Middle East

Putin Laughs At Saudi Offer To Betray Syria In Exchange For “Huge” Arms Deal

"One of the more surprising news to hit the tape yesterday was that Saudi Arabia had quietly approached Putin with a proposal for a huge arms deal and a pledge to boost Russian influence in the Arab world if only Putin would abandon Syria's Assad. It will hardly come as a surprise to anyone that in the aftermath of yesterday's dilettante mistake by Obama which alienated Putin from the western world (and its subservient states such as Saudi Arabia of course), has just said no. It will certainly come as no surprise because the biggest loser from Russia abandoning Syria would be Russia's most important company - Gazprom." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPutin Laughs At Saudi Offer To Betray Syria In Exchange For “Huge” Arms Deal

Marine who urinated on dead Taliban fighters in 2011 receives reduced rank as punishment

"Sergeant Robert Richards was the last of eight Marines to be punished in connection with the incident, which took place on July 27, 2011, during a counterinsurgency operation in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. The videotape showed four Marines wearing camouflage combat uniforms urinating on three corpses as one of the Marines joked, 'Have a nice day buddy.' The video became public in early 2012 and was one of a series of offensive incidents at the time that roused Afghan ire and led to heightened tensions between Washington and Kabul." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMarine who urinated on dead Taliban fighters in 2011 receives reduced rank as punishment

What Egypt Tells Us About U.S. Foreign Aid

"What do Angola, Cambodia, Chad, Haiti, Laos, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Yemen and Zimbabwe have in common? They all receive U.S. foreign aid and, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, boast some of the most corrupt governments in the world—strong-arm governments in most cases. If money can’t buy the United States influence, it’s also not buying America a lot love. According to a recent Pew poll, in Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan only 16, 14 and 11 percent of their respective populations have a favorable view of the United States. Egypt is a clarion call to stop throwing good money after bad." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Egypt Tells Us About U.S. Foreign Aid

Michael Scheuer: Obama, Rice, Kerry, McCain, and Graham intervening for more war

"Today there are only two parties in the United States: (a) the bipartisan and interventionist elite and their ideological, fifth-column, and globalist supporters and funders (AKA: The Tyranny), and (b) the rest of us who are taxed to death for the privilege of paying for, and seeing our children die in their unnecessary, intervention-caused wars. How can Americans change this reality? It seems clear that intervention cannot be stopped at the ballot box. On the issue of options, there are many to consider. But one can get off to no better start than to reread the works of John Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine written in 1775 and 1776." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMichael Scheuer: Obama, Rice, Kerry, McCain, and Graham intervening for more war

Anti-government protest rallies thousands in Tunisia

"Tens of thousands of protesters marched peacefully in the Tunisian capital on Tuesday evening demanding the resignation of the Islamist-led coalition government as the political crisis in the north African country grew. Around 40,000 people took to the streets of Tunis, according to police, while opposition leaders put the protest figures between 100,000 and 200,000. They waved Tunisian flags and chanted slogans against the moderate Islamist movement Ennahda that heads a three-part government coalition. The protesters were largely middle-class Tunisians from the capital, according to the Sunday Times." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAnti-government protest rallies thousands in Tunisia

Yemen: American Foreign Policy in Action

"Yemeni security forces have been put on high alert amid warnings of an imminent attack by al-Qaeda in Sana’a, as the US and Britain withdrew embassy staff and urged their citizens to leave the country. BBC Arabic quoted a Yemeni security source as saying 'extraordinary and unprecedented' security measures had been taken, with armoured vehicles deployed at the presidential palace and other sensitive government and foreign installations in Yemen’s capital. Dozens of al-Qaeda operatives were said to have streamed into Sana’a in the last few days, apparently to take part in a terrorist attack, the BBC said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingYemen: American Foreign Policy in Action

De Facto Hash Truce in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley

"The Lebanese government will not attempt to eradicate marijuana fields blooming across the country's Bekaa Valley, Beirut's Daily Star reported Friday. Sources said it was because of the fragile security situation in the area near the border with Syria and because the government had been unable to live up to pledges to provide financial compensation to farmers whose crops were destroyed last year. They are also up against Bekaa Valley marijuana farmers in no mood to see their livelihood messed with. 'In the absence of alternatives, we will break the hands and legs of anyone who dares destroy our crops,' one of the region's biggest growers said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDe Facto Hash Truce in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley

Poolfa.com: Evidence of an Expanding Iranian Bitcoin Community

"As Bitcoin has proven to be an asset to Iranians whose rial is suffering from high inflation and an oppressive government, it will be interesting to see how successful additional alternative cryptocurrencies fare in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Through serving the Iranian people as a news blog, forum, wiki page, pool for mining, exchange and translation service, Poolfa is in turn contributing to the Bitcoin community as a whole. With an expanded and empowered user base, Bitcoin will continue to grow in prominence in Iran, the Middle East, and the rest of the world." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPoolfa.com: Evidence of an Expanding Iranian Bitcoin Community

Saudi prince reserves portions of Disneyland Paris for $19.5 million

"A Saudi prince spent 15 million euros ($19.5 million) for three days of fun at Disneyland near Paris to celebrate his degree, the group that runs the theme park said Monday. Prince Fahd al-Saud booked entire areas of the park over May 22 to 24 for his 60-odd guests. The festivities included tailor-made events involving 'rare Disney characters,' Euro Disney told AFP. Special security was put in place for the prince, one of the park’s top customers, it added. The theme park attracted 16 million visitors last year but Euro Disney has not made any profits since it was set up 20 years ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSaudi prince reserves portions of Disneyland Paris for $19.5 million

First Tax Haven in Armenia Launched

"Senior Armenian and Russia officials inaugurated over the weekend Armenia’s first-ever tax-free business zone which is meant to mainly cater to high-tech manufacturing companies. The Free Economic Zone is located in the premises of an electronics plant and a research institute in Yerevan that were handed over to Russia, along with several other Armenian enterprises, a decade ago in payment for Yerevan’s $100 million debt to Russia. Companies will be exempt from profit, value-added and property taxes as well as import duties. The government hopes that this privileged business environment will help to attract more foreign investment to Armenia." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFirst Tax Haven in Armenia Launched