, and so taken up with abstractions of power that he is living in another world? If he’d visit Iran, he’d find that its people are going about their business much as in America. Their degree of 'control' over Iran is not much different from what an American can claim is his control over America. Here are some establishments selling confections in Iran." Continue reading →

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How Heartless, How Cold Is Lindsey Graham?

"Does Senator Graham understand what the war on Iraq did to that country and its people? Does he even care? This site has some before and after photos. How can a man propose the destruction of Iran? I’ve written about him at length before. I consider him an ignorant, sadistic, religious and political wacko, lacking in any feeling for the peoples he is destroying. Quite possibly he hates them or has some problem that manifests itself in his callousness toward these particular peoples. His unswerving support of Israel is simply astonishing, but he shares that with a number of other U.S. politicians, at least in their public personae. I doubt very much they feel that way in private." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow Heartless, How Cold Is Lindsey Graham?

Lindsey’s Plan for War on Iran

"By equating Iran’s 'nuclear program' with a 'nuclear bomb' program, Graham reveals that his bottom line is not Obama’s bottom line, but Benjamin Netanyahu’s. Obama has said only that Iran must not be allowed to build a bomb. Bibi says Iran must not have a nuclear program. Yet, make no mistake. The goal of Graham, the neocons, Israel and Saudi Arabia is not a negotiated solution permitting a peaceful nuclear program in Iran. The goal is a U.S. war to smash Iran. On Nov. 10, 2010, Graham let it all out: 'Instead of a surgical strike on their nuclear infrastructure, I think we’re to the point now that you have to really neuter the regime’s ability to wage war against us and our allies.'" Continue reading →

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Sen. Lindsey Graham to seek authorization for U.S. attack on Iran

"Graham now says he will work with a bipartisan group of senators to craft a resolution authorizing the president to use military force -- not against the Syrian regime but against Iran. In an appearance on Fox News' Huckabee program over the weekend, Graham argued that such a resolution is essential, because American inaction in Syria will encourage Iran to go forward with its nuclear weapon program, eventually leading toward a Mideast conflagration if the U.S. doesn't intervene." Continue reading →

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Eric Margolis: US Struggle With Iran’s Peace Offensive

"Iran is now making a major push to convince the world it has no nuclear weapons ambitions, starting with its spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khomenei who has issued a fatwa condemning all nuclear weapons. The logical course for the United States to follow is to welcome Iran’s overtures and restore normal relations between the two powers. An Iran aligned to the outside world is less likely to be troublesome than the angry, frightened, besieged Iran of today. Furthermore, Washington has at some point got to accept that Iran is an influential regional power with its own legitimate interests." Continue reading →

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Iran’s new president promises: We will never make nuclear weapons

"NBC aired a longer excerpt from Curry’s interview with Rouhani Wednesday night, in which he tells Curry Iran has never tried to build a nuclear weapon. Instead, he explained, 'We solely are looking for peaceful nuclear technology.' 'Can you say that Iran will not build a nuclear weapon under any circumstances whatsoever?' Curry asked. 'The answer to this question is quite obvious,' Rouhani responded. 'We have time and against said that under no circumstances would we seek any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, nor will we ever.'" Continue reading →

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‘Technical glitch’ brings down Iranian censorship firewall temporarily

"A technical glitch allowed some Iranians temporary access to banned social networking websites Facebook and Twitter, an Iranian Internet official said on Tuesday. Surprised Internet users in Iran Monday night were able to log onto their accounts without using illegal software that enables them to circumvent a widespread state-run filtering mechanism. They voiced their delight online, with posts revelling in the rare web freedom — restricted in 2009 when social networking sites enabled protesters to organise anti-government demonstrations in the aftermath of a disputed presidential election." Continue reading →

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