Middle East

Marine’s 11-year war crimes conviction overturned

"Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins, 29, was jailed six years ago after a court martial found him guilty of orchestrating the murder of a 52-year-old Iraqi man in the town of Hamdania. Hutchins was convicted of leading an eight-strong squad which kidnapped the father of 11 from his home in a night-time raid, frogmarched him to a ditch and shot him. The group then placed an AK-47 and a shovel beside the dead man’s corpse to make it look as if he had been shot while planting a roadside bomb. Lawyers for Hutchins argued investigators had erred when the Marine was held in solitary confinement without access to a lawyer for seven days." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMarine’s 11-year war crimes conviction overturned

How the Empire Works

"Former US intelligence asset John Perkins described how he and fellow 'Economic Hit Men' were used by Washington in a global loan-sharking scheme. The case of Yemen is instructive. In 1991, Yemen refused to vote in the UN in favor of the first Iraq War. Washington retaliated by cutting of all financial aid. Saudi Arabia expelled about a million Yemeni workers whose remittances were vital to the country’s economy. Yemen, which had barely become unified, descended into civil war and dictatorship. Today Yemen is ruled by a compliant puppet dictator who eagerly supports Washington’s drone warfare campaign against his subjects. Such are the ways of empire." Continue reading →

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Gold rush 2013 style has Dubai scrambling

"There is not enough space on airlines flying in to Dubai to meet the rapidly rising demand for physical gold in the emirate since the price plunged to record lows this week. The price drop led to a rush of buyers for Dubai gold from the Middle East, South East Asia, the Balkans, Turkey and parts of Europe according to Tarek El Mdaka, the managing director of Kaloti Gold in Dubai. 'I cannot find a place for transporting gold on Emirates, on BA on Swiss Airlines this weekend,' Mr El Mdaka said. 'I am shipping in one-and-a-half to two tonnes of gold every day and it is going straight out.' Gold is in such short supply in Dubai that he is able to charge a US$3 premium per ounce." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGold rush 2013 style has Dubai scrambling

Judge throws out Abu Ghraib detainees’ torture case citing jurisdiction

"U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee in Alexandria, Virginia said he lacked jurisdiction to hear claims brought by the four Iraqi plaintiffs under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), and separate claims by one plaintiff that he said were barred under Iraqi law. Lee ruled eight months after Engility Holdings Inc, a spinoff of L-3 Communications Holdings Inc, paid $5.28 million to settle similar claims. Photos depicting abuse of Abu Ghraib detainees emerged in 2004. While no contractors were charged, some detainees accused their workers in lawsuits of physical and sexual abuse, inflicting electric shocks, and conducting mock executions." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJudge throws out Abu Ghraib detainees’ torture case citing jurisdiction

Ron Paul: What We Have Learned From Afghanistan

"Last week the Taliban opened an office in Doha, Qatar with the US government's blessing. They raised the Taliban flag at the opening ceremony and referred to Afghanistan as the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan' − the name they used when they were in charge before the US attack in 2001. For years many of us had argued the need to get out of Afghanistan. We cannot leave, we were told for all those years. If we leave Afghanistan now, the Taliban will come back! Well, guess what? After 12 years, trillions of dollars, more than 2,200 Americans killed and perhaps more than 50,000 dead Afghan civilians and fighters, the Taliban is coming back anyway!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul: What We Have Learned From Afghanistan

Israel Names Chairman of JPMorgan Chase International the New Central Bank Chief

"Jacob Frenkel, 70, also serves as Chairman and CEO of the Group of Thirty (G-30). He is also a member of the Trilateral Commission, a member of the board of the Council for the United States and Italy, a member of the Investment Advisory Council of the Prime Minister of Turkey, and a member of the International Advisory Council of the China Development Bank. Between 1973 and 1987 he was on the faculty of the University of Chicago where he held the position of the David Rockefeller Professor of International Economics. Frenkel served from 2004 to 2009 as vice chairman of US bailed out American International Group (AIG)." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIsrael Names Chairman of JPMorgan Chase International the New Central Bank Chief

U.S. Promises Smooth Transfer of Quagmire from Afghanistan to Syria

"Supporters of the United States’ twelve-year quagmire in Afghanistan cheered the news today that the U.S. would strive to achieve a seamless transfer of that quagmire to Syria, effective immediately. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sought to reassure those who were concerned that the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan signalled a wavering of the nation’s commitment to being mired in open-ended military muddles: 'I am confident that we could be involved in Syria for many, many years before figuring out why we are there.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. Promises Smooth Transfer of Quagmire from Afghanistan to Syria

Ted Cruz: Will Obama do background checks before giving arms to Syrian rebels?

"In a tweet called the 'zinger of the day' by Twitchy, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wondered Tuesday if President Obama would conduct background checks before giving arms to Syrian rebels. 'Anyone know if President Obama intends to perform background checks on the Syrian rebels before providing them weapons?' he asked. As of this writing, the short message has been retweeted 6,480 times. Polls released Monday show that an overwhelming majority of Americans do not support plans to arm the rebels, Breitbart.com said. Part of the problem, John Nolte said, is 'the fear that the new boss will be an awful lot like the old boss.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTed Cruz: Will Obama do background checks before giving arms to Syrian rebels?

Syrian rebels say they have received anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles

"Syrian rebels have received heavy weapons -- including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles -- from 'brotherly nations that support the Syrian revolution,' a rebel spokesman said Friday. Free Syrian Army political and media coordinator The White House has not publicly specified what steps it would take to support members of Syria's opposition, though sources have told CNN that small arms, ammunition and possibly anti-tank weapons would be part of the assistance package. The White House announcement this month that it was increasing the 'size and scope' of its material support to Syrian rebels came after months of political debate over the U.S. role in the conflict." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyrian rebels say they have received anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles

Young Turks seek greater liberty, not revolution

"Ask the younger protesters who have taken to Turkey’s streets over the past two weeks what they are fighting for, and the response is simple: 'More freedom'. At the forefront are a generation who, unlike their parents, have grown up in an increasingly outward-looking and fast-growing economy, a new middle class with satellite TV, smartphones and social media connections with friends around the world. Ironically it is Erdogan who has driven that change, overseeing a near-tripling in nominal wealth over his past decade in power. But for the young protesters in Ankara, Istanbul and other cities around Turkey, he has created a generation whose aspirations he no longer understands." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingYoung Turks seek greater liberty, not revolution