"And American apathy to these statistics is breathtaking." Would it have been so if the MSM would have actually reported over the years what was really going on the facts on the ground in Iraq. Because we know they did not. I have to believe that people would have reacted differently based on how many hundreds of thousands marched before
Hundreds of thousands of us (millions accumulatively across the nation and 30 million around the world) marched, protested, lobbied our Reps before the invasion based on a "pack of lies" Some of us were interested. The hundreds of people that I talked with and audio taped at these marches were there because they had heard former weapons inspector Scott Ritter, IAEA's El Baradei, Zbiniew Bryzinski, Jimmy Carter, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, Katheen and Bill Christison, Seymour Hersh question the validity of the intelligence. Some journalist tried to get the info out like Jason Vest at the Nation in the fall of 2002 tried to warn us about the sources of the false intelligence link to www.thenation.com
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people are dead, injured and millions are displaced as a direct consequence of that bloody illegal and immoral invasion and still no one has been held accountable.
Granted the MSM and our government learned from Vietnam was not to show people the pictures of what was going on...don't count their dead and injured (which thank the heavens that Juan Cole, the Lancet report and others have been reporting on) but generally nothing out of the MSM
Now Obama and team repeating "move on, next chapter, turn the page" We are talking about war crimes here ..an intelligence snowjob not lies under oath about blowjobs
Just keep Americans heads diverted just driving over the bloody and criminal bump in the road that are the carcasses of dead Iraqi people and american soldiers as they head to the malls with their pedals to the metal Scary times.
While the very same warmongers attempt to start an overt military confrontation with Iran
During Jackie Northrums report about the most recent meeting between President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. I found President Obama’s words describing how everyone should ” turn the page, begin a new chapter in the history between our countries” so dismissive and offensive, Thousands of Iraqi people are dead, injured, millions displaced all as a direct result of an invasion based on a “pack of lies” In fact those horrific results are barely ever mentioned in the MSM. This is shameful
The dead, injured and displaced in Iraq just a bloody bump in the road for the warmongers. Sickening
Can only imagine how those arrogant dismissive words would sting if I were an Iraqi and had lost a loved one
So many Egyptian people who have and are protesting for social justice and accountability have been such an inspiration to people around the world. So brave. Demanding that their leaders be held accountable. Americans need to take notes about the accountability issue. Instead of Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith, Rice being held accountable for their crimes against humanity their new spin on the old spin that has cost thousands of lives, is being broadcast on the US MSM.
So proud of all of those who have been participating in the OCW protest around the country. Many of us have been activist and very concerned citizens for years. Lobbying, registering voters, voting, petitioning our Reps, marching in the streets, getting arrested over unnecessary wars etc etc.
But this new and very alive movement is growing and will continue to grow. Demanding accountability for past banking fraud,unnecessary wars etc etc. As Obama has said in the past "make me do it" Keep pushing folks. And thank you to all of the OWS protesters across the country
A Greater Israel is the way they (Israel) has been headed for a long time. Who believes they want a two state solution based on the 67 border with land swaps. No one I know or read.
Appears to have been Israel's plan for decades. They just keep expanding illegal settlements and illegal housing in E Jerusalem all the while saying to the Palestinians look over here (you must recognize Israel has the right to exist) Now look over here "now you must say that Israel is a Jewish state" Now look over here, no over here
Helman "The UN remains largely an environment hostile to Israel," Why has Helman described the UN being "hostile to Isreal" when what nations are demanding is that they abide by UN resolutions, treaties etc. Why would he describe this as "hostile" instead of describing the UN as attempting to seek justice?
I believe Israel is in violation of more UN resolutions than any other nation
9/12 changed the world, not 9/11
After 9/11 the Bush administration took the world to war, threatening global security and shredding US democracy.
Phyllis Bennis link to english.aljazeera.net
The Financial Times has featured an editorial penned by Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haas titled, "Libya Now Needs Boots on the Ground,"
David Ignatius was on the Diane Rehm international hour this morning. He must have repeated three times that Syria is getting part of their money to fight off insurgency from Iran. Diane Rehm did not question is claims once. Rehm has been allowing the unsubstantiated claims about Iranto be repeated on her program for a solid eight years. No challenges. No verification to back up those claims.
We know other MSM host have beend doing the same thing.
Prof Cole what do Syrians feel towards Americans in general for supporing Assad and other dictators in the region for decades?
Check this out not only is Doug Feith one of Perry’s main men…Bill Luti is on the Perry bus. These are two individuals who should be on trial at the Hague for war crimes.
link to raceforiran.com
“ForeignPolicy.com reports, see here, say that Perry’s foreign policy and national security briefings are being organized by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and feature such Iraq war masterminds as Doug Feith and Bill Luti. Dr. Paul has his work cut out for him.”
Retired Lt Colonel Karen Kwiatowski has a few things to say about Feith and Luti her “The New Pentagon Papers”
link to dir.salon.com
“To begin with, I was introduced to Bill Luti, assistant secretary of defense for NESA. A tall, thin, nervously intelligent man, he welcomed me into the fold. I knew little about him. Because he was a recently retired naval captain and now high-level Bush appointee, the common assumption was that he had connections, if not capability. I would later find out that when Dick Cheney was secretary of defense over a decade earlier, Luti was his aide. He had also been a military aide to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich during the Clinton years and had completed his Ph.D. at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. While his Navy career had not granted him flag rank, he had it now and was not shy about comparing his place in the pecking order with various three- and four-star generals and admirals in and out of the Pentagon. Name dropping included references to getting this or that document over to Scooter, or responding to one of Scooter’s requests right away. Scooter, I would find out later, was I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff.’
Prof Cole we know the US MSM has barely focused on just how many Iraqi people have died, been injured and displaced as a direct result of the US immoral and illegal invasion. Why so much distance between the 2006 Lancet Report and the Pentagon's more recent report.
So telling that the majority of Americans barely even think or care about this. Pathetic and dangerous.
So absurd to hear Hillary Clinton make comments about Asad's integrity, killing of innocents etc. She is drowning in the blood of Iraqi people and American soldiers who have died in that needless war
thanks Juan. I love book stores too. Grew up in small book stores in Boulder and Dayton and Yellow springs Ohio. Walking down the aisles picking up a book that I would not normally look at or on a topic far from my interest. Quiet surroundings, others doing the same. Not like normal shopping. Looking for knowledge, stimulating an interest, distractions, mystery.
Especially love old book stores where it is a bit musty, old ragged covers..feel like you are stepping into history.
Was just in the Trident Book Store on Pearl Street in Boulder. Great books great prices
CIA veteran: Israel to attack Iran in fall
The Israeli security establishment is increasingly worried by Netanyahu's bellicose stance towards Iran.
A longtime CIA officer who spent 21 years in the Middle East is predicting that Israel will bomb Iran in the fall, dragging the United States into another major war and endangering US military and civilian personnel (and other interests) throughout the Middle East and beyond.
Earlier this week, Robert Baer appeared on the provocative KPFK Los Angeles show Background Briefing, hosted by Ian Masters. It was there that he predicted that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is likely to ignite a war with Iran in the very near future.
Robert Baer has had a storied career, including a stint in Iraq in the 1990s where he organised opposition to Saddam Hussein. (He was recalled after being accused of trying to organise Saddam's assassination.) Upon his retirement, he received a top decoration for meritorious service.
Clinton lost "legitimacy" when she knowingly voted for the 2002 Iraq war resolution. She knew there were no WMD's in Iraq.Why give a warmongering administration assistance?
Live contact with the US to Gaza boat "the Audacity of Hope" at the Mondoweiss site. Direct tweets. The boat took off from port and now the Greek Coast Guard is trying to make them turn back.
Live updates
Update: Greek Coast Guard stops US Boat to Gaza as it sets sail to join Freedom Flotilla; Coast Guard: ‘you are forbidden to leave Athens. return to port now’ link to mondoweiss.net...
ibnezra
5 minutes ago
The coast guard is threatening to board the ship now in the middle of the sea
ibnezra
6 minutes ago
Coast Guard "you are forbidden to leave Athens. return to port now"
ibnezra
7 minutes ago
The coast guard is demanding that we return to port. "we are forbidden to leave" passengers are chanting and screaming at them
ibnezra
9 minutes ago
Blast!!! Didn't get far (but still may). Greeks just intercepted us. Thank you for supporting, I'll try to keep everyone up-to-date...
ibnezra
9 minutes ago
The other ship left. There is only one coast guard ship in front of the US boat right now.
ibnezra
10 minutes ago
The boat is dead in the water. Passengers are protesting with signs and singing.
ibnezra
11 minutes ago
Captain is talking to them. Coast guard is close and about to board the ship
ibnezra
11 minutes ago
Captain is talking to them. Coast guard is close and about to board the ship
myaguarnieri
14 minutes ago
engine cut, surrounded by greek coast guard boats @MaanNewsAgency #freedomflotilla2 they are blocking the us boat to gaza
ibnezra
14 minutes ago
The boat is now stopped. The coast guard is blocking us
July 1, 2011 - 10:36 am
The Obama DOJ's effort to force New York Times investigative journalist Jim Risen to testify in a whistleblower prosecution and reveal his source is really remarkable and revealing in several ways; it should be receiving much more attention than it is. On its own, the whistleblower prosecution and accompanying targeting of Risen are pernicious, but more importantly, it underscores the menacing attempt by the Obama administration -- as Risen yesterday pointed out -- to threaten and intimidate whistleblowers, journalists and activists who meaningfully challenge what the government does in secret.
The subpoena to Risen was originally issued but then abandoned by the Bush administration, and then revitalized by Obama lawyers. It is part of the prosecution of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA agent whom the DOJ accuses of leaking to Risen the story of a severely botched agency plot -- from 11 years ago -- to infiltrate Iran's nuclear program, a story Risen wrote about six years after the fact in his 2006 best-selling book, State of War. The DOJ wants to force Risen to testify under oath about whether Sterling was his source.
Prof Cole/all
have you read this by Glenn Greenwald link to salon.com
Climate of Fear: Jim Risen v. the Obama administration
The Obama DOJ's effort to force New York Times investigative journalist Jim Risen to testify in a whistleblower prosecution and reveal his source is really remarkable and revealing in several ways; it should be receiving much more attention than it is. On its own, the whistleblower prosecution and accompanying targeting of Risen are pernicious, but more importantly, it underscores the menacing attempt by the Obama administration -- as Risen yesterday pointed out -- to threaten and intimidate whistleblowers, journalists and activists who meaningfully challenge what the government does in secret.
The subpoena to Risen was originally issued but then abandoned by the Bush administration, and then revitalized by Obama lawyers. It is part of the prosecution of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA agent whom the DOJ accuses of leaking to Risen the story of a severely botched agency plot -- from 11 years ago -- to infiltrate Iran's nuclear program, a story Risen wrote about six years after the fact in his 2006 best-selling book, State of War. The DOJ wants to force Risen to testify under oath about whether Sterling was his source.
"One has a sense of an age passing, and to the extent that the age was characterized by unilateral adventurism, its demise will benefit us all."
Lets hope so.
Gates did not hesitate to speak out about his stand against an intervention in Libya.
Why would he try to spin that the US was a super power so far back?
What is happening with the oil in Iraq? Where is Ahmed Chalabi?
Does it piss the Iraqi people off that the people who have been killed, injured, displaced in that country as a direct result of the invasion are barely whispered about in this country?
Cole "Well if all this could be an occasion finally to look into the propaganda campaign whereby we were inveigled into the Iraq War, that would make it all worth it."
That is not going to happen. If hundreds of thousands dead, injured and millions displaced in IRaq as well as 4500 and counting dead American soldiers, tens of thousands injured is not going to get them looking into the WMD lies then the Bush administration trying to take you down sure is not going to get them moving. They have to have lies under oath about BJ's to get their justice juices going. Hundreds of thousands dead as a result of a pack of lies just does not get it for them.
Amazing to think about of the work that went into investigating Iraq pre war intelligence... Phase I and Phase II and absolutely no one has been held accountable for any of the falsehoods that were endlessly repeated. Niger Documents? No one held accountable
And then these reports were stalled by Senator Pat Roberts
"At the least, the CIA’s inspector general needs to investigate. If requests to dig up dirt on Cole did come from the White House, the inspector general inquiry should determine who authorized them, what the responses were, and whether the administration sought to discredit anyone else. As Cole put it on his blog, “I know I am a relatively small fish, and it seems to me rather likely that I was not the only target.’’
As Cole has said he is a "small fish" but not really. If they open up this can of worms who else did they go after. We know Scott Ritter, Plame
Bingo. Agree. If Feinstein has her way she will shut down any attempt to investigate. Especially if the push for going after Cole came from any of her warmongering friends pushing the invasion of Iraq. She did vote for the 2002 Iraq war resolution. She did go along with that push for that illegal and immoral invasion. Any attempt to investigate this situation will stop with her. link to alternet.org
There needs to be investigations into her families war profiteering.
Dianne Feinstein resigns committee post amid scandal; accused of war profiteering
This story is from the Silicon Valley Metro (ht: Robert, our intrepid copyeditor):
SEN. Dianne Feinstein has resigned from the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee. As previously and extensively reviewed in these pages, Feinstein was chairperson and ranking member of MILCON for six years, during which time she had a conflict of interest due to her husband Richard C. Blum's ownership of two major defense contractors, who were awarded billions of dollars for military construction projects approved by Feinstein.
Sure appears they are going off the cliff with surveillance. Similar to the body checks at airports. Fondling 3 years old children at airports etc. Dangerous territory. Wonder what Jefferson and the rest of the founder fathers would think about all of this spying on American citizens?
"The act is clearly unconstitutional and guts key Bill of Right protections. Among its disturbing aspects is the access it gives government agencies to individuals’ library records, business records and other personal effects without requiring probable cause of a crime being committed. And while the wiretap provisions target non-US citizens, they extend to any conversations the latter have with US citizens. The framers of the constitution in any case believed that the liberties they proclaimed extended to “all men,” not just citizens."
Would the Patriot Act fall under the definition of fascism?
Have been pushing BBC world Service and other outlets to have Prof Cole on their programs.
Professor Juan Cole thank you for all of your efforts to bring facts and solid information to the American people. It is both pathetic and seems criminal that the Bush administration would spend any time bringing down someone who is trying to bring solid information and a broader perspective to American citizens and others around the world.
Sent story to some more outlets. Rachel Maddow, Dylan Ratigan, BBC, Race for Iran. Get this critical story even further than the Bloody New York Times. The NYT thinks they can redeem themselves for their false pre war so called reporting by throwing the public stories like this. The only way for them to get close to redeeming themselves for allowing Judy "I was fucking right" Millers false and deadly reporting. Is by reporting about the facts on the ground in Iran and the Israeli Palestinian conflict and stop carrying water for Israel and the I lobby.
Also want to alert you to that I had a very difficult time getting here this morning through google via Mondoweiss. Tried for about 30 minutes different routes. Just got through. Others may be having troubles
Whoa makes sense. The Bush administration went after so many individuals who were criticizing the invasion based on the validity of the so called intelligence. Wilson, Plame, Scott Ritter, So disgusting and criminal that they went after those questioning the intelligence, sources, agenda.
Have been politely hammering the Diane Rehm show, Talk of the Nation, Chris Matthews and other MSM outlets to have Professor Juan Cole on their programs. Cole was being blackballed. Investigation indeed.
Have sent this story out to Huffington Post, Emptywheel over at Firedoglake, Chris Matthews, the Diane Rehm show. Lets get Cole on these programs...maybe now they will be interested.
Thank you Prof Cole for your devoted attempt to informing the American public
Lets not forget that Rep Weiner has been pushing for the release of Jonathon Pollard link to jonathanpollard.org
April 22, 2011
President Barack Obama The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As Pesach, the holiday of freedom, comes to a close, I urge you to use your constitutional power to commute the sentence of Jonathan Pollard and allow him to join his family in Israel. This exercise in justice is not meant to imply doubt about his guilt or cast any aspersions on the process by which he was convicted. On the contrary, Mr. Pollard knows that he has committed serious crimes and after 26 years, stands as the strongest deterrent to espionage in this country. However, his charges do not merit the punishment.
It is indisputable that the disproportionate amount of time that Mr. Pollard spent in prison is a thorn in the side of the alliance between Israel and the United States. Mr. Pollard cooperated with investigators, admitted his wrongdoing, and was sentenced to life in prison. No one who has ever pleaded guilty to a similar crime has ever been sentenced to a life term.
Commuting Mr. Pollard's sentence will be viewed as an act of compassion on behalf of the United States and between two allies. Mr. President, please do what former President Bush has repeatedly refused and heed the countless calls for Pollard's freedom during this Passover season.
I thank you for your time and consideration of this request.
Cole. "It was the Europeans and Arabs who wanted this, not Washington."
Really..
Open Letter To 44 to Take Action to Halt Violence in Libya
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC
February 25, 2011
Dear Mr. President:
In your 2009 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, you rightly declared that “Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later.” Today the United States and our allies in Europe must take action in response to the unfolding crisis in Libya. With violence spiraling to new heights, and with the apparent willingness of the Qaddafi regime to use all weapons at its disposal against the Libyan people, we may be on the threshold of a moral and humanitarian catastrophe.
Inaction, or slow and inadequate measures, may not only fail to stop the slaughter in Libya but will cast doubt on the commitment of the United States and Europe to basic principles of human rights and freedoms. Therefore, we recommend the United States, in conjunction with NATO allies, take the following specific actions immediately:
1) The United States should call upon NATO to develop operational plans to urgently:
Establish a presence in Libyan airspace to prevent the continued use of fighter jets and helicopter gunships against civilians and carry out other missions as required.
Move naval assets into Libyan waters to aid in evacuation efforts and prepare for possible contingencies. Establish the capability to disable Libyan naval vessels used to attack civilians.
2) Freeze all Libyan government assets in the United States and Europe.
3) Consider temporarily halting importation of Libyan oil to the United States and Europe.
4) Make a clear statement that Col. Qaddafi and other officials who order and participate in massacres of civilians will be held accountable for their crimes under international law.
5) Provide humanitarian aid to the Libyan people as quickly as possible.
The United States and our European allies have a moral interest in both an end to the violence and an end to the murderous Libyan regime. There is no time for delay and indecisiveness. The people of Libya, the people of the Middle East, and the world require clear U.S. leadership in this time of opportunity and peril.
Sincerely,
Elliott Abrams
Neil Hicks
John Podhoretz
Stephen E. Biegun
William Inboden
Randy Scheunemann
Max Boot
Bruce Pitcairn Jackson
Dan Senor
Ellen Bork
Ash Jain
John Shattuck
Scott Carpenter
Robert Kagan
Mike Singh
Eliot Cohen
David Kramer
Gare Smith
Seth Cropsey
Irina Krasovskaya
William Taft
Larry Diamond
William Kristol
Marc Thiessen
Thomas Donnelly
Tod Lindberg
Daniel Twining
Michelle Dunne
Michael Makovsky
Pete Wehner
Eric Edelman
Cliff May
Ken Weinstein
Peter Feaver
Courtney Messerschmidt
Leon Wieseltier
Jamie Fly
Joshua Muravchik
Damon Wilson
Reuel Marc Gerecht
Martin Peretz
Jennifer Windsor
John Hannah
Danielle Pletka
Paul Wolfowitz
0
"It was the Europeans and Arabs who wanted this, not Washington."
That is partially the case. But according to many including Paul Pillar and General McCaffrey who were just on the Diane Rehm show...Susan Rice and Samantha Powers pushed hard for military action. Clinton came on board and Secretary of Defense Gates, Vice President Biden were never on board.
Many keep bringing up that the power of not only the will of the Tunisian and Egyptian people but of course the power of the internet, twitter, facebook,Al Jazeera. What we do not hear folks talking about is how the US MSM covered the protest in Tunisia and Egypt 24/7. They are not covering the protest in Bahrain like this. They are focused on Libya. Always fascinating where they turn and do not turn those cameras.
Hell the anti invasion protest here in the states did not get even a slice of this type of coverage. Hundreds of thousands of us marched against that invasion across the nation millions and 30 million world wide. The MSM cameras did not give us the time of day
Today on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell's program she had Aayan Hirsi on to pound on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Also taking note that Andrea Mitchell, Richard Engel, former Clinton State Dept Spokesperson Jamie Rubin doing everything they can to undermine El Baadei.
Heard David Gregory go after El Baradei on Meet the Press this past Sunday.
They are terrified of this man's honorable stance on the false intelligence in the run up to the invasion of Iraq, his willingness to call Israel's unwillingness to sign the NPT and the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and E Jerusalem.
Umm when was the last time (cough) you have ever heard Richard Engel broadcasting from the middle of a Palestinian protest, from an illegal settlement or a Palestinian refugee camp. Rachel Maddow silent on all of this as well as the Goldstone Report...
On MSNBC's Cenk Uygar's news program Wednesday evening Cenk had a historian on who actually mentioned the CIA's involvement with overthrowing the democratically elected leader in Iran in the 50's. Tiny Breakthrough.
Rachel Maddow keeps repeating the neo cons spin about Iran
You can bet if protesters in the states were doing what the protesters in Egypt are doing (and I totally support them) heads would be busted, people would be thrown in prison, and folks might even be shot.
And peaceful protest (millions before the invasion in the U.S. and around the world) were ignored by our MSM. Ignored
Some observatios from watching CNN, MSNBC, Fox, Cspan for four days.
Jamie Rubin seems to the appointed spokesperson for Israel. Everytime he speaks he brings up bad bad bad Iran. Also keeps repeatig that El Baradei does not have the name on the Egyptian streets. Undermining El Baradei.
Richard Engel also seems to be undermining El Baradei.
Zbiniew Bryzinski (sp?) was on Morning Joe the other day. As is almost always the case he made so much sense. Talked about Mubarak’s history. How there needed to be a round table, a respectful way for Mubarak to step down. Wish we heard from him more often on the evening programs.
The MSM keeps bringing up protest in Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, etc but absolutely NO MENTION NOT EVEN A WHISPER ABOUT THE PROTEST THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE IN PALESTINE.
No mention of how Mubarak’s support for Israel and the U.S. has PROVIDED COVER FOR ISRAELS ONGOING ILLEGAL EXPANSION OF ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS. NOTHING
Andrea Mitchell, Richard Haas, Engel, others bringing up the Gaza. NOTHING ABOUT THE WEST BANK AND ILLEGAL SETTTLEMENTS.
The other day Andrea Mitchell said this about the Egyptian protest “all they want is freedom and accessibility” She is incabalble of extending that stance to Palestinians
If only Rachel Maddow were really committed to what she says she is about on her adds for her program “devotion to facts that borders on obsession” except when it comes to Iran and the Palestinians.
The other day Washington Journal put up the map of the middle east with Israel and their map of the West Bank. Not the reallity the West Bank with all illegal settlements breaking up the continuity of the West Bank. So manipulative. So dishonest
Cenk at the 6;00 p.m. MSNBC spot is getting the closest to the truth. He did an amazing segmet on the now VP of Egypt. Torture, rendition. Mentioned Jane Mayer’s new piece in the New Yorker about Suliman (sp?)
So clear that there is one issue that is not covered by all stations Fox, MSNBC, Fox, CNN including CSPAN. Do not mention Palestinian protest. Silence
Richard Engel and Jamie Rubin doing everything they can to undermine El Baradei on the MSM
When Iran comes up on the MSM not a mention of the CIA's overthrow of a democratically elected leader in Iran in the 50's. Not a mention
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Not a twitter person. Twitter folks. How do we get an international twitter chat going PEACEFUL PEACEFUL.
Have so much respect for the anti Muarak protesters staying focused on PEACEFUL PEACEFUL PROTEST.
Have you seen Liebermann lie again while dismissing Arianna Huffington. Nothing in the Duelfer report confirming Iraq had WMD's Joe's nose keeps growing
Joe Lieberman Dismisses Arianna: "I Don't Think You've Read It, SWEETHEART"
Voted for the Iraq war, Mukasey, and has pushed for and sponsored lopsided legislation supporting Israel no matter what they do for years.
Think you would be interested in this.
Pickering, Hills, Sullivan, Beinart, Dobbins, More Ask Obama Administration to Support UN Resolution Condemning Illegal Israeli Settlements link to thewashingtonnote.com
Is this more too little too late?
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Last night Keith Olbermann had David “axis of evil” Frum on to discuss inflammatory and hate filled rhetoric. Talk about absurd. We all know Frum was one of the Iraq war pushers. And has repeated inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims about Iran.
Keith really thinks his listeners have short and muddied memories. Olbermann supporting David “axis of evil” Frum’s effort to reconstruct his stance on the run up to the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq. This man has blood all over this hands and is well practiced in creating dangerous “axis of evil” sound bites.
What is up with Olbermann? Is David "axis of evil" Frum really the appropriate person to be talking about hateful, inflammatory and inaccurate rhetoric? Is Olbermann really unable to find a more appropriate person to talk about this important topic?
“Public weighs in on Tucson shootings”
Especially since Palestinian non violent protesters have been thrown in Israeli prisons for decades. Use violence killed or thrown into prison, use non violence, killed or thrown into prison. Not much of a choice. In the whole time the U.S. MSM ignores your efforts. You know even those liberal media outlets like Rachel Maddow, the Daily show etc.
Ever hear Maddow, Olbermann, Ed, Chris Matthew even mention the Goldstone report. Hell no. Silence...just like the liberal Jon Stewart too.
Over at Democracy Now
Amy Goodman has a great interview up with Tavis Smiley focused on some of Rev. Kings more critical words about the militarism of the U.S.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Vincent Harding, who helped write that speech for Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4th, 1967, that he delivered at the Riverside Church, calling for an end to the war in Vietnam.
REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: As I have walked among the desperate, rejected and angry young men, I have told them that Molotov cocktails and rifles would not solve their problems. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while maintaining my conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action. But they ask, and rightly so, “What about Vietnam?” And I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today, my own government.
AMY GOODMAN: “The greatest purveyor of violence on earth today, my own government.” Let’s go to a little more of Dr. King’s speech that day.
REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth with righteous indignation. It will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say, “This is not just.” It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of South America and say, “This is not just.” The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just.
A true revolution of values will lay a hand on the world order and say of war, “This way of settling differences is not just.” This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation’s homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war.
AMY GOODMAN: Tavis Smiley, if you would reflect on this less famous speech of Dr. King, not the “I Have a Dream” speech, but that speech he gave even against the advice of his inner circle, who said, “You will the support of the leadership in America that is supporting you on civil rights,” when he said, “I must deal with violence abroad, as well as violence at home.”
REV KING’S HONEST AND STERN WORDS APPLIED THEN AND SADLY APPLY NOW
Lawrence O'Donnell, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann are all promoting the idea that the NRA is the most powerful lobby in the U.S. Yet when a massacre takes place in Tucson they are all over the slaughter. As they should be. They are all over the NRA and the lack of enforcement of existing gun laws etc. As well they should be.
Yet when there is a slaughter in the Gaza, on the Mavi Marmara, killing of non violent Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces. Barely a peep out of them. Total silence out of them when the Goldstone Report came out. The NRA is not the most powerful lobby in this country. The Israel Lobby is. They have been able to completely block out even a whisper about the Goldstone Report or the UN Report on what took place on the Mavi Marmara on Rachel Maddow's and the rest of the so called liberal media.
The NRA is not powerful enough to keep the facts on the ground, the debate, well recognized reports off the air when there has been a slaughter of individuals. The I lobby can.
After the horrendous murders and injuries in Tucson we are hearing a critically important discussion and debate about gun laws, numbers of magazine (odd way to phrase bullet capacity) clips, the ability of an individual carrying a firearm to a Congressperson, the killers mental health falling through the cracks, whether hate language has an effect. All important issues to examine and have a national discussion about. There has also rightfully been a great deal of focus on the inflammatory and violent language by Sarah Palin and others.
Today Sarah Palin came out and said “Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them." Many Republicans including Rep Pence on Washington Journal today keep repeating that violent words do not matter. That this is freedom of speech.
Yet when some Muslim Iman's and other Muslims violent or inflammatory language on the Web or elsewhere possibly influence the man who committed the massacre at Ft Hood and other crimes committed by Muslims or others Sarah Palin, Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike are all about investigating or going after these individuals who allegedly inflame situations with hate speech.
More serious double standards that Palin and other Republicans are repeating. Hate speech from Muslims not acceptable. Hate speech from Palin, Beck, Limbaugh and others totally acceptable. What a serious contradiction.
Chris Matthews uses Sarah Palin Pac map on Hardball
He has been howling about the inflammatory and violent rhetoric and the bring the guns by tea party members link to msnbc.msn.com
4:38 PM ET Barbara Walters: 'I'm Feeling Bad For Sarah Palin'
Television news legend Barbara Walters came to Sarah Palin's defense today on ABC's "The View."
Per The Daily Caller:
“I’m feeling bad for Sarah Palin because I don’t think that’s what she should have said, and certainly crosshairs are very scary,” Walters said. “This is a deranged young man. This is a Timothy McVeigh. Whether this happened because there is violence – too much commentary, too much violence as you say we’ve talked about. Sometimes we do it here we get so angry.”
Walters added she hoped this might offer time for introspection in terms of political rhetoric, but told viewers that this wasn’t the time to place blame.
“Whether that speared him on or whether he is just a very sick person, we don’t know,” she continued. “We don’t know what his motives are and we can hope that all the vitriol calms down. But to blame Sarah Palin as some are doing I think is very unfair to her. She issued a statement offering her condolences and hasn’t said more. But I don’t think this is the time now to start finding – you should excuse me – other targets to blame.”
Keep thinking about how our intelligence agencies go after Muslim leaders who incite individuals to do violence over the web etc. When will they go after Palin, Beck, Limbaugh etc.
Thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost family members due to this violence
Prof Cole/All
Thought you might be interested link to mondoweiss.net
Mossad chief’s statement removes Iranian nuclear threat (Will the ‘Atlantic’ report it here?)
by Philip Weiss on January 10, 2011 · 4 comments
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I've missed this important story entirely. But last week Meir Dagan, the head of the Israeli Mossad, pooh-poohed the Iranian threat in a briefing with journalists by saying that the Iranians wouldn't have a bomb for many years. The statement has pulled the rug out from under Netanyahu's feet-- and not just his. It has made Jeffrey Goldberg look even more like a pliant stenographer to Netanyahu (as Roger Cohen labelled him) in his willingness to pipe Netanyahu's urgency about the alleged threat and urging to the U.S. to take action. Remember, The Atlantic ran Goldberg's alarmist piece, "The Point of No Return," last September.
link to theatlantic.com
MANSOUR: I just want to clarify again, and maybe it wasn't done on the record enough by us when this came out, the graphic, is just, it's basically -- we never, ever, ever intended it to be gunsights. It was simply crosshairs like you see on maps.
BRUCE: Well, it's a surveyor's symbol. It's a surveyor's symbol.
MANSOUR: It's a surveyor's symbol. I just want to say this, Tammy, if I can. This graphic was done, not even done in house -- we had a political graphics professional who did this for us.
While there is no evidence the alleged Tuscon shooter ever saw the electoral target list of SarahPAC, Palin's political action committee -- let alone took it to heart as an instruction -- what is clear is that Palin's history with weaponized rhetoric and imagery will be -- and already has been -- cast in a new light by the shooting in Arizona. And the former Alaska governor seems certain to continue to draw unflattering attention in the months ahead, if only because martial metaphors have been such an essential part of the Palin rhetorical quiver and we are now entering a moment of reflection on the wisdom of brandishing such tropes.
Whatever her aide now says about the target list, there is no question that Palin has reveled in creating a political image bristling with weaponry and gun talk, from her support for aerial wolf-hunting to her hunting and halibut-clubbing adventures on TLC's show "Sarah Palin's Alaska."
Indeed, the same day Palin posted the image with the scopes over congressional districts on her Facebook page, she tweeted, "Don't retreat, Instead - RELOAD" and asked her followers to check out her Facebook page for details.
Thursday Dec 16 th, 500 people protested just outside the White House against the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and drones being used in Pakistan, Afghanistan and that part of the world. The protest was organized by Veterans For Peace and the crowd was made up of Vets, Daniel Ellsberg, Cindy Sheehan, Dr. Margaret Flowers, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, members of the anti war pro peace organization Code Pink and many others. There has been little to no coverage of the protest or the arrest. No coverage by Rachel Maddow who only seems to cover Iranian's protesting against their government or gay rights protest. Diane Rehm did not cover the protest or arrest. Chris Matthews did not cover this protest or arrest and it took place within a few miles of their studios. 131 people were arrested two thirds of those arrested were Veterans.
Put all of this up at Hardballs Hardblogger. Have been trying to get Chris Matthews to have you on for years. Rachel, Chris and the rest do not seem to want a balanced view on the middle east based on facts. They like to have people like Douglas Feith and Gaffney on. Aye yi yi
o.k. linked the Stewart story at huff po and here at Washington Note, Race for Iran, Mondoweiss, and have sent it to Emptywheel at Firedoglake and Jane Hamsher.
Contacted Reps. Hope others will do the same. Thanks Prof Cole. This is absurd that this has not all ready passed.
Wonder how may of our Reps will benefit from that tax cut extension but could not pass this. Republicans should be shamed about this. Too bad it took Stewart embarrassing our MSM to get them on this. Bet Rachel or Chris Matthews will get on this now
Stewart ripped it up last night. Bringing attention to how our Reps had enough time to pass legislation that benefited most of them (millionaires) but the Republican filibuster of the ZADROGA BILL( 9/11 first responders) will keep this bill from moving forward. Go watch Stewart at Huffington Post or at the Daily shows website.
CALL YOUR SENATE REPS (ESPECIALLY THE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE FILLIBUSTERING THIS BILL) CALL THEM, EMAIL THEM DEMAND THAT THEY STAY THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND PASS THIS BILL. OR PASS IT NOW. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. BUT CLEARLY THEY FEEL NO SHAME
Rep Howard Berman now going to punish Rep Capp. for saying what she said. He says that he has his own "reservations" about the settlements.
Rep Sheila Jackson Lee up she is supporting this legislation.
She says she has respect for the Palestinians. She goes onto say more about the Palestinians. Then she says we are committed to a two state solution. Goes onto talk about "two independent states" Energized on the two state solution...get going.
Now they have the Samoan rep up to speak Rep FAleomagnaeva (sp) he is actually making a bit more sense. Not just blaming Palestinians as Engel, Ackerman, Poe and Berman did.
This guy is much more balanced
Now Rep Berekley up... strong support for it. Uh oh more Palestinian bashing. Oh they have ignore the 10 month Moratorium blaming Palestinians, what are they so upset with. "Shamefully" This woman is insane "Palestinian manipulation" "The palestinians who have the most to lose" Going on and on about how great Israel is.
AYE YI YI
HOPEFULLY THEY GET THAT PETITION IN THERE
Rep Capps she seems to have some hesitations. OOO she says that the continued expansion of the illegal settlements are a real problem. She signs with reservations. This chambers tendency to pass legislation that is one sided is a problem. We should look at legislation that is passed in this chamber that is one sided. The U.S. has not been an honest broker
THIS WOMAN WAS REALLY HONEST AND SOMEWHAT BALANCED
Rep Burton up he goes on to beat up the Palestinians again. He actually says the Palestinians do not deserve this support that we are giving them. Then he goes onto point out times Israeli;s have been killed. This guy keeps saying that Israel has gone beyond the pale
Oy vey what bullshit
---------------------------------------------
But we know that no one is going to bring up the massacre in the Gaza or the massacre on the Mavi Marmara, the Goldstone report
o.k. Engel up. Chastizing these countries "Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay" claims to be within the 67 border are indefensible. Again Engel lies, blaming the Palestinians. Another effort to claim that there was a total settlement freeze. Another total lie. "Israel had stopped all new settlements" Engel continues to blame Palestinians over and over again. Brazil,Argentina, Uruguay trying to de-ligitimize Israel. Israel tried to give Palestinians every thing they said they wanted. What a friggin liar
Berman, Poe complaining about Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay making an effort to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state based on the 67 border.
Rep Ackerman spinning how Israel has always been willing to make the deal. What a f---ing liar. Now he is saying that Palestinians concerns over settlements are "over wrought" Ackerman goes onto say that there was 10 month freeze on settlements. Another lie. There was no total freeze. A slow down. Can not believe that he said that Palestinians concerns are "over wrought" Ackerman is a real creep.
The US Campaign to End the Occupation is pushing urgent action to condemn an Israel lobby resolution circulating in the House to block international efforts to recognize a Palestinian state. From the US Campaign:
We are outraged to learn that Rep. Howard Berman, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is trying to push through Congress today a resolution “condemning unilateral declarations of a Palestinian state.”
How many times do we have to hear that Israel's nuclear, biological and chemical stockpiles make people in that region of the world very very nervous. Israel's refusal to sign on to the Non Proliferation treaty over and over again tells it all
And our Congress people will not even go near this. Senator Carl Levin and Diane Feinstein were just beating the bad bad bad Iran drums during a Start Treaty Press conference link to c-span.org
Feinstein mentioned the NIE report on Iran but did not mention that there is absolutely no proof to back up their endlessly repeated claims that Iran is after nuclear weapons?
I remember reading in the Aipac Rosen espionage case files that Rosen was taped saying that he 'was sure glad that that the U.S. did not have an Official Secrets Act" That Rosen clearly knew what he was doing illegally accessing and sharing classified documents having worked for Rand and having had security clearances there.
"I suppose that as a contemporary historian, I feel about Wikileaks the way I feel about Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as a perpetual dieter. I wish they wouldn’t make it, but when I have a bowl, I have to say I really enjoy it."
If the MSM did their job there would be no need for Wikileaks. Wikileaks is focused on suppressed information, injustice and corruption. If Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow etc would spend less time on what Sarah Palin said they might have more time for much more critical news. Until then Kudos to Julian Assange, Bradley Manning etc
NPR's Robert Siegel did his part feeding the "let's go get Iran" chorus by having the fact based, (choke) fair Jeffrey Goldberg on his program.
Robert Siegel pushes the unsubstantiated claims about Iran and NPR's Guy Raz pushes feel good about Israel stories. A concerted team effort
Look at the run on Monday at NPR. Just a bit of a focus on Iran
Monday All Things Considered link to npr.org
Leaks Reveal Arab World's Concerns About Iran
[5 min 18 sec]
Documents: Iran Obtained Missiles From N. Korea
Middle East
Iran Blames U.S. For Nuclear Scientist's Death
Prof Cole you sure do not mince words. Always bothers me when the map of the West Bank does not show the illegal settlements. Stewart shows a contiguous map of the West Bank all of the time.
As well as Robert Segel who had Jeffrey Goldberg on to discuss the Wiki leaks release. Real fair and balanced over views (choke)
"Leaks reveal Arab worlds concerns about Iran" link to npr.org
Guy Ras was the co host last night. He has been focused on feel good about Israel stories a great deal. No agenda at NPR. No slant.(cough)
When will Segel have Prof Cole on to discuss this issue? Or Flynt Leverett?
Because NPR clearly has an agenda and it is to push for a pre-emptive attack on Iran.
Immigration to Israel falls to 18 year low
LOD, Israel - Immigration to Israel hit its lowest in 18 years in 2006 due to a drop in the number of Jews arriving from former Soviet states, although immigration from North America edged higher, figures showed on Wednesday.
Some 21,000 made "aliya", the Hebrew word for immigrating to Israel, according to the Jewish Agency, which promotes immigration. The 2006 figure was the lowest since 13,000 in 1988. A total of 22,657 people moved to Israel in 2005.
The agency said it was getting harder to bring immigrants out of countries that made up the former Soviet Union, from where more than one million people moved to Israel in the 1990s. The number for 2006 was 7,300 -- about 23 percent down on 2005.
The top news, photos, and videos of 2006. Full Coverage "These people are no longer running away from something," said Michael Jankelowitz, a spokesman for the Jewish Agency, explaining the decline.
The agency played down suggestions that the war with Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas during the summer had a negative impact on immigration -- which had grown recently after a sharp drop following the start of a Palestinian uprising in 2000.
The government places great significance on immigration amid concerns in Israel that without an influx of foreign Jews the country's Arab minority, which has a higher birth rate, could eventually outnumber the Jewish population.
Appreciate your insights on the latest Wikileaks dump.
"Given their history, Israelis across the political spectrum take very seriously Ahmadinejad’s threats to wipe Israel off the map. "
And with Bill Kristol, Daily Show host Jon Stewart, Reuel Marc Gerecht, John Bolton, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, NPR's Terri Gross, Scott Simon, and many others repeating the debunked Iran wants to "wipe Israel off the map" or "Iran has a nuclear weapons program" There is no need to wonder that many Americans support a pre-emptive strike on Iran based on false claims. These false claims have been repeated all over the MSM (the list above have shouted them out themselves) and go unchallenged
Stewart and Maddow have both repeated unsubstantiated and inflammatory claims about Iran. Both of them have said "Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map" Both need to have Juan Cole on to set them straight.
Incredible interview with Flynt Leverett
AMERICAN GRAND STRATEGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST: ON THE ROAD TO FAILURE link to raceforiran.com
How many times do we have to hear Former President Jimmy Carter, Former head of the CIA's Bin Laden unit Micheal Scheuer, Queen Noor, and so many more that our unbridled support of Israel no matter what they do has and is undermining US National Security. Hell they even reported this fact in the 9/11 commission. Bill Clinton even came out recently and said it
link to google.com
“”It will take about half the impetus in the whole world — not just the region, the whole world — for terror away,” he told an audience of Egyptian businessmen from the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. “It would have more impact by far than anything else that could be done.”
The founding of Israel and the dispossession of the Palestinians more than six decade ago has long been a rallying cry among Arabs and Muslims in the region and more recently is a regular recruiting tool for organizations like al-Qaida.
Clinton presided over the breakthrough Oslo Accords in 1993 that led to direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians over the principle of land for peace as well as a last ditch effort to negotiate a final agreement in 2000 before violence derailed negotiations.
He said both sides knew the outlines of any final agreement and said it was similar to the one he hammered out with Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak in 2000.”
Clinton is publicly lining up with Former head of the CIA’s Bin Laden’s unit Micheal Shuerer who has been saying this for years now. He has been on C-span’s Washington Journal repeating “they don’t hate us for our freedoms, they hate us for our foreign policy”
Scheuer “What Bin Laden basically said is America is fighting a war that does not exist. We’re fighting because our leaders tell us that the Muslims hate freedom , and hate liberty, and hate women in the work place, and that’s got nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with what we do in the Islamic world. What our policies are and what our impact is there. That is what Bin Laden was referring to. That is what my book says”
Bill Maher is stunned by what Micheal Scheuer has to say about Israel link to c-spanvideo.org
Micheal Scheuer link to antiwar.com
“AIPAC is a perfectly legal organization, and the wealth of its members is channeled into reliable campaign contributions for any candidate from either party who will put Israel’s interests above America’s. From McCain to Obama, from Pelosi to Giuliani, from Hillary Clinton to Vice President Cheney, AIPAC pumps money to any and every American politician who is willing to adopt an Israel-first policy.”
Former head of the Cia’s Bin Laden unit Micheal Scheuer on Tavis Smiley’s program link to pbs.org
What Scheuer keeps repeating lines up with former Cia analyst Ray McGovern has said about the conflict
Helping Israel Die
Taboo Thwarts Candor on Israel / Iran by Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern
Former CIA analyst Kathleen and Bill Christion have been saying very similar things link to counterpunch.org
“Nobody Should Preach to Us Ethics, Nobody!”
Israel, a Light unto Nations?
By Kathleen Christison
Former CIA political analyst
In the never-ending propaganda show designed to depict Israel as a moral nation victimized by immoral terrorists and anti-Semites, CNN recently ran a film clip of the late Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin declaiming, as only he could, “Nobody should preach to us ethics, nobody!”
Had not heard about this agreement
"To prevent the discussion of the UN report on Israeli war crimes in Gaza as set out by a distinguished Jewish judge, or the attacks on the aid flotilla (that says a lot for the US respect for the United Nations and the rule of law)"
We know the I lobby (Berman, Ros Lehtinen, Burton, Ackerman) basically put the lid on the Goldstone Report.
And now Clinton kicks Goldstone and the report in the cajones again.
US Congress condemns UN Goldstone Report, 344 to 36; full text & voting breakdown
link to blog.unwatch.org
- NAYS 36 —
Baird
Baldwin
Blumenauer
Boustany
Capps
Carson (IN)
Clarke
Clay
Davis (KY)
Dingell
Doggett
Edwards (MD) Ellison
Filner
Grijalva
Hinchey
Johnson, E. B.
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kucinich
Lee (CA)
Lynch
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern Miller, George
Moran (VA)
Olver
Pastor (AZ)
Paul
Price (NC)
Rahall
Snyder
Stark
Waters
Watt
Woolsey
"Ros-Lehtinen voiced a series of falsehoods. Whether she knows the truth and is deliberately suppressing it, or is engaging in a disinformation campaign, is impossible to know. What is clear is that she is a vigilante urging the violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949, i.e., urging the recognition of the conquest of territory by military means and the vast alteration of occupied territories by the occupier. That is, she is maintaining the legitimacy of the kind of behavior exhibited by the Axis Powers in World War II, a repeat of which is what the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and the UNSC resolutions were aiming to prevent."
Ros Lehtinen knows exactly what she is doing. Violations of the Geneva Convention, UN resolutions, International Court of Justice decisions Ros Lehtinen, Cantor Schumer etc say who cares, toss all aside. Israel is a special case.
Ros Lehtinen, Cantor, Schumer should be required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Would really be something if Obama was to ever really stand up to Israel and the I lobby. He would be a one term Pres for sure
Let's hope that cool minds prevail on Iran. Let's hope that verifiable evidence is used in any decisions made. And let's never forget that Iran has the right to enrich uranium and that there is no hard evidence that backs up that they are enriching beyond what they are legally able. And let's also not forget that Iran signed the NPT, Israel has not. And that many nations in that part of the world feel a threat by Israel's unwillingness to play by the rules that they want their neighbors to abide by.
Good post about what is going on in Canada
Canadian lawmakers resurrect McCarthy in hearings that say criticism of Israel is anti-Semitism link to mondoweiss.net
have you read the news about the five protesters who interrupted Netanyahu's speech today in New Orleans?
Five young Jews disrupt Netanyahu speech with call for new Jewish identity link to mondoweiss.net
AP article up at Huffington Post, Salon (i beleive), Mondoweiss, Code Pink. Nothing at all up at Firedoglake (Jane Hamsher and Marcy Wheeler seldom if ever touch these stories, while a few of the smaller hitters over there do at times) Nothing at Daily Kos Yet. Will more than likely not make it up over at Crooks and Liars. Total black out on Israeli Palestinian issues over there. Of course the bravest bloggers of all in the so called progressive blogosphere is Glenn Greenwald who will address the I/P issue even when he is on National MSM news outlets. But not Jane Hamsher she is silent on this issue. Even when she is in the National spotlight (Washington Journal Cspan) addressing why progressives are upset with the Obama administration. In 45 minutes Hamsher did not have the balls to even "whisper" about this issue. But Glenn he goes for it. The truth that is.
At Google there are 14 pages of links to newspapers picking the Netanyahu being interrupted story up. All over the nation and world.
Will put money on that Jon Stewart will not touch this story. Never criticizes Netanyahu or other Israeli leaders. Never. Now if this were about the Iranian President Ahmadenijad Stewart would be all over it. Anyone want to bet Stewart will not touch this news on his show
Just watching the rally right now. Up at C-span. 215,ooo quite the crowd. Seemed to go well. Really like that Stewart mentioned leaving the place cleaner than they found it. Also like that Stewart said at the beginning that he was not there to make fun of people who have all ready been actively involved. As if the hundreds of thousands (millions nationwide, 30 million world wide) of people who were out on the streets before the illegal and immoral invasion. The people who marched, lobbied, petitioned their government to stop that bloody invasion have "busy lives" Acknowledging those who take the time to be involved, participate, lobby and protest what their government is doing.
Really like the way they have people interviewing those in the crowd link to c-span.org
"1 percent of the population has over 40% of the privately owned financial wealth"
© 2025 All Rights Reserved
"And American apathy to these statistics is breathtaking." Would it have been so if the MSM would have actually reported over the years what was really going on the facts on the ground in Iraq. Because we know they did not. I have to believe that people would have reacted differently based on how many hundreds of thousands marched before
Hundreds of thousands of us (millions accumulatively across the nation and 30 million around the world) marched, protested, lobbied our Reps before the invasion based on a "pack of lies" Some of us were interested. The hundreds of people that I talked with and audio taped at these marches were there because they had heard former weapons inspector Scott Ritter, IAEA's El Baradei, Zbiniew Bryzinski, Jimmy Carter, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, Katheen and Bill Christison, Seymour Hersh question the validity of the intelligence. Some journalist tried to get the info out like Jason Vest at the Nation in the fall of 2002 tried to warn us about the sources of the false intelligence link to www.thenation.com
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people are dead, injured and millions are displaced as a direct consequence of that bloody illegal and immoral invasion and still no one has been held accountable.
Granted the MSM and our government learned from Vietnam was not to show people the pictures of what was going on...don't count their dead and injured (which thank the heavens that Juan Cole, the Lancet report and others have been reporting on) but generally nothing out of the MSM
Now Obama and team repeating "move on, next chapter, turn the page" We are talking about war crimes here ..an intelligence snowjob not lies under oath about blowjobs
Just keep Americans heads diverted just driving over the bloody and criminal bump in the road that are the carcasses of dead Iraqi people and american soldiers as they head to the malls with their pedals to the metal Scary times.
While the very same warmongers attempt to start an overt military confrontation with Iran
link to npr.org
During Jackie Northrums report about the most recent meeting between President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. I found President Obama’s words describing how everyone should ” turn the page, begin a new chapter in the history between our countries” so dismissive and offensive, Thousands of Iraqi people are dead, injured, millions displaced all as a direct result of an invasion based on a “pack of lies” In fact those horrific results are barely ever mentioned in the MSM. This is shameful
The dead, injured and displaced in Iraq just a bloody bump in the road for the warmongers. Sickening
Can only imagine how those arrogant dismissive words would sting if I were an Iraqi and had lost a loved one
So many Egyptian people who have and are protesting for social justice and accountability have been such an inspiration to people around the world. So brave. Demanding that their leaders be held accountable. Americans need to take notes about the accountability issue. Instead of Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith, Rice being held accountable for their crimes against humanity their new spin on the old spin that has cost thousands of lives, is being broadcast on the US MSM.
So proud of all of those who have been participating in the OCW protest around the country. Many of us have been activist and very concerned citizens for years. Lobbying, registering voters, voting, petitioning our Reps, marching in the streets, getting arrested over unnecessary wars etc etc.
But this new and very alive movement is growing and will continue to grow. Demanding accountability for past banking fraud,unnecessary wars etc etc. As Obama has said in the past "make me do it" Keep pushing folks. And thank you to all of the OWS protesters across the country
And the Wall Street protest have barely been whispered about in the US MSM.
Hope you go visit some peaceful Palestinian protest. The MSM sure avoids covering those.
Hillary Mann Leverett link to raceforiran.com and Zogby
link to huffingtonpost.com
are on the same page with Cole on the Obama UN speech
A Greater Israel is the way they (Israel) has been headed for a long time. Who believes they want a two state solution based on the 67 border with land swaps. No one I know or read.
Appears to have been Israel's plan for decades. They just keep expanding illegal settlements and illegal housing in E Jerusalem all the while saying to the Palestinians look over here (you must recognize Israel has the right to exist) Now look over here "now you must say that Israel is a Jewish state" Now look over here, no over here
Two state solution seems to be a myth
Helman "The UN remains largely an environment hostile to Israel," Why has Helman described the UN being "hostile to Isreal" when what nations are demanding is that they abide by UN resolutions, treaties etc. Why would he describe this as "hostile" instead of describing the UN as attempting to seek justice?
I believe Israel is in violation of more UN resolutions than any other nation
this goes along with your focus here
9/12 changed the world, not 9/11
After 9/11 the Bush administration took the world to war, threatening global security and shredding US democracy.
Phyllis Bennis
link to english.aljazeera.net
Prof Cole have you written about the TNC hiring K Street lobbyist to sell this Libyan war to congress and the American people?
Important.
Watch and listen to Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame stick Cheney’s nose into his own crap.
When will Cheney and his warmongering thugs be held accountable
link to thelastword.msnbc.msn.com
Tenet to Stephen Hadley and Condi “mushroom cloud” Rice “do not use this Niger information, we do not believe it”
Plame “Cheney shows nothing but contempt”
massacres reported on both sides
The Financial Times has featured an editorial penned by Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haas titled, "Libya Now Needs Boots on the Ground,"
David Ignatius was on the Diane Rehm international hour this morning. He must have repeated three times that Syria is getting part of their money to fight off insurgency from Iran. Diane Rehm did not question is claims once. Rehm has been allowing the unsubstantiated claims about Iranto be repeated on her program for a solid eight years. No challenges. No verification to back up those claims.
We know other MSM host have beend doing the same thing.
Prof Cole what do Syrians feel towards Americans in general for supporing Assad and other dictators in the region for decades?
Check this out not only is Doug Feith one of Perry’s main men…Bill Luti is on the Perry bus. These are two individuals who should be on trial at the Hague for war crimes.
link to raceforiran.com
“ForeignPolicy.com reports, see here, say that Perry’s foreign policy and national security briefings are being organized by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and feature such Iraq war masterminds as Doug Feith and Bill Luti. Dr. Paul has his work cut out for him.”
Retired Lt Colonel Karen Kwiatowski has a few things to say about Feith and Luti her “The New Pentagon Papers”
link to dir.salon.com
“To begin with, I was introduced to Bill Luti, assistant secretary of defense for NESA. A tall, thin, nervously intelligent man, he welcomed me into the fold. I knew little about him. Because he was a recently retired naval captain and now high-level Bush appointee, the common assumption was that he had connections, if not capability. I would later find out that when Dick Cheney was secretary of defense over a decade earlier, Luti was his aide. He had also been a military aide to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich during the Clinton years and had completed his Ph.D. at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. While his Navy career had not granted him flag rank, he had it now and was not shy about comparing his place in the pecking order with various three- and four-star generals and admirals in and out of the Pentagon. Name dropping included references to getting this or that document over to Scooter, or responding to one of Scooter’s requests right away. Scooter, I would find out later, was I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff.’
". Perry sees no problems that can’t be fixed by slashing taxes further on our 400 billionaires and then holding prayer meetings for the unemployed. "
Hypocrite, heretic.
Chris Matthews has been pounding on Perry and his serious contradictions.
"Perry is a clown"
link to youtube.com
Prof Cole we know the US MSM has barely focused on just how many Iraqi people have died, been injured and displaced as a direct result of the US immoral and illegal invasion. Why so much distance between the 2006 Lancet Report and the Pentagon's more recent report.
So telling that the majority of Americans barely even think or care about this. Pathetic and dangerous.
So absurd to hear Hillary Clinton make comments about Asad's integrity, killing of innocents etc. She is drowning in the blood of Iraqi people and American soldiers who have died in that needless war
thanks Juan. I love book stores too. Grew up in small book stores in Boulder and Dayton and Yellow springs Ohio. Walking down the aisles picking up a book that I would not normally look at or on a topic far from my interest. Quiet surroundings, others doing the same. Not like normal shopping. Looking for knowledge, stimulating an interest, distractions, mystery.
Especially love old book stores where it is a bit musty, old ragged covers..feel like you are stepping into history.
Was just in the Trident Book Store on Pearl Street in Boulder. Great books great prices
Prof Cole/others have you read this?
link to english.aljazeera.net
CIA veteran: Israel to attack Iran in fall
The Israeli security establishment is increasingly worried by Netanyahu's bellicose stance towards Iran.
A longtime CIA officer who spent 21 years in the Middle East is predicting that Israel will bomb Iran in the fall, dragging the United States into another major war and endangering US military and civilian personnel (and other interests) throughout the Middle East and beyond.
Earlier this week, Robert Baer appeared on the provocative KPFK Los Angeles show Background Briefing, hosted by Ian Masters. It was there that he predicted that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is likely to ignite a war with Iran in the very near future.
Robert Baer has had a storied career, including a stint in Iraq in the 1990s where he organised opposition to Saddam Hussein. (He was recalled after being accused of trying to organise Saddam's assassination.) Upon his retirement, he received a top decoration for meritorious service.
Clinton lost "legitimacy" when she knowingly voted for the 2002 Iraq war resolution. She knew there were no WMD's in Iraq.Why give a warmongering administration assistance?
ot but important
Live contact with the US to Gaza boat "the Audacity of Hope" at the Mondoweiss site. Direct tweets. The boat took off from port and now the Greek Coast Guard is trying to make them turn back.
Live updates
Update: Greek Coast Guard stops US Boat to Gaza as it sets sail to join Freedom Flotilla; Coast Guard: ‘you are forbidden to leave Athens. return to port now’
link to mondoweiss.net...
ibnezra
5 minutes ago
The coast guard is threatening to board the ship now in the middle of the sea
ibnezra
6 minutes ago
Coast Guard "you are forbidden to leave Athens. return to port now"
ibnezra
7 minutes ago
The coast guard is demanding that we return to port. "we are forbidden to leave" passengers are chanting and screaming at them
ibnezra
9 minutes ago
Blast!!! Didn't get far (but still may). Greeks just intercepted us. Thank you for supporting, I'll try to keep everyone up-to-date...
ibnezra
9 minutes ago
The other ship left. There is only one coast guard ship in front of the US boat right now.
ibnezra
10 minutes ago
The boat is dead in the water. Passengers are protesting with signs and singing.
ibnezra
11 minutes ago
Captain is talking to them. Coast guard is close and about to board the ship
ibnezra
11 minutes ago
Captain is talking to them. Coast guard is close and about to board the ship
myaguarnieri
14 minutes ago
engine cut, surrounded by greek coast guard boats @MaanNewsAgency #freedomflotilla2 they are blocking the us boat to gaza
ibnezra
14 minutes ago
The boat is now stopped. The coast guard is blocking us
July 1, 2011 - 10:36 am
link to salon.com
The Obama DOJ's effort to force New York Times investigative journalist Jim Risen to testify in a whistleblower prosecution and reveal his source is really remarkable and revealing in several ways; it should be receiving much more attention than it is. On its own, the whistleblower prosecution and accompanying targeting of Risen are pernicious, but more importantly, it underscores the menacing attempt by the Obama administration -- as Risen yesterday pointed out -- to threaten and intimidate whistleblowers, journalists and activists who meaningfully challenge what the government does in secret.
The subpoena to Risen was originally issued but then abandoned by the Bush administration, and then revitalized by Obama lawyers. It is part of the prosecution of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA agent whom the DOJ accuses of leaking to Risen the story of a severely botched agency plot -- from 11 years ago -- to infiltrate Iran's nuclear program, a story Risen wrote about six years after the fact in his 2006 best-selling book, State of War. The DOJ wants to force Risen to testify under oath about whether Sterling was his source.
Prof Cole/all
have you read this by Glenn Greenwald
link to salon.com
Climate of Fear: Jim Risen v. the Obama administration
The Obama DOJ's effort to force New York Times investigative journalist Jim Risen to testify in a whistleblower prosecution and reveal his source is really remarkable and revealing in several ways; it should be receiving much more attention than it is. On its own, the whistleblower prosecution and accompanying targeting of Risen are pernicious, but more importantly, it underscores the menacing attempt by the Obama administration -- as Risen yesterday pointed out -- to threaten and intimidate whistleblowers, journalists and activists who meaningfully challenge what the government does in secret.
The subpoena to Risen was originally issued but then abandoned by the Bush administration, and then revitalized by Obama lawyers. It is part of the prosecution of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA agent whom the DOJ accuses of leaking to Risen the story of a severely botched agency plot -- from 11 years ago -- to infiltrate Iran's nuclear program, a story Risen wrote about six years after the fact in his 2006 best-selling book, State of War. The DOJ wants to force Risen to testify under oath about whether Sterling was his source.
"One has a sense of an age passing, and to the extent that the age was characterized by unilateral adventurism, its demise will benefit us all."
Lets hope so.
Gates did not hesitate to speak out about his stand against an intervention in Libya.
Why would he try to spin that the US was a super power so far back?
What is happening with the oil in Iraq? Where is Ahmed Chalabi?
Does it piss the Iraqi people off that the people who have been killed, injured, displaced in that country as a direct result of the invasion are barely whispered about in this country?
Cole "Well if all this could be an occasion finally to look into the propaganda campaign whereby we were inveigled into the Iraq War, that would make it all worth it."
That is not going to happen. If hundreds of thousands dead, injured and millions displaced in IRaq as well as 4500 and counting dead American soldiers, tens of thousands injured is not going to get them looking into the WMD lies then the Bush administration trying to take you down sure is not going to get them moving. They have to have lies under oath about BJ's to get their justice juices going. Hundreds of thousands dead as a result of a pack of lies just does not get it for them.
Amazing to think about of the work that went into investigating Iraq pre war intelligence... Phase I and Phase II and absolutely no one has been held accountable for any of the falsehoods that were endlessly repeated. Niger Documents? No one held accountable
And then these reports were stalled by Senator Pat Roberts
Phase I?SSCI
link to web.mit.edu
Phase II/SSCI
link to intelligence.senate.gov
"At the least, the CIA’s inspector general needs to investigate. If requests to dig up dirt on Cole did come from the White House, the inspector general inquiry should determine who authorized them, what the responses were, and whether the administration sought to discredit anyone else. As Cole put it on his blog, “I know I am a relatively small fish, and it seems to me rather likely that I was not the only target.’’
As Cole has said he is a "small fish" but not really. If they open up this can of worms who else did they go after. We know Scott Ritter, Plame
Bingo. Agree. If Feinstein has her way she will shut down any attempt to investigate. Especially if the push for going after Cole came from any of her warmongering friends pushing the invasion of Iraq. She did vote for the 2002 Iraq war resolution. She did go along with that push for that illegal and immoral invasion. Any attempt to investigate this situation will stop with her.
link to alternet.org
There needs to be investigations into her families war profiteering.
Dianne Feinstein resigns committee post amid scandal; accused of war profiteering
This story is from the Silicon Valley Metro (ht: Robert, our intrepid copyeditor):
SEN. Dianne Feinstein has resigned from the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee. As previously and extensively reviewed in these pages, Feinstein was chairperson and ranking member of MILCON for six years, during which time she had a conflict of interest due to her husband Richard C. Blum's ownership of two major defense contractors, who were awarded billions of dollars for military construction projects approved by Feinstein.
Sure appears they are going off the cliff with surveillance. Similar to the body checks at airports. Fondling 3 years old children at airports etc. Dangerous territory. Wonder what Jefferson and the rest of the founder fathers would think about all of this spying on American citizens?
"The act is clearly unconstitutional and guts key Bill of Right protections. Among its disturbing aspects is the access it gives government agencies to individuals’ library records, business records and other personal effects without requiring probable cause of a crime being committed. And while the wiretap provisions target non-US citizens, they extend to any conversations the latter have with US citizens. The framers of the constitution in any case believed that the liberties they proclaimed extended to “all men,” not just citizens."
Would the Patriot Act fall under the definition of fascism?
Have been pushing BBC world Service and other outlets to have Prof Cole on their programs.
Professor Juan Cole thank you for all of your efforts to bring facts and solid information to the American people. It is both pathetic and seems criminal that the Bush administration would spend any time bringing down someone who is trying to bring solid information and a broader perspective to American citizens and others around the world.
A shame
Sent story to some more outlets. Rachel Maddow, Dylan Ratigan, BBC, Race for Iran. Get this critical story even further than the Bloody New York Times. The NYT thinks they can redeem themselves for their false pre war so called reporting by throwing the public stories like this. The only way for them to get close to redeeming themselves for allowing Judy "I was fucking right" Millers false and deadly reporting. Is by reporting about the facts on the ground in Iran and the Israeli Palestinian conflict and stop carrying water for Israel and the I lobby.
Call your Reps. Demand an investigation.
And successfully "blackballing" the American public's access to critical information and well educated views
Also want to alert you to that I had a very difficult time getting here this morning through google via Mondoweiss. Tried for about 30 minutes different routes. Just got through. Others may be having troubles
Whoa makes sense. The Bush administration went after so many individuals who were criticizing the invasion based on the validity of the so called intelligence. Wilson, Plame, Scott Ritter, So disgusting and criminal that they went after those questioning the intelligence, sources, agenda.
Have been politely hammering the Diane Rehm show, Talk of the Nation, Chris Matthews and other MSM outlets to have Professor Juan Cole on their programs. Cole was being blackballed. Investigation indeed.
Have sent this story out to Huffington Post, Emptywheel over at Firedoglake, Chris Matthews, the Diane Rehm show. Lets get Cole on these programs...maybe now they will be interested.
Thank you Prof Cole for your devoted attempt to informing the American public
Juan hope you put this up over at the Weiner thread. Now we hear the real correspondence. Insane and "juvenile"
link to huffingtonpost.com
Comment box not popping up on your Weiner piece.
Lets not forget that Rep Weiner has been pushing for the release of Jonathon Pollard
link to jonathanpollard.org
April 22, 2011
President Barack Obama The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As Pesach, the holiday of freedom, comes to a close, I urge you to use your constitutional power to commute the sentence of Jonathan Pollard and allow him to join his family in Israel. This exercise in justice is not meant to imply doubt about his guilt or cast any aspersions on the process by which he was convicted. On the contrary, Mr. Pollard knows that he has committed serious crimes and after 26 years, stands as the strongest deterrent to espionage in this country. However, his charges do not merit the punishment.
It is indisputable that the disproportionate amount of time that Mr. Pollard spent in prison is a thorn in the side of the alliance between Israel and the United States. Mr. Pollard cooperated with investigators, admitted his wrongdoing, and was sentenced to life in prison. No one who has ever pleaded guilty to a similar crime has ever been sentenced to a life term.
Commuting Mr. Pollard's sentence will be viewed as an act of compassion on behalf of the United States and between two allies. Mr. President, please do what former President Bush has repeatedly refused and heed the countless calls for Pollard's freedom during this Passover season.
I thank you for your time and consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
ANTHONY D. WEINER
Member of Congress
Cole. "It was the Europeans and Arabs who wanted this, not Washington."
Really..
Open Letter To 44 to Take Action to Halt Violence in Libya
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC
February 25, 2011
Dear Mr. President:
In your 2009 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, you rightly declared that “Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later.” Today the United States and our allies in Europe must take action in response to the unfolding crisis in Libya. With violence spiraling to new heights, and with the apparent willingness of the Qaddafi regime to use all weapons at its disposal against the Libyan people, we may be on the threshold of a moral and humanitarian catastrophe.
Inaction, or slow and inadequate measures, may not only fail to stop the slaughter in Libya but will cast doubt on the commitment of the United States and Europe to basic principles of human rights and freedoms. Therefore, we recommend the United States, in conjunction with NATO allies, take the following specific actions immediately:
1) The United States should call upon NATO to develop operational plans to urgently:
Establish a presence in Libyan airspace to prevent the continued use of fighter jets and helicopter gunships against civilians and carry out other missions as required.
Move naval assets into Libyan waters to aid in evacuation efforts and prepare for possible contingencies. Establish the capability to disable Libyan naval vessels used to attack civilians.
2) Freeze all Libyan government assets in the United States and Europe.
3) Consider temporarily halting importation of Libyan oil to the United States and Europe.
4) Make a clear statement that Col. Qaddafi and other officials who order and participate in massacres of civilians will be held accountable for their crimes under international law.
5) Provide humanitarian aid to the Libyan people as quickly as possible.
The United States and our European allies have a moral interest in both an end to the violence and an end to the murderous Libyan regime. There is no time for delay and indecisiveness. The people of Libya, the people of the Middle East, and the world require clear U.S. leadership in this time of opportunity and peril.
Sincerely,
Elliott Abrams
Neil Hicks
John Podhoretz
Stephen E. Biegun
William Inboden
Randy Scheunemann
Max Boot
Bruce Pitcairn Jackson
Dan Senor
Ellen Bork
Ash Jain
John Shattuck
Scott Carpenter
Robert Kagan
Mike Singh
Eliot Cohen
David Kramer
Gare Smith
Seth Cropsey
Irina Krasovskaya
William Taft
Larry Diamond
William Kristol
Marc Thiessen
Thomas Donnelly
Tod Lindberg
Daniel Twining
Michelle Dunne
Michael Makovsky
Pete Wehner
Eric Edelman
Cliff May
Ken Weinstein
Peter Feaver
Courtney Messerschmidt
Leon Wieseltier
Jamie Fly
Joshua Muravchik
Damon Wilson
Reuel Marc Gerecht
Martin Peretz
Jennifer Windsor
John Hannah
Danielle Pletka
Paul Wolfowitz
0
"It was the Europeans and Arabs who wanted this, not Washington."
That is partially the case. But according to many including Paul Pillar and General McCaffrey who were just on the Diane Rehm show...Susan Rice and Samantha Powers pushed hard for military action. Clinton came on board and Secretary of Defense Gates, Vice President Biden were never on board.
Really does remind us of our petty and deadly human made disasters
So very sad.
Here you go folks.
How to help Japan
link to huffingtonpost.com
Many keep bringing up that the power of not only the will of the Tunisian and Egyptian people but of course the power of the internet, twitter, facebook,Al Jazeera. What we do not hear folks talking about is how the US MSM covered the protest in Tunisia and Egypt 24/7. They are not covering the protest in Bahrain like this. They are focused on Libya. Always fascinating where they turn and do not turn those cameras.
Hell the anti invasion protest here in the states did not get even a slice of this type of coverage. Hundreds of thousands of us marched against that invasion across the nation millions and 30 million world wide. The MSM cameras did not give us the time of day
"guest workers" what kind of jobs, pay, conditions? How do the poor of Bahrain compete against "guest workers" for jobs?
What is the average income? Do the Bahraiian fat cats proide any kind of services, access to health care etc?
Oh yeah forgot to mention that Micheal “Niger Documents” Ledeen’s mug shot was on the Iran rant that Jon Stewart gave last night
Today on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell's program she had Aayan Hirsi on to pound on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Also taking note that Andrea Mitchell, Richard Engel, former Clinton State Dept Spokesperson Jamie Rubin doing everything they can to undermine El Baadei.
Heard David Gregory go after El Baradei on Meet the Press this past Sunday.
They are terrified of this man's honorable stance on the false intelligence in the run up to the invasion of Iraq, his willingness to call Israel's unwillingness to sign the NPT and the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and E Jerusalem.
Umm when was the last time (cough) you have ever heard Richard Engel broadcasting from the middle of a Palestinian protest, from an illegal settlement or a Palestinian refugee camp. Rachel Maddow silent on all of this as well as the Goldstone Report...
On MSNBC's Cenk Uygar's news program Wednesday evening Cenk had a historian on who actually mentioned the CIA's involvement with overthrowing the democratically elected leader in Iran in the 50's. Tiny Breakthrough.
Rachel Maddow keeps repeating the neo cons spin about Iran
The New York "bloody" Times? Come on. They will never let Juan Cole through. Hell they blocked a piece by Flynt Leverett for quite some time
They allowed Judy "I was fucking right" Miller to repeat so many lies about Iraq and WMD's people's heads were spinning.
You can bet if protesters in the states were doing what the protesters in Egypt are doing (and I totally support them) heads would be busted, people would be thrown in prison, and folks might even be shot.
And peaceful protest (millions before the invasion in the U.S. and around the world) were ignored by our MSM. Ignored
Some observatios from watching CNN, MSNBC, Fox, Cspan for four days.
Jamie Rubin seems to the appointed spokesperson for Israel. Everytime he speaks he brings up bad bad bad Iran. Also keeps repeatig that El Baradei does not have the name on the Egyptian streets. Undermining El Baradei.
Richard Engel also seems to be undermining El Baradei.
Zbiniew Bryzinski (sp?) was on Morning Joe the other day. As is almost always the case he made so much sense. Talked about Mubarak’s history. How there needed to be a round table, a respectful way for Mubarak to step down. Wish we heard from him more often on the evening programs.
The MSM keeps bringing up protest in Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, etc but absolutely NO MENTION NOT EVEN A WHISPER ABOUT THE PROTEST THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE IN PALESTINE.
No mention of how Mubarak’s support for Israel and the U.S. has PROVIDED COVER FOR ISRAELS ONGOING ILLEGAL EXPANSION OF ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS. NOTHING
Andrea Mitchell, Richard Haas, Engel, others bringing up the Gaza. NOTHING ABOUT THE WEST BANK AND ILLEGAL SETTTLEMENTS.
The other day Andrea Mitchell said this about the Egyptian protest “all they want is freedom and accessibility” She is incabalble of extending that stance to Palestinians
If only Rachel Maddow were really committed to what she says she is about on her adds for her program “devotion to facts that borders on obsession” except when it comes to Iran and the Palestinians.
The other day Washington Journal put up the map of the middle east with Israel and their map of the West Bank. Not the reallity the West Bank with all illegal settlements breaking up the continuity of the West Bank. So manipulative. So dishonest
Cenk at the 6;00 p.m. MSNBC spot is getting the closest to the truth. He did an amazing segmet on the now VP of Egypt. Torture, rendition. Mentioned Jane Mayer’s new piece in the New Yorker about Suliman (sp?)
So clear that there is one issue that is not covered by all stations Fox, MSNBC, Fox, CNN including CSPAN. Do not mention Palestinian protest. Silence
Jamie Rubin is all over the MSM bringing up Iran
Richard Engel and Jamie Rubin doing everything they can to undermine El Baradei on the MSM
When Iran comes up on the MSM not a mention of the CIA's overthrow of a democratically elected leader in Iran in the 50's. Not a mention
--------------------------------------------------------
Not a twitter person. Twitter folks. How do we get an international twitter chat going PEACEFUL PEACEFUL.
Have so much respect for the anti Muarak protesters staying focused on PEACEFUL PEACEFUL PROTEST.
Prof Cole/all
Have you seen Liebermann lie again while dismissing Arianna Huffington. Nothing in the Duelfer report confirming Iraq had WMD's Joe's nose keeps growing
Joe Lieberman Dismisses Arianna: "I Don't Think You've Read It, SWEETHEART"
Read more: link to businessinsider.com
link to businessinsider.com
Thanks.
Voted for the Iraq war, Mukasey, and has pushed for and sponsored lopsided legislation supporting Israel no matter what they do for years.
Think you would be interested in this.
Pickering, Hills, Sullivan, Beinart, Dobbins, More Ask Obama Administration to Support UN Resolution Condemning Illegal Israeli Settlements
link to thewashingtonnote.com
Is this more too little too late?
----------------------------------------------
Last night Keith Olbermann had David “axis of evil” Frum on to discuss inflammatory and hate filled rhetoric. Talk about absurd. We all know Frum was one of the Iraq war pushers. And has repeated inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims about Iran.
Keith really thinks his listeners have short and muddied memories. Olbermann supporting David “axis of evil” Frum’s effort to reconstruct his stance on the run up to the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq. This man has blood all over this hands and is well practiced in creating dangerous “axis of evil” sound bites.
What is up with Olbermann? Is David "axis of evil" Frum really the appropriate person to be talking about hateful, inflammatory and inaccurate rhetoric? Is Olbermann really unable to find a more appropriate person to talk about this important topic?
“Public weighs in on Tucson shootings”
David “axis of evil” Frum
link to msnbc.msn.com
Especially since Palestinian non violent protesters have been thrown in Israeli prisons for decades. Use violence killed or thrown into prison, use non violence, killed or thrown into prison. Not much of a choice. In the whole time the U.S. MSM ignores your efforts. You know even those liberal media outlets like Rachel Maddow, the Daily show etc.
Ever hear Maddow, Olbermann, Ed, Chris Matthew even mention the Goldstone report. Hell no. Silence...just like the liberal Jon Stewart too.
Over at Democracy Now
Amy Goodman has a great interview up with Tavis Smiley focused on some of Rev. Kings more critical words about the militarism of the U.S.
link to democracynow.org
AMY GOODMAN: That was Vincent Harding, who helped write that speech for Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4th, 1967, that he delivered at the Riverside Church, calling for an end to the war in Vietnam.
REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: As I have walked among the desperate, rejected and angry young men, I have told them that Molotov cocktails and rifles would not solve their problems. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while maintaining my conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action. But they ask, and rightly so, “What about Vietnam?” And I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today, my own government.
AMY GOODMAN: “The greatest purveyor of violence on earth today, my own government.” Let’s go to a little more of Dr. King’s speech that day.
REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth with righteous indignation. It will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say, “This is not just.” It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of South America and say, “This is not just.” The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just.
A true revolution of values will lay a hand on the world order and say of war, “This way of settling differences is not just.” This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation’s homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war.
AMY GOODMAN: Tavis Smiley, if you would reflect on this less famous speech of Dr. King, not the “I Have a Dream” speech, but that speech he gave even against the advice of his inner circle, who said, “You will the support of the leadership in America that is supporting you on civil rights,” when he said, “I must deal with violence abroad, as well as violence at home.”
REV KING’S HONEST AND STERN WORDS APPLIED THEN AND SADLY APPLY NOW
Lawrence O'Donnell, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann are all promoting the idea that the NRA is the most powerful lobby in the U.S. Yet when a massacre takes place in Tucson they are all over the slaughter. As they should be. They are all over the NRA and the lack of enforcement of existing gun laws etc. As well they should be.
Yet when there is a slaughter in the Gaza, on the Mavi Marmara, killing of non violent Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces. Barely a peep out of them. Total silence out of them when the Goldstone Report came out. The NRA is not the most powerful lobby in this country. The Israel Lobby is. They have been able to completely block out even a whisper about the Goldstone Report or the UN Report on what took place on the Mavi Marmara on Rachel Maddow's and the rest of the so called liberal media.
The NRA is not powerful enough to keep the facts on the ground, the debate, well recognized reports off the air when there has been a slaughter of individuals. The I lobby can.
After the horrendous murders and injuries in Tucson we are hearing a critically important discussion and debate about gun laws, numbers of magazine (odd way to phrase bullet capacity) clips, the ability of an individual carrying a firearm to a Congressperson, the killers mental health falling through the cracks, whether hate language has an effect. All important issues to examine and have a national discussion about. There has also rightfully been a great deal of focus on the inflammatory and violent language by Sarah Palin and others.
Today Sarah Palin came out and said “Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them." Many Republicans including Rep Pence on Washington Journal today keep repeating that violent words do not matter. That this is freedom of speech.
Yet when some Muslim Iman's and other Muslims violent or inflammatory language on the Web or elsewhere possibly influence the man who committed the massacre at Ft Hood and other crimes committed by Muslims or others Sarah Palin, Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike are all about investigating or going after these individuals who allegedly inflame situations with hate speech.
More serious double standards that Palin and other Republicans are repeating. Hate speech from Muslims not acceptable. Hate speech from Palin, Beck, Limbaugh and others totally acceptable. What a serious contradiction.
Chris Matthews uses Sarah Palin Pac map on Hardball
He has been howling about the inflammatory and violent rhetoric and the bring the guns by tea party members
link to msnbc.msn.com
Some good advice from Stephen Walt
link to walt.foreignpolicy.com
4:38 PM ET Barbara Walters: 'I'm Feeling Bad For Sarah Palin'
Television news legend Barbara Walters came to Sarah Palin's defense today on ABC's "The View."
Per The Daily Caller:
“I’m feeling bad for Sarah Palin because I don’t think that’s what she should have said, and certainly crosshairs are very scary,” Walters said. “This is a deranged young man. This is a Timothy McVeigh. Whether this happened because there is violence – too much commentary, too much violence as you say we’ve talked about. Sometimes we do it here we get so angry.”
Walters added she hoped this might offer time for introspection in terms of political rhetoric, but told viewers that this wasn’t the time to place blame.
link to huffingtonpost.com
“Whether that speared him on or whether he is just a very sick person, we don’t know,” she continued. “We don’t know what his motives are and we can hope that all the vitriol calms down. But to blame Sarah Palin as some are doing I think is very unfair to her. She issued a statement offering her condolences and hasn’t said more. But I don’t think this is the time now to start finding – you should excuse me – other targets to blame.”
Keep thinking about how our intelligence agencies go after Muslim leaders who incite individuals to do violence over the web etc. When will they go after Palin, Beck, Limbaugh etc.
Thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost family members due to this violence
So what is a "surveryor's mark"
link to google.com
Prof Cole/All
Thought you might be interested
link to mondoweiss.net
Mossad chief’s statement removes Iranian nuclear threat (Will the ‘Atlantic’ report it here?)
by Philip Weiss on January 10, 2011 · 4 comments
Like 0 Retweet 0
I've missed this important story entirely. But last week Meir Dagan, the head of the Israeli Mossad, pooh-poohed the Iranian threat in a briefing with journalists by saying that the Iranians wouldn't have a bomb for many years. The statement has pulled the rug out from under Netanyahu's feet-- and not just his. It has made Jeffrey Goldberg look even more like a pliant stenographer to Netanyahu (as Roger Cohen labelled him) in his willingness to pipe Netanyahu's urgency about the alleged threat and urging to the U.S. to take action. Remember, The Atlantic ran Goldberg's alarmist piece, "The Point of No Return," last September.
link to theatlantic.com
MANSOUR: I just want to clarify again, and maybe it wasn't done on the record enough by us when this came out, the graphic, is just, it's basically -- we never, ever, ever intended it to be gunsights. It was simply crosshairs like you see on maps.
BRUCE: Well, it's a surveyor's symbol. It's a surveyor's symbol.
MANSOUR: It's a surveyor's symbol. I just want to say this, Tammy, if I can. This graphic was done, not even done in house -- we had a political graphics professional who did this for us.
While there is no evidence the alleged Tuscon shooter ever saw the electoral target list of SarahPAC, Palin's political action committee -- let alone took it to heart as an instruction -- what is clear is that Palin's history with weaponized rhetoric and imagery will be -- and already has been -- cast in a new light by the shooting in Arizona. And the former Alaska governor seems certain to continue to draw unflattering attention in the months ahead, if only because martial metaphors have been such an essential part of the Palin rhetorical quiver and we are now entering a moment of reflection on the wisdom of brandishing such tropes.
Whatever her aide now says about the target list, there is no question that Palin has reveled in creating a political image bristling with weaponry and gun talk, from her support for aerial wolf-hunting to her hunting and halibut-clubbing adventures on TLC's show "Sarah Palin's Alaska."
Indeed, the same day Palin posted the image with the scopes over congressional districts on her Facebook page, she tweeted, "Don't retreat, Instead - RELOAD" and asked her followers to check out her Facebook page for details.
Sarah does have quite the history of repeating violent statements. I would be in prison if I (peasant) said things like Sarah has repeated.
"surveryor's symbol" what manipulative hooey
Palin is acting like a psychopath.
Some great post up at Huff Po about "Words have consequences"
link to huffingtonpost.com
Also Senator Kyl blaming the Arizona Sheriff for his words of truth
Thanks for the wider view. How many sexual scandals have Republicans had to deal with over the last 10 years. Extra marital, gay etc
Seriously a must watch. Non violent Palestinian protesters imprisoned (this has been going on for decades)
Watch and learn
link to mondoweiss.net
Thursday Dec 16 th, 500 people protested just outside the White House against the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and drones being used in Pakistan, Afghanistan and that part of the world. The protest was organized by Veterans For Peace and the crowd was made up of Vets, Daniel Ellsberg, Cindy Sheehan, Dr. Margaret Flowers, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, members of the anti war pro peace organization Code Pink and many others. There has been little to no coverage of the protest or the arrest. No coverage by Rachel Maddow who only seems to cover Iranian's protesting against their government or gay rights protest. Diane Rehm did not cover the protest or arrest. Chris Matthews did not cover this protest or arrest and it took place within a few miles of their studios. 131 people were arrested two thirds of those arrested were Veterans.
link to veteransforpeace.org
photos of the protest
link to warisacrime.org
Put all of this up at Hardballs Hardblogger. Have been trying to get Chris Matthews to have you on for years. Rachel, Chris and the rest do not seem to want a balanced view on the middle east based on facts. They like to have people like Douglas Feith and Gaffney on. Aye yi yi
o.k. linked the Stewart story at huff po and here at Washington Note, Race for Iran, Mondoweiss, and have sent it to Emptywheel at Firedoglake and Jane Hamsher.
Contacted Reps. Hope others will do the same. Thanks Prof Cole. This is absurd that this has not all ready passed.
Wonder how may of our Reps will benefit from that tax cut extension but could not pass this. Republicans should be shamed about this. Too bad it took Stewart embarrassing our MSM to get them on this. Bet Rachel or Chris Matthews will get on this now
Stewart really ripped it up last night
Stewart ripped it up last night. Bringing attention to how our Reps had enough time to pass legislation that benefited most of them (millionaires) but the Republican filibuster of the ZADROGA BILL( 9/11 first responders) will keep this bill from moving forward. Go watch Stewart at Huffington Post or at the Daily shows website.
CALL YOUR SENATE REPS (ESPECIALLY THE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE FILLIBUSTERING THIS BILL) CALL THEM, EMAIL THEM DEMAND THAT THEY STAY THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND PASS THIS BILL. OR PASS IT NOW. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. BUT CLEARLY THEY FEEL NO SHAME
Rep Howard Berman now going to punish Rep Capp. for saying what she said. He says that he has his own "reservations" about the settlements.
Rep Sheila Jackson Lee up she is supporting this legislation.
She says she has respect for the Palestinians. She goes onto say more about the Palestinians. Then she says we are committed to a two state solution. Goes onto talk about "two independent states" Energized on the two state solution...get going.
Now they have the Samoan rep up to speak Rep FAleomagnaeva (sp) he is actually making a bit more sense. Not just blaming Palestinians as Engel, Ackerman, Poe and Berman did.
This guy is much more balanced
Now Rep Berekley up... strong support for it. Uh oh more Palestinian bashing. Oh they have ignore the 10 month Moratorium blaming Palestinians, what are they so upset with. "Shamefully" This woman is insane "Palestinian manipulation" "The palestinians who have the most to lose" Going on and on about how great Israel is.
AYE YI YI
HOPEFULLY THEY GET THAT PETITION IN THERE
Rep Capps she seems to have some hesitations. OOO she says that the continued expansion of the illegal settlements are a real problem. She signs with reservations. This chambers tendency to pass legislation that is one sided is a problem. We should look at legislation that is passed in this chamber that is one sided. The U.S. has not been an honest broker
THIS WOMAN WAS REALLY HONEST AND SOMEWHAT BALANCED
Rep Burton up he goes on to beat up the Palestinians again. He actually says the Palestinians do not deserve this support that we are giving them. Then he goes onto point out times Israeli;s have been killed. This guy keeps saying that Israel has gone beyond the pale
Oy vey what bullshit
---------------------------------------------
But we know that no one is going to bring up the massacre in the Gaza or the massacre on the Mavi Marmara, the Goldstone report
o.k. Engel up. Chastizing these countries "Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay" claims to be within the 67 border are indefensible. Again Engel lies, blaming the Palestinians. Another effort to claim that there was a total settlement freeze. Another total lie. "Israel had stopped all new settlements" Engel continues to blame Palestinians over and over again. Brazil,Argentina, Uruguay trying to de-ligitimize Israel. Israel tried to give Palestinians every thing they said they wanted. What a friggin liar
Vote on the Berman legislation up
link to cspan.org
Berman, Poe complaining about Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay making an effort to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state based on the 67 border.
Rep Ackerman spinning how Israel has always been willing to make the deal. What a f---ing liar. Now he is saying that Palestinians concerns over settlements are "over wrought" Ackerman goes onto say that there was 10 month freeze on settlements. Another lie. There was no total freeze. A slow down. Can not believe that he said that Palestinians concerns are "over wrought" Ackerman is a real creep.
Important:
Mondoweiss
The War of Ideas in the Middle East
Secret House resolution says No to Palestinian statehood
link to mondoweiss.net
The US Campaign to End the Occupation is pushing urgent action to condemn an Israel lobby resolution circulating in the House to block international efforts to recognize a Palestinian state. From the US Campaign:
We are outraged to learn that Rep. Howard Berman, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is trying to push through Congress today a resolution “condemning unilateral declarations of a Palestinian state.”
How many times do we have to hear that Israel's nuclear, biological and chemical stockpiles make people in that region of the world very very nervous. Israel's refusal to sign on to the Non Proliferation treaty over and over again tells it all
Israel's nuclear capabilities and threat
link to iaea.org
And our Congress people will not even go near this. Senator Carl Levin and Diane Feinstein were just beating the bad bad bad Iran drums during a Start Treaty Press conference
link to c-span.org
Feinstein mentioned the NIE report on Iran but did not mention that there is absolutely no proof to back up their endlessly repeated claims that Iran is after nuclear weapons?
Abstain
Write the White House
Max Blumenthal doing amazing work. Really worth the time
link to mondoweiss.net
Important
Is Wikileaks being used by foreign intelligence services
link to pbs.org
I remember reading in the Aipac Rosen espionage case files that Rosen was taped saying that he 'was sure glad that that the U.S. did not have an Official Secrets Act" That Rosen clearly knew what he was doing illegally accessing and sharing classified documents having worked for Rand and having had security clearances there.
Some of the Aipac espionage case files
link to fas.org
Prof Cole you bring up great points about the clear hypocrisy
"I suppose that as a contemporary historian, I feel about Wikileaks the way I feel about Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as a perpetual dieter. I wish they wouldn’t make it, but when I have a bowl, I have to say I really enjoy it."
If the MSM did their job there would be no need for Wikileaks. Wikileaks is focused on suppressed information, injustice and corruption. If Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow etc would spend less time on what Sarah Palin said they might have more time for much more critical news. Until then Kudos to Julian Assange, Bradley Manning etc
Many of those fire fighters do not have helmets on. I thought that was standard practice
NPR's Robert Siegel did his part feeding the "let's go get Iran" chorus by having the fact based, (choke) fair Jeffrey Goldberg on his program.
Robert Siegel pushes the unsubstantiated claims about Iran and NPR's Guy Raz pushes feel good about Israel stories. A concerted team effort
Look at the run on Monday at NPR. Just a bit of a focus on Iran
Monday All Things Considered
link to npr.org
Leaks Reveal Arab World's Concerns About Iran
[5 min 18 sec]
Documents: Iran Obtained Missiles From N. Korea
Middle East
Iran Blames U.S. For Nuclear Scientist's Death
Prof Cole you sure do not mince words. Always bothers me when the map of the West Bank does not show the illegal settlements. Stewart shows a contiguous map of the West Bank all of the time.
Stewart was on the Wikli leaks are all about lets go after Iran bus.
link to huffingtonpost.com
As well as Robert Segel who had Jeffrey Goldberg on to discuss the Wiki leaks release. Real fair and balanced over views (choke)
"Leaks reveal Arab worlds concerns about Iran"
link to npr.org
Guy Ras was the co host last night. He has been focused on feel good about Israel stories a great deal. No agenda at NPR. No slant.(cough)
When will Segel have Prof Cole on to discuss this issue? Or Flynt Leverett?
Because NPR clearly has an agenda and it is to push for a pre-emptive attack on Iran.
Thanks for reminding me of Fisk work
link to jafi.org.il
Immigration to Israel falls to 18 year low
LOD, Israel - Immigration to Israel hit its lowest in 18 years in 2006 due to a drop in the number of Jews arriving from former Soviet states, although immigration from North America edged higher, figures showed on Wednesday.
Some 21,000 made "aliya", the Hebrew word for immigrating to Israel, according to the Jewish Agency, which promotes immigration. The 2006 figure was the lowest since 13,000 in 1988. A total of 22,657 people moved to Israel in 2005.
The agency said it was getting harder to bring immigrants out of countries that made up the former Soviet Union, from where more than one million people moved to Israel in the 1990s. The number for 2006 was 7,300 -- about 23 percent down on 2005.
The top news, photos, and videos of 2006. Full Coverage "These people are no longer running away from something," said Michael Jankelowitz, a spokesman for the Jewish Agency, explaining the decline.
The agency played down suggestions that the war with Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas during the summer had a negative impact on immigration -- which had grown recently after a sharp drop following the start of a Palestinian uprising in 2000.
The government places great significance on immigration amid concerns in Israel that without an influx of foreign Jews the country's Arab minority, which has a higher birth rate, could eventually outnumber the Jewish population.
So then go with the one state solution since that is the only solution that is still viable with Israel daily confiscating more Palestinian lands
links?
looking for more recent information
link to migration.ucdavis.edu
Appreciate your insights on the latest Wikileaks dump.
"Given their history, Israelis across the political spectrum take very seriously Ahmadinejad’s threats to wipe Israel off the map. "
And with Bill Kristol, Daily Show host Jon Stewart, Reuel Marc Gerecht, John Bolton, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, NPR's Terri Gross, Scott Simon, and many others repeating the debunked Iran wants to "wipe Israel off the map" or "Iran has a nuclear weapons program" There is no need to wonder that many Americans support a pre-emptive strike on Iran based on false claims. These false claims have been repeated all over the MSM (the list above have shouted them out themselves) and go unchallenged
link to npr.org
Clinton: WikiLeaks 'Tear At Fabric' Of Government
Stewart and Maddow have both repeated unsubstantiated and inflammatory claims about Iran. Both of them have said "Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map" Both need to have Juan Cole on to set them straight.
Incredible interview with Flynt Leverett
AMERICAN GRAND STRATEGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST: ON THE ROAD TO FAILURE
link to raceforiran.com
How many times do we have to hear Former President Jimmy Carter, Former head of the CIA's Bin Laden unit Micheal Scheuer, Queen Noor, and so many more that our unbridled support of Israel no matter what they do has and is undermining US National Security. Hell they even reported this fact in the 9/11 commission. Bill Clinton even came out recently and said it
link to google.com
“”It will take about half the impetus in the whole world — not just the region, the whole world — for terror away,” he told an audience of Egyptian businessmen from the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. “It would have more impact by far than anything else that could be done.”
The founding of Israel and the dispossession of the Palestinians more than six decade ago has long been a rallying cry among Arabs and Muslims in the region and more recently is a regular recruiting tool for organizations like al-Qaida.
Clinton presided over the breakthrough Oslo Accords in 1993 that led to direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians over the principle of land for peace as well as a last ditch effort to negotiate a final agreement in 2000 before violence derailed negotiations.
He said both sides knew the outlines of any final agreement and said it was similar to the one he hammered out with Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak in 2000.”
Clinton is publicly lining up with Former head of the CIA’s Bin Laden’s unit Micheal Shuerer who has been saying this for years now. He has been on C-span’s Washington Journal repeating “they don’t hate us for our freedoms, they hate us for our foreign policy”
Micheal Scheuer on Bill Maher
link to youtube.com
Scheuer “What Bin Laden basically said is America is fighting a war that does not exist. We’re fighting because our leaders tell us that the Muslims hate freedom , and hate liberty, and hate women in the work place, and that’s got nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with what we do in the Islamic world. What our policies are and what our impact is there. That is what Bin Laden was referring to. That is what my book says”
Bill Maher is stunned by what Micheal Scheuer has to say about Israel
link to c-spanvideo.org
Micheal Scheuer
link to antiwar.com
“AIPAC is a perfectly legal organization, and the wealth of its members is channeled into reliable campaign contributions for any candidate from either party who will put Israel’s interests above America’s. From McCain to Obama, from Pelosi to Giuliani, from Hillary Clinton to Vice President Cheney, AIPAC pumps money to any and every American politician who is willing to adopt an Israel-first policy.”
Former head of the Cia’s Bin Laden unit Micheal Scheuer on Tavis Smiley’s program
link to pbs.org
What Scheuer keeps repeating lines up with former Cia analyst Ray McGovern has said about the conflict
Helping Israel Die
Taboo Thwarts Candor on Israel / Iran by Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern
Former CIA analyst Kathleen and Bill Christion have been saying very similar things
link to counterpunch.org
“Nobody Should Preach to Us Ethics, Nobody!”
Israel, a Light unto Nations?
By Kathleen Christison
Former CIA political analyst
In the never-ending propaganda show designed to depict Israel as a moral nation victimized by immoral terrorists and anti-Semites, CNN recently ran a film clip of the late Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin declaiming, as only he could, “Nobody should preach to us ethics, nobody!”
And, of course, few do.
link to cjpip.org
Former CIA Analysts
What’s Really Happening in Israel/Palestine
A presentation by
Kathleen & Bill Christison
link to counterpunch.org
link to antiwar.com
How many times do we have to hear the same thing?
Had not heard about this agreement
"To prevent the discussion of the UN report on Israeli war crimes in Gaza as set out by a distinguished Jewish judge, or the attacks on the aid flotilla (that says a lot for the US respect for the United Nations and the rule of law)"
We know the I lobby (Berman, Ros Lehtinen, Burton, Ackerman) basically put the lid on the Goldstone Report.
And now Clinton kicks Goldstone and the report in the cajones again.
US Congress condemns UN Goldstone Report, 344 to 36; full text & voting breakdown
link to blog.unwatch.org
- NAYS 36 —
Baird
Baldwin
Blumenauer
Boustany
Capps
Carson (IN)
Clarke
Clay
Davis (KY)
Dingell
Doggett
Edwards (MD) Ellison
Filner
Grijalva
Hinchey
Johnson, E. B.
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kucinich
Lee (CA)
Lynch
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern Miller, George
Moran (VA)
Olver
Pastor (AZ)
Paul
Price (NC)
Rahall
Snyder
Stark
Waters
Watt
Woolsey
Some justice
Binyam Mohamed Wins Settlement for Being Tortured
link to emptywheel.firedoglake.com
"Ros-Lehtinen voiced a series of falsehoods. Whether she knows the truth and is deliberately suppressing it, or is engaging in a disinformation campaign, is impossible to know. What is clear is that she is a vigilante urging the violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949, i.e., urging the recognition of the conquest of territory by military means and the vast alteration of occupied territories by the occupier. That is, she is maintaining the legitimacy of the kind of behavior exhibited by the Axis Powers in World War II, a repeat of which is what the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and the UNSC resolutions were aiming to prevent."
Ros Lehtinen knows exactly what she is doing. Violations of the Geneva Convention, UN resolutions, International Court of Justice decisions Ros Lehtinen, Cantor Schumer etc say who cares, toss all aside. Israel is a special case.
Ros Lehtinen, Cantor, Schumer should be required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Would really be something if Obama was to ever really stand up to Israel and the I lobby. He would be a one term Pres for sure
Protest the Hebron Fund this Tuesday as they head out to sea
Hebron is a Palestinian city held hostage by 500 radical illegal Jewish settlers and thousands of illegal Israeli soldiers. Protest on Tuesday
link to mondoweiss.net
The Fog of Containment
link to foreignpolicy.com
congressman Rand Paul makes more sense on this issue than anyone else in congress.
Let's hope that cool minds prevail on Iran. Let's hope that verifiable evidence is used in any decisions made. And let's never forget that Iran has the right to enrich uranium and that there is no hard evidence that backs up that they are enriching beyond what they are legally able. And let's also not forget that Iran signed the NPT, Israel has not. And that many nations in that part of the world feel a threat by Israel's unwillingness to play by the rules that they want their neighbors to abide by.
Good post about what is going on in Canada
Canadian lawmakers resurrect McCarthy in hearings that say criticism of Israel is anti-Semitism
link to mondoweiss.net
have you read the news about the five protesters who interrupted Netanyahu's speech today in New Orleans?
Five young Jews disrupt Netanyahu speech with call for new Jewish identity
link to mondoweiss.net
AP article up at Huffington Post, Salon (i beleive), Mondoweiss, Code Pink. Nothing at all up at Firedoglake (Jane Hamsher and Marcy Wheeler seldom if ever touch these stories, while a few of the smaller hitters over there do at times) Nothing at Daily Kos Yet. Will more than likely not make it up over at Crooks and Liars. Total black out on Israeli Palestinian issues over there. Of course the bravest bloggers of all in the so called progressive blogosphere is Glenn Greenwald who will address the I/P issue even when he is on National MSM news outlets. But not Jane Hamsher she is silent on this issue. Even when she is in the National spotlight (Washington Journal Cspan) addressing why progressives are upset with the Obama administration. In 45 minutes Hamsher did not have the balls to even "whisper" about this issue. But Glenn he goes for it. The truth that is.
At Google there are 14 pages of links to newspapers picking the Netanyahu being interrupted story up. All over the nation and world.
Will put money on that Jon Stewart will not touch this story. Never criticizes Netanyahu or other Israeli leaders. Never. Now if this were about the Iranian President Ahmadenijad Stewart would be all over it. Anyone want to bet Stewart will not touch this news on his show
Just watching the rally right now. Up at C-span. 215,ooo quite the crowd. Seemed to go well. Really like that Stewart mentioned leaving the place cleaner than they found it. Also like that Stewart said at the beginning that he was not there to make fun of people who have all ready been actively involved. As if the hundreds of thousands (millions nationwide, 30 million world wide) of people who were out on the streets before the illegal and immoral invasion. The people who marched, lobbied, petitioned their government to stop that bloody invasion have "busy lives" Acknowledging those who take the time to be involved, participate, lobby and protest what their government is doing.
Really like the way they have people interviewing those in the crowd
link to c-span.org
"1 percent of the population has over 40% of the privately owned financial wealth"
Needs to be repeated over and over again.