War & Peace

Pepe Escobar: Obama set for holy Tomahawk war

"The 'responsibility to protect' (R2P) doctrine invoked to legitimize the 2011 war on Libya has just transmogrified into 'responsibility to attack' (R2A) Syria. Just because the Obama administration says so. On Sunday, the White House said it had 'very little doubt' that the Bashar al-Assad government used chemical weapons against its own citizens. On Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry ramped it up to 'undeniable' - and accused Assad of 'moral obscenity'. So when the US bombed Fallujah with white phosphorus in late 2004 it was just taking the moral high ground. And when the US helped Saddam Hussein to gas Iranians in 1988 it was also taking the moral high ground." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPepe Escobar: Obama set for holy Tomahawk war

Has The CIA’s Phoenix Program Been Resurrected In Syria?

"Phoenix went far beyond aspirations of 'winning' in Vietnam. The program utilized a 'by any means necessary' strategy to warfare that included the use of random assassination and the FABRICATION of enemy atrocities in order to rally the civilian population around U.S. forces. PRU operators routinely targeted the backwater villages of Vietnam, killing at least 20,000 civilians as later admitted by CIA Director William Colby. The slaughter of villages was frequently blamed on the Vietcong, while PRU's ran rampant in the jungles, physically mutilating victims in order to draw greater emotional reactions from Southern citizens as well as oblivious Americans back home." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHas The CIA’s Phoenix Program Been Resurrected In Syria?

Congress Should Veto Obama’s War

"Who made Barack Obama the Wyatt Earp of the Global Village? Moreover, where is the evidence that WMDs were used and that it had to be Assad who ordered them? Such an attack makes no sense. Firing a few shells of gas at Syrian civilians was not going to advance Assad’s cause but, rather, was certain to bring universal condemnation on his regime and deal cards to the War Party which wants a U.S. war on Syria as the back door to war on Iran. The basic question that needs to be asked about this horrific attack on civilians, which appears to be gas related, is: Cui bono? To whose benefit would the use of nerve gas on Syrian women and children redound?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCongress Should Veto Obama’s War

Michael Scheuer: Observing King Obama’s Syrian madness, II

"General Keane responded that polls showing the strong and historically consistent non-interventionist beliefs of the American people should play no role in a U.S. president’s decision on an issue of national security. In essence, General Keane told Mr. Baier and all other Americans to be quiet, go home, eat a cookie, watch TV, and let the vaunted U.S. military and our interventionist, bipartisan governing elite do as they wish regarding war with Syria. These arrogant and self-proclaimed aristocrats always know what is best for a taxed-to-death riff-raff that is only needed every four years to elect someone running on a 'no war' platform that will be utterly and cynically discarded once the presidency is won." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMichael Scheuer: Observing King Obama’s Syrian madness, II

Israeli intelligence ‘intercepted Syrian regime talk about chemical attack’

"The bulk of evidence proving the Assad regime's deployment of chemical weapons – which would provide legal grounds essential to justify any western military action – has been provided by Israeli military intelligence. The 8200 unit of the Israeli Defence Forces, which specialises in electronic surveillance, intercepted a conversation between Syrian officials regarding the use of chemical weapons, an unnamed former Mossad official told Focus. The content of the conversation was relayed to the US, the ex-official said. Israel and the US had a 'close and co-operative relationship in the intelligence field', he added, but declined to comment specifically on the Focus report." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIsraeli intelligence ‘intercepted Syrian regime talk about chemical attack’

Lawmakers urge Obama to allow public debate on military action against Syria

"The United States is poised to launch a military strike on Syria in coming days after determining that President Bashar al-Assad’s regime used chemical weapons during an attack outside Damascus last week which killed hundreds of civilians. Several lawmakers sought to put the brakes on what Republican congressman Scott Rigell, who drafted the letter to Obama, said could be potential abuse of presidential authority if he decides to attack Syria without a congressional green light. Rigell and others are bristling at a possible executive order of use of force without the House and Senate weighing in, as was the controversial case in Libya." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLawmakers urge Obama to allow public debate on military action against Syria

United States and allies build case for military action in Syria

"The ground for a military intervention was set out by US Vice President Joe Biden, who for the first time said last week’s attack, thought to have killed hundreds, could only have been perpetrated by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Britain joined the US in saying regime forces were behind the strikes, and Prime Minister David Cameron said London and its allies had to consider whether targeted military action was required to 'deter and degrade the future use of chemical weapons'. Senior officials in Washington told NBC news that possible strikes against targets in Syria could take place as early as Thursday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUnited States and allies build case for military action in Syria

Britain to submit UN resolution on Syria

"Britain will submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council condemning suspected chemical attacks in Syria and demanding 'all necessary measures' to protect civilians. The announcement came as the US and its allies pressed their case for likely military action against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would present a resolution 'condemning the chemical weapons attack by Assad' to a meeting of the Security Council’s five permanent members in New York on Wednesday. The developments came after US Vice President Joe Biden said the chemical attacks could only have been perpetrated by Assad’s forces." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBritain to submit UN resolution on Syria

British prime minister: We’re not considering regime change in Syria

"Any action against Syria would be aimed at 'degrading' the regime’s alleged chemical weapons’ capability, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday. But any military action against Syria would have to be proportionate and legal, the prime minister said. Cameron said no decisions had been taken but Britain and its allies had to consider whether targeted military action was required to 'deter and degrade the future use of chemical weapons'. Earlier, British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg denied that the aim would be to topple the regime of President Bashar al-Assad." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBritish prime minister: We’re not considering regime change in Syria

Dubai And Saudi Stock Markets Getting Totally Smoked

"There's a lot of ugly stuff today. Emerging markets (India, Indonesia, Turkey, etc.) are getting crushed on all the standard emerging market worries. Plus there's all the Syria stuff that seems to be having a financial market impact. You can really see that in Mideast stock markets. Dubai is getting simply demolished, as the stock market there is down 7%. Saudi Arabia is down 3.5%." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDubai And Saudi Stock Markets Getting Totally Smoked