War & Peace

US Finally Admits What Ron Paul Said: “Nobody Knows Who Set Off The Gas”

"The intelligence linking Syrian President Bashar Assad or his inner circle to an alleged chemical weapons attack is no 'slam dunk,' with questions remaining about who actually controls some of Syria's chemical weapons stores and doubts about whether Assad himself ordered the strike, U.S. intelligence officials say. [..] an intercept of Syrian military officials discussing the strike was among low-level staff, the officials said. Another possibility that officials would hope to rule out: that stocks had fallen out of the government's control and were deployed by rebels in a callous and calculated attempt to draw the West into the war." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Finally Admits What Ron Paul Said: “Nobody Knows Who Set Off The Gas”

Can You Trust the Case for War this Time?

"Emails supposedly leaked to the public by a hacker suggest that the chemical attacks in Syria were actually staged by U.S. intelligence. Is this true? We doubt it, but when you consider the whole history of U.S. wars, it's hard to argue that our 'government' deserves the benefit of the doubt. We share some of that history in a sample letter to Congress below. Public pressure has already forced the President to seek Congressional approval. Maybe more pressure could also deny that approval. Please tell Congress to oppose war in Syria." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCan You Trust the Case for War this Time?

McCain blames Obama for U.S. losing credibility in the Middle East

"President Barack Obama’s failure to act amid spiralling violence in Egypt has led the US to lose all credibility in the Middle East, senator John McCain said Sunday. McCain compared US inaction to Obama’s policy on Syria. 'There is no policy. And there is no strategy. And therefore we react and we react poorly. One of the best examples is Syria where the president said Bashar al-Assad uses chemical weapons, that’s a red line. He’s used them and we have done virtually nothing in response to that. The centrifuges in Tehran continue to spin, Iraq unravels,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMcCain blames Obama for U.S. losing credibility in the Middle East

Bolton Opposed To Both Syria Resolution And Obama Seeking Congress Approval

"John Bolton, the neoconservative who served as ambassador to the United Nations under former President George W. Bush, said Tuesday that he'd vote against the resolution to authorize the use of force in Syria if he were a member of Congress. But Bolton said he's opposed to President Barack Obama's decision to seek congressional approval, too. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Monday that U.S. credibility would be 'shredded' if Congress does not approve the Syria resolution, but Bolton rejected that argument." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBolton Opposed To Both Syria Resolution And Obama Seeking Congress Approval

Bill Bonner: Is it time to choose sides in Egypt?

"Is there a bigger jackass than John Bolton? He makes no mention of his own role in causing the regional chaos in the Middle East. He was a major war monger, arguing for the invasion of Iraq is now on track to cost the US more than $5 trillion... And who gained? Only Islamic terrorists...and the defense industry. Now he says we should go into Egypt on the side of the military. Why? He doesn't like the Muslim Brotherhood. How many brothers has he met? We don't know, but he gives the impression that he thinks they are bad people. Facing off against him in the WSJ is Elliot Abrams. We couldn't make much sense of Mr. Abrams' argument other than that he thinks the military rulers are bad people." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBill Bonner: Is it time to choose sides in Egypt?

As Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of a U.S.-Brotherhood Conspiracy

"When the conversation turns to politics, the predominant topic is a surprise to American ears: the conspiracy between the United States and the Muslim Brotherhood to destroy Egypt. The 'people’s committees,' which sprung up in Egyptian neighborhoods as a counterweight to the Muslim Brotherhood, in theory were disbanded last week. But that did not stop self-appointed guardians in the Zaki Street market of the Maadi neighborhood from repeatedly demanding identity documents, letters of permission and, especially, proof of not being affiliated with Al Jazeera, the pan-Arab news network, which is reviled because it is owned by Qatar, a strong supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAs Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of a U.S.-Brotherhood Conspiracy

Soviet soldier who disappeared 30 years ago in Afghanistan located

"A Soviet soldier who disappeared more than 30 years ago on the battlefield in Afghanistan has been found alive and well and living under the name of Sheikh Abdullah in the western Afghan city of Herat. According to officials, local residents rescued Khakimov from the battlefield and treated his wounds with herbs. The Soviet soldier remained with the man who helped him, and acquired medical skills. Khakimov – an ethnic Uzbek, originally from Samarkand – married a local Afghan woman and settled in the Shindand district. His wife later died. The couple had no children. Some 264 Soviet soldiers who fought in the 1979-1989 war in Afghanistan are still missing." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSoviet soldier who disappeared 30 years ago in Afghanistan located

Looters ransack Baghdad museum [2003]

"Unesco has urged the US and Britain to deploy troops at Iraq's key archaeological sites and museums to stop widespread looting and destruction. Armed men have been roaming the streets of Baghdad since the city was taken by US troops on Wednesday. A museum guard said that since Thursday, hundreds of looters had carried away artefacts on carts and wheelbarrows. The museum's deputy director said looters had taken or destroyed 170,000 items of antiquity dating back thousands of years. 'They were worth billions of dollars,' she said. 'The Americans were supposed to protect the museum. If they had just one tank and two soldiers nothing like this would have happened.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLooters ransack Baghdad museum [2003]

Egypt’s political chaos decimates historical treasures

"Magdy Tahami looks in disbelief at what remains of Egypt’s tiny Mallawi museum. The ground is littered with glass from the display cabinets, which once housed its precious collection, after a mob attacked and looted the building, during a nationwide crackdown on Islamist protesters. Before, hundreds of antiquities, statuettes, gold and jewels told the history of Egypt, from pharaonic times to the Muslim caliphs, from the Omayyad dynasty in the 7th century to the Fatimids in the 12th, and touching on Greek and Roman antiquities. For 20 years, these historic treasures were assistant-director Tahami’s whole life." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEgypt’s political chaos decimates historical treasures