No denying Israeli apartheid anymore

The above picture is that of Dani Dayan.  Dayan is the head of the Yesha Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria.  The Yesha Council is an umbrella group which represents all the various settler communities colonizing the West Bank.  Yesterday the New York Times published an Op-Ed by Dayan in which he argues that the settlements are not only going to stay, but in fact they are the solution to the Israel Palestine problem.  I would urge everyone to read this.  It does not matter where you fall on the political spectrum when it comes to the Israel Palestine question because this is the direction that Israel is moving in.  I will not spend the time dissecting all of the inaccuracies and racist remarks in Dayan’s article, instead I will leave you with this thought.

Israel will continue its colonization of the West Bank and the Palestinian people.  They will block any effort to broker a two state solution.  Politicians their will make sure that Israel maintains an ethnic majority over the Palestinian people in the West Bank, effectively turning the West Bank into a series of Bantustans.  Settlers will flood into the West Bank at an unprecedented level; stealing land, water, and peoples individual rights.  This is what Jimmy Carter warned about in his book Palestine: Peace not Apartheid in 2006, for which he was roundly criticized as being an anti-Semite.  Well Carters predictions have come true.  For all those in Israel and America who have bemoaned the two state solution have no fear, a one state solution will happen.  One state in which a racist Jewish majority rules over a Palestinian minority.

July 26, 2012 – 8:13 pm Categories: Israel, Israel/Palestine, Palestine | Post a comment

Fighting in Tajikistan leaves 42 dead

Fighting in Tajikistan has flared up between rebels and the government in the southern province of Gorno-Badakhshan. The fierce government led attack was believed to be a response to the stabbing of a top security official. The stabbing was blamed on the rebel groups loyal to Tolib Ayombekov operating in Gorno-Badakhshan. Gorno-Badakhshan is a semi-autonomous region within Tajikistan. During the brutal Tajik civil war, in which 50,000 are said to have died, those within Gorno-Badakhshan were granted a degree of autonomy. A UN brokered peace deal brought the Islamist rebel leader and warlord, Tolib Ayombekov, into the ruling government. The ruling governments 2010 campaign to rid the country of Islamists has made the situation in Gorno-Badakhshan extremely tense. President Emomali Rakhmon has been trying to consolidate power by squeezing out the Islamists.

Tajikistan is the poorest of all the Central Asian nations. It shares a huge border with Afghanistan, houses a significant number of Islamist fighters, and is the main transshipment point for Afghan heroin. According to the CIA World Fact Book, Tajikistan”…seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium);”

With the situation in Afghanistan inching towards civil war, and Tajiks making up the largest minority in Afghanistan, we should be very concerned with this latest spate of violence. Cross border violence alone could reach a staggering number. Americans should also be concerned with our increasingly close relationship with this corrupt and authoritarian country and the effect on American security. Our past dealings with secular dictators who oppress Muslims has not exactly turned out well for America.

July 25, 2012 – 7:51 pm Categories: Central Asia, Interal conflicts, Tajikistan | Post a comment

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More evidence of Afghan civil war

A police commander from Bala Boluk District in Farah Province has defected to the Taliban; taking with him twelve police officers and a cache of arms. Authorities say he also poisoned seven other police officers for refusing to defect. There have been countless police and military personal who have attacked the Afghan state in the past couple years. Those in question though we’re already members of the Taliban. This incident on the other hand is the first recorded instance of someone within the Afghan government defecting to the Islamic Caliphate of Afghanistan. A civil war in Afghanistan will come to fruition when ISAF forces leave the country. More and more defections will take place, and many lives will be lost.

July 25, 2012 – 4:25 pm Categories: Afghanistan, America, South Asia, Taliban, Terrorism, U.S. policy | Post a comment

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Bulgaria was the target

It was almost comical how fast Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned Iran for the recent bombing in Burgas. Two days ago Netanyahu made the rounds of the Sunday morning talk shows, telling anyone who would listen that Iran is engaged in a global terror campaign against the Jewish state. Of course when pressed for facts on this outrageous charge Netanyahu was at a lose for words. He simply repeated the claim that it was Iran and Hezbollah who were responsible. On Face the Nation Netanyahu made the erroneous claim that Iran had assassinated diplomats. This is patently false, it simply never happened. Perhaps Netanyhau is referring to the trumped up charges against a two time loser Manssor Arabsiar. People will remember Arabsiar as the bankrupt used car salesman who the great and powerful terrorist state Iran employed a year ago for an assassination plot. He was to hire the narco trafficking super group Los Zetas to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States with a bomb in a crowded D.C. restaurant. If this sounds like bad spy fiction that is because it is fiction. Netanyahu comes from the political school of thought that believes by simply stating something as fact over and over again enough people will start to believe it to be true.
Israel’s insane desire for war with Iran has led the government there to blame any terrorist threat or attack on the Islamic Republic. After 9/11 Israel tried in vain to convince America that Iran was behind the attack that killed 3,000 Americans. Israel will exploit any terrorist threat or attack if it provides justification for attacking Iran. Of course this detracts from the possibly real threats faced by Sunni extremist groups. The Burgas bombing is an excellent example of this detraction. While it may surprise many, Bulgaria’s foreign policy has been moving it into a position that puts it in direct conflict with Al Qaeda and similar Sunni extremist groups. In 2010 extremist group Asbat al Ansar, who’s links to Al Qaeda have landed it on the U.S. terror list, proclaimed that Bulgaria was a target due to its involvement in both the Iraq and Afghan wars. So the Burgas bombing raises the question, what if the Bulgarian state was the real target? If this proves to be true than the real culprit of the bombing is still at large. Netanyahu will let the real perpetrators walk free so he can bomb Iran back to the stone age. If it is Al Qaeda or one of their franchise groups, they may very well be planning another attack on a western target.

With talk of war with Iran becoming so common place, now is the time for clarity. While many may be salivating over the thought of taking down the Islamic Republic this is not something that should be taken lightly. Before we jump into another war with a Muslim nation we should know the facts. Netanyahu is not the purveyor of truth.

July 24, 2012 – 5:05 pm Categories: Europe, Intelligence coummunity, Iran, Israel, Middle East, National Security, Terrorism | Post a comment

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Syrian civil war coverage

Media coverage during any conflict is always fraught with propaganda and distortions. The civil war in Syria is no different. In an age where most people receive their news from television, the various media outlets reporting on Syria have been plagued with biased views of the situation.

At one time Al Jazeera was seen as a bastion of independent journalism in the Middle East. Their coverage of the Iraq War and the Egyptian revolution were hailed by many in the region for their fair and unbiased reporting. Unfortunately this is not the case in Syria. As the below news segment demonstrates, Al Jazeera’s coverage has been co-opted by the Qatari government. They are still framing the narrative as a fight between good and evil. The FSA in the minds of Al Jazeera is a galant and brave rebel army fighting the evil Assad regime. As the Syrian National Council lackey says, the just FSA is retreating from their newly conquered territories in Damascus, so as to protect the civilian population. Note too, that all of this information is gained through YouTube videos, and reporters from neighboring countries. The great Arab news outlet doesn’t have anyone on the ground.

Russia Today’s coverage of the Syrian civil war is much more nuanced. RT is funded by the Kremlin, so there is a bias and slant to their coverage. But if people are willing to eat up Qatari and Western propaganda, why not eat some Russian as well. RT manages to frame the narrative is more realistic manner. This is no longer a peaceful protest movement. Instead this is a civil war in which a plethora of factions are all vying for power. No one controls the country. RT is also quick to point out that the Syrian National Council has no serious backing within Syria. Most importantly RT actually has someone there on the ground in Damascus with the FSA. They don’t have a correspondent in Beirut Skyping with activists in Syria.

Take any and all coverage of Syria with a grain of salt. With that in mind though, seek out a variety of media coverage.

July 21, 2012 – 6:23 pm Categories: Interal conflicts, Syria | Post a comment

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NATO intervention brought more than elections

While this video is from March 2012 it is still relevant.  The plight of Black Libyans has not gotten any better since the recent national elections.  So before the interventionists pat themselves on the back for bringing “democracy” to Libya, perhaps they should watch this video.

July 19, 2012 – 12:51 am Categories: foreign intervention, Libya, North Africa | Post a comment

Netanyahu worked in nuclear smuggling ring

The below piece was written by the great Grant F. Smith.  It is an original piece written for Antiwar.com. For more on Grant Smith visit the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy

 

On June 27, 2012, the FBI partially declassified and released seven additional pages [.pdf] from a 1985–2002 investigation into how a network of front companies connected to the Israeli Ministry of Defense illegally smuggled nuclear triggers out of the U.S.* The newly released FBI files detail how Richard Kelly Smyth — who was convicted of running a U.S. front company — met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel during the smuggling operation. At that time, Netanyahu worked at the Israeli node of the smuggling network, Heli Trading Company. Netanyahu, who currently serves as Israel’s prime minister, recently issued a gag order that the smuggling network’s unindicted ringleader refrain from discussing “Project Pinto.”

As revealed in previously released FBI files and the tell-all book Confidential: The Life of Secret Agent Turned Hollywood Tycoon Arnon Milchan, the Hollywood producer was recruited into Israel’s economic espionage division (LAKAM) in his 20s and learned how to establish front companies and secret bank accounts for smuggling operations. Arnon Milchan encouraged Smyth, a California engineer, to incorporate MILCO in 1972 and serve as a front for the Israel-based Heli Trading’s (also known as Milchan Limited) acquisitions of sensitive military technologies on behalf of the Ministry of Defense. Smyth fled the U.S. after being indicted for violating the Arms Export Control Act in the mid-1980s. In July 2001, Smyth was arrested in Spain by Interpol and returned to the U.S., and in November, he was convicted of exporting 800 nuclear triggers (called krytrons).

FBI agents interviewed Smyth on April 16-17, 2002, at the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles. The secret interview report details how during a trip to Israel Smyth was “spotted” by Milchan, who claimed he worked as an exclusive purchasing agent for the Ministry of Defense. Smyth was introduced around to high military officials including then-general Ariel Sharon. Smyth was also put in contact with Benjamin Netanyahu, who worked at Heli Trading Company. According to the FBI report, “Smyth and [Netanyahu] would meet in restaurants in Tel Aviv and in [Netanyahu’s] home and/or business. It was not uncommon for [Netanyahu] to ask Smyth for unclassified material.”

Milchan pulled Smyth into his glamorous, star-studded movie circuit. “While in the United States [Smyth] met with [Milchan] numerous times in Los Angeles. … Milchan and Smyth would have dinner frequently and would visit one another’s house often … it was quite common for [Milchan] to invite [Smyth] to various Hollywood parties and introduce [Smyth] to celebrities.”

During the 2002 Smyth counterintelligence debriefing, the FBI learned that the Ministry of Defense ordered and paid Heli Trading for krytrons. Heli in turn sourced them from MILCO in a clandestine operation codenamed Project Pinto. The report reveals how MILCO illegally shipped prohibited articles under general Commerce Department export licenses rather than smuggling them out via Israeli diplomatic pouches. The last time Smyth saw Milchan was in 1985. The Ministry of Defense issued a burn notice on Smyth after discussions with U.S. officials about the krytron smuggling. According to the FBI report, “Shortly thereafter, [Smyth] fled the United States.”

A March 2012 statement by the co-authors of Confidential claims that “Hollywood mega-producer and former secret agent Arnon Milchan has been asked directly by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres to avoid any public discussion of the book Confidential, asserting that the matter is too sensitive at this time.” Although the book’s authors point to the escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program, Netanyahu’s own hands-on involvement in nuclear weapons–related covert action against America is presumably a far more compelling reason for the gag order.

* The FBI referred an additional 164 pages of the Mandatory Declassification Review to another government agency — presumably the CIA — for further review. The additional pages will likely never be released. The CIA has refused requests for similar documents in order to preserve intelligence sources and methods abroad.

July 18, 2012 – 11:44 pm Categories: Israel | Post a comment

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Israel’s chickens come home to roost in Bulgaria

A bus carrying several Israeli tourists was blown up in Bulgaria today. Israel was quick to blame Iran for the bombing, with PM Netanyahu saying “Iran is responsible for the terror attack in Bulgaria, we will have a strong response against Iranian terror.” The attack comes on the heels of the arrest of a Lebanese man accused of ties with Hezbollah, and of planning an attack against Israelis. What are we to make of this?
Iran may very well be behind this bombing. The narrative developing though misses out on a very important fact; Israel has been doing the same thing. Israel’s policy of assassinating civilian Iranian scientists is no doubt the reason for this recent bombing. Israel is not some poor defenseless country being targeted by Iran. On the contrary, this is a direct result of their very public assassination policy of CIVILIAN scientists in Iran. I emphasis civilian only to make the point that both the scientists and tourists are innocent pawns being used in a high stakes game of international chess. Don’t get sucked into the western media narrative that this bombing is some heinous act of violence. The bombing demonstrates Netanyahu and Barak’s lack of thought in regards to their own war against Iran. This is an aspect that is also lost on the United States. Does the West really think that Iran will just sit idly by while their own people people are blown up in the streets of Tehran? The bombing today illustrates that Iran is just as capable of hitting back after they are hit. Netanyahu does not care about his own people. If he did than he would not callously order the murder of scientists in Iran. This is a classic example of “blowback.” Now these innocent Israeli civilians will be exploited by Israel as a pretext for more overt warfare against Iran. They will be become martyrs for Israel; their deaths being used to justify more deaths. It may be a bit cynical, but this is exactly what Netanyahu has been waiting for. The hawkish warmonger has been itching for a reason to escalate the war against Iran. A war one might add, that was started when the US began sanctions, and Israel started killing civilian scientists.

July 18, 2012 – 6:03 pm Categories: Iran, Israel, Terrorism | Post a comment

Turkish jet was not shot down

Piggybacking on my last post regarding the conflicting reports out of Syria, Turkish Newspaper Today’s Zaman, reported today that the recent downing of a Turkish fighter jet was not caused by Syria. Officials in Turkey are disregarding the militaries investigation. They are still holding onto the notion that the jet was shot down by Syria in international waters. All despite the fact that no missiles were detected by the radar system on board the Turkish jet or Turkish land radar systems. It’s worth noting that American officials did not completely believe the Turkish explanation for what happened to the jet. Yet America is willing to believe any Syrian activist who says something negative about the Assad regime.

July 13, 2012 – 5:46 pm Categories: foreign intervention, Interal conflicts, Middle East, Syria, turkey | Post a comment

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Murky facts in Treimseh massacre

Before everyone jumps on the band wagon of intervention, it’s important to objectively look at the massacre in Treimseh. Anytime something like this occurs in Syria the West is very quick to blame Assad and his forces. They receive information from activists, whose political agenda is never questioned. Well according to AFP, Syrian activists from the Sham News Network told them that most of the dead were rebels. The activist quoted in the article goes by the name Jaafar. He told AFP that:

At this stage, though we do not yet have the final count, the number of civilians killed by shelling is not more than seven.The rest were members of the Free Syrian Army.

Even the shadowy Syrian Observatory for Human Rights/em> has been careful about reporting this recent massacre. Again from the AFP article:

The Observatory was more cautious, saying “several dozen rebel fighters were among those killed,” adding that only around 40 of the dead had been identified, while 30 were burned and 18 were “summarily executed.”

Is it so hard to imagine the the FSA would use a civilian town as cover for launching attacks? This is what Hezbollah did in Lebanon. Indeed this is a tactic used by all rebel groups. The conflict in Syria is a civil war. Contrary to what Secretary Clinton would have you believe, in war their are no good guys and bad guys. Rebel groups don’t preserve human rights. They don’t fight with a copy of the Geneva Conventions in their hand. War is about killing as many people as you can. The FSA is not a chivalrous group.

Of course there is no real way to confirm any of these conflicting reports. It is anyone’s guess as to what really happened in Treimseh. And that is the crux of the problem. We should stop jumping to conclusions. The truth is always the first casualty of war. Those who are pushing is into a war we will never win, and will never end, need to step back and look at the reality of the situation. And the American public needs to question what we read and watch in the media.

July 13, 2012 – 5:23 pm Categories: Middle East, Syria, U.S. policy | Post a comment

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