Sorry, Juan. Like every other commenter, I find it hard to believe your kind words about the warmonger, élite-supporter, anti-worker, anti-poor people, pro-Reagan, POTUS whose only similarity to MLK is his "African-american" label. See the interviews on TRNN of Glen Ford of the Black Agenda Report , or read the BAR article, to see the real differences.
How great that the USA only supplies weapons to peaceloving nations in imminent danger of attacks from outside,eg by Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and other mighty, belligerent imperialists.
The situation is very frightening, and the constant support still given to Israel's every crime by the present Obama administration makes it worse. Israel's present leaders and their more extreme new leaders like Naftali Bennett do not care at all about international opinion, but know the US will never refuse to support Israel's actions. Uri Avnery's two latest articles show the grim picture.
"every bit as frightening as those of Islamist extremists"is too weak, Israeli actions eg the 20 year anti-Iran campaign are much more serious on a large scale.
As for Livni,she is hardly a peacemaker, being one of the main forces behind the Gazan massacre of 2008-9, for which she is very proud, and claimed she would do the same again.
It is a pity it had to be commercialised and made ludicrous.
btw he is NOT an immigrant but on a student visa and is being investigated for working while on such a visa.
Arundhati Roy has written and spoken copiously about the treatment of the poor and landless in the "world's larest democracy". People vote, but no notice is taken of their wishes. The national and regional governments make deals with corporations (Enron was a case in point, supplying vastly expensive electricity) and the forest people (with whom she shared several weeks, written about in Outlook India online) are constantly attacked and pushed aside when mines and dams are planned despite big campaigns against them. The attitude to women (remember all the stories of burning "accidents" to brides whose financial contibution was not enough for grasping inlaws) needs to vastly change.
"Netanyahu.. boxed in by the Obama administration" is a bit kind to jellyfish POTUS, who said NOT ONE WORD of sympathy for the 10 Palestinians killed (59 children) then allowed Susan Rice to do the usual veto of any criticism of Israel in the UNSC.
Thanks Juan, and the great comment too. Don't forget Venezuela as an example for the good actions,as well as Brazil. The rich "representatives of the US citizens" are nothing like representative of the nation As well, figures from the recent election show the huge gerrymandring in so many States, where very small numbers of Democrats were elected, while the votes were proportionally much greater. sorry I forget the link, but it was noticeable. I realise the Dems are bad enough, but the "GOP" now has such power, with the POTUS weakly or willingly bargaining away the rights of the most needy, that there needs to be a real wakeup call to the masses, if they have enough food and energy to respond.
The USA is still claiming it is against the settlements, but refuses to condemn them. Is Obama a complete jellyfish? Does he want the USA continually humiliated like a Palestinian at a checkpoint? The USA should not be able to use its veto again to evade any responsibility for the illegal and cruel behaviour of its "ally".
The glorifying of guns and the supposed "self-defense" seem to be widespread in the USA, but much rarer in civilised societies. Since all the leaders, with few exceptions, support the mighty military madness of the USA, and the MSM make sure everyone has plenty of advice from the corporations and lobbies, the attitude of "I must defend myself with a weapon" excludes normal reactions to everyday interactions with people who may differ from you but are not necessarily criminals or terrorists out to get you.
Thanks Juan for such an informative article.
Assault weapons of any type should have no place in a modern country, and people with "mental illness" need attention and care, preferably no drugs, prison and violence.
When a country defines itself by its exceptionalism and military might, and uses every means to impose its way on the rest of the world by threats or bribes, it is not surprising to see serious violence in the "Homeland".
The US mentality is so different from any other country I know.Individualism, exceptionalism, extreme religiosity, hatred of anyone different, assumption that might is right. I have never seen anyone grabbed, thrown against a car and frisked, or any of the other scenes typical of parts of the USA, or people imprisoned for long sentences for what any normal nation woul consider petty crimes (or non crimes eg returning to the USA when you are tossed out, criminalised a few years ago). Assuming anyone you do not know is an enemy,or those who you do not like to be therefore worth killing, is not a "regular'" reaction in mentally rational people in a democracy.
Notice SoS Hillary repeating that the solution for two states should come from talks between Ramallah and JERUSALEM, ie the divided but occupied "international city" being judaized illegally after annexation not recognised internationally is now taken by Hillary to be the capital of Israel for the "talks" to decide Palestine/Israel .
All the relevant partners-carmakers, local and State governments, federal govt, all abandoned the electric car development when it was well under way and doing well, battery and all, six years ago. Get the great DVD "Who killed the electric car?". It is well worthwhile viewing.
I read almost in disbelief the AIPAC lies passed as a motion without dissent by the "US Senate" and the "US House of Representatives". Every phrase was misrepresentation and every word was blaming Hamas, with not a suggestion of any restraint on Israel's actions (called "self defense"). How can a so-called superpower, or any sovereign State, demean itself by destroying any possible respect any rational observer could have for a "nation" that claims to be a world leader?
The main thing is for people to DEMAND these things, as Obama the jellyfish just will not try unless forced. You are right about the "centrist" position. There are far too many rightwingers -they hate Obama and he needs to lessen their importance, not pander to them.
The UK election cost £58 million. French elections too are very restricted and limited in what is allowed. I consider them reasonably democratic, unlike the complete overreach of the bought and corrupted "elections" of POTUS, Congress, judges, State officials which mercans are able to pretend is somehow related to people selecting leaders who will provide them with policies they want. What a hope!
Thanks Bill and Tom.
Now that this info has endangered the lives of many Libyan 'friends of the USA', unlike the facts made public by Wikileaks which did NOT endanger lives, will a big arrest be made and imprisonment of Darrell Issa????
What a disgusting comment. The USA is a serial aggressor and never pays any kind of reparations. It had an agreement with Iran (secretly of course with Reagan ensuring that Carter lost the 1980 election to him) but did not keep its side of the bargain. To pretend Iran is some sort of criminal state, while supporting the USA's cruel,illegal and unjustified present sanctions on the Iranian people is typical of "exceptional" mercans.
It certainly is a warped world, when people trapped in a prison, guarded and cut off from normal relationships with the rest of the world by our "closest friend and ally", are considered dangerous terrorists to be bombed at any time.
When we consider those killed in the USA on "9/11", a tiny proportion of the population while in "Cast Lead" 1400 Gazans died by IDF intervention out of 1.6 million crowded into that Strip, the fuss made by Mercans about their own safety concerns should really pale into insignificance.
You expect them to stay quietly and accept every belligerent act of the Israelis? I notice Pres. Peres complained that Qatari money is being used to buy rockets; never a mention of US billions to buy devastating weapons to rain on unarmed people in an overcrowded open air prison.
Hizbollah, like Hamas, seeks power in its own territory and is only called terrorist for US political reasons. What could be more violent and invasive than the USA/NATO?
I am sad that despite strenuous efforts, I have never been able to get the Flash Upgrade, so can no longer watch Colbert. What are you supposed to do when the instructions are followed with no result???
Watch the Real News network's recent videos on Spain and the effects of "austerity". The Mutt is outstandingly ignorant- probably never went to a public school.
Suddenly electic cars return, years after they were abandoned by the State, federal and other leaders. Get the DVD "Who killed the electric Car" ans see and hear the familiar names.
the notion that people can resolve their differences peacefully; that diplomacy can take the place of war; and that in an interdependent world, all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens.
He does not mention the 47% who vote Repug come what may. They could be described as greedy, grasping, lacking in any sense of solidarity, fair play, christian charity, human warmth. They could be considered environmental vandals, spoilt brats, wannabe rich guys (so many are not rich, yet vote Repug hoping to join the 1%) and many other unsavoury terms, but I suppose the audience would not like that .
No mention of the huge influence of methane because of the increasing use of cattle as meat consumption rises. Numbers are significant because each methane molecule emitted has many times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide.
This is the way israel treats its friends ie the USA, which allows israel to act as if it is always at war and can therefore get away with anything. Never does israel consider others as humans, or people to be negotiated with, or treated fairly.
Azad has not mentioned the new IAEA report that the West is trying to distort; it makes clear Iran's truthful explanation of its civil nuclear activity.
Why on earth is he calling the UNSG Mr Moon????It is Mr Ban,as anyone should know.
This terrible woman who "represents" Floridan Mercans is also in charge of an important foreign relations committee, so she has weight in the Congress. Incredible lies just accepted by the listeners.
None of the GWOT invasions and occupations are justified anyway, so discussion of people's religion, even if it were true, should not be a part of military training unless it is to help the invaders have some clue on what they are doing.
Obama has raised the USA in the eyes of the world????His election did, when people thought there would be change after the W disaster, but ever since, the world now knows.
ObL's death??? what happened to "look forward, not back"?
Romney, after WBush then Obama, only shows that when a POTUS is excrutiatingly bad, an even worse one is possible.
Why is Israel allowed to take the control of all this discussion, when
1.they have at least 200 nukes and are always keen to attack others
2. they are not part of the IAEA/NPT
3.they lie all the time yet want to disbelieve a known religious leader
It was the still extant Henry Kissinger who suggested to the Shah that Iran should invest in nuclear energy for its future.Iran was part of Eurodif and paid into this European consortium. It has never been repaid.
The cruel counterproductive measures, even without further attacks, are a disgrace to the USA which has instigated them and forced others to join.
It is still a ridiculous waste of space, enrgy, brainpower, money etc to have all this for potential "terrorists" whose likelihood of attack is alost nil. Why would they? As bin Laden himself said, you just need to go to a remote spot and cry "AlQaeda" and the USans are terrified.
Ralph Nader pointed out that even before Obama's further loosening of any industrial safety rules, the USA has nearly 60 000 fatal work-related injuries per year, putting to near oblivion the deaths of 9/11, imputed to Islamic terrorists who have never been tried.
Sounds like sensible advice to me. Why does the USA think "all options on the table" does not include talks and negotiations, in a civilised way? USans do not even seem aware that the "supreme leader", not the Iranian president, controls foreign policy.
I have long wondered about the real purpose of SWIFT. I make money transfers and am never sure of the SWIFT code, but it never seems to matter. I read that it is really the US tracking "terrorist transfers " of money, and the EU did not like the interference of the USA in its transactions.
I hope SimoHurtta is right, and other arangements are made.
India would be foolish to abandon all its former nonaligned benefits to join the US crusade against "enemies".
The polls show that the US public is NOT represented in the congress. Even in the poll, the questions were "leading", eg assuming that Iran was making nukes and the attack would stop this) so people may be even more canny than shown here.
All Yanks need to go home and put their own house in order. So much needs to be done in the USA-for example, learn a bit of history, understanding, science eg climate change, peace studies, how to get along with others rather than invade and murder them. No wonder the USA and Israel are such pals; the same mentality of "We cannot be wrong; we do anything we like".
With all that money it would be so easy to give a decent life to all those people, without the need for repression and violence. constitutional monarchy is hardly removing the top families from power or killing them off.
Excellent article. It has been known by anyone who bothered to enquire that the Supreme authority in matters of foreign policy was Khamenei, but the Zionist media chose never to mention these speeches, and misconstrued the Iranian President's words to pretend Israel, and even the USA, was in mortal danger.
No admirer of Netanyahu???? distortion of israeli voices??
You might like to have a look at the interview on CNN international with Mark Regev on the hunger strike saga.
How long have you been asleep? Suicide bombings were abandoned more than six years ago (always assuming, of course, that giving up one's own life is less brave than ensuring only others are killed).
The acceptance by the USA of Israeli paranoid foreign policy and cruel domestic illegal occupation of Palestine is a disgrace.
The Sick Rants of this man show how far the "christian" influence has gone in the USA. Noam Chomsky in his speech on 27 Jan said that the US has religious extremists (from a world point of view) but they are not considered extreme in the US. This seems to be true. Here in France mostpeople are nominal Catholics, and churches and crucifixes abound, with saints' names on every day on every calendar, but NOBODY interferes with others' beliefs or lack of them. Crosses are not allowed in schools, any more than muslim signs (since 1905!).
The UNGA unfortunately, has little impact. Every year they vote overwhelmingly to remove the blocade on Cuba. Frequently they condemn Israel's constant illegal actions agianst palestin ians and Israel's neighbours. These do not get reported in the MSM.
It is worth visiting the site capitolsteps/lirty dies to hear comments on US leaders eg "Gush and Bore. Gush couldn't frick Pants on a wap of the murld". His QI is in the dingle sigits.
I don't know what treatment the present GOP candidates wouldget, but one has a great name to flip : Sick Rantorum.
The US gives the lowest % of GNP in "foreign aid" of any developed country, and most is tied (ie spent in US), military, and for political purposes, not to reduce poverty or help the needy.
It is apparent that the "candidates" for the Repugs are designed to allow Obama to win by default. He acts like a Repug, is subservient to Israel, and will never condemn his criminal predecessors.
So it is more than two centuries! Also, the US invasion of Iraq may have been the first this century, but what about fifty or so since WW2? (listed by William Blum in "Rogue Stat", a book full of useful info.) The US hubris is staggering.
Thanks for the great blog, Juan.
If the POTUS could convince Israel to join a non-nuclear group,as every other country in the region wants, including of course Iran, it would be a miracle.
It cannot be true that Obama was "ambushed", yet would seem weak to refuse Israel's immoral demands- it would be the only strong thing he has done in three years. Would it not be worth stopping this potential, avoidable catastrophe? Just say no to any further aggression, stop the war crime sanctions, work with Iran!!.
I agree with Steve H. Suth Korea has been manipulated and militarised for over forty years by the USA, and has done well despite the interference in its politics. The USA does not aid nations, it bribes them. Israel without US aid would be less of a problem. Others, like Georgia,would be more restrained.
Worse than that, it stops other countries who do work with Iran from trading with the USA. Madness. The sanctions on Cuba for 60 years are in this category on a smaller scale. Why not treat Iran as the sovereign oilrich, cultured country it is? 25 years under the Shah and SAVAK are enough cruelty to Iran.
So what? If India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, not to mention the belligerent and provocative USA have nuclear weapons, they need some deterrent (which, like the others, should never be used). Iran is just the latest "enemy" of paranoid Israel which has to rule the roost.
Cheney is still giving advice; to suggest thet the USA should have gone into Iran or bombed frantically to get back or destroy the lost drone sinks to lower depths than his 1% plans.
Hamdi vs Rumsfeld was one of the most egregious cases of false conviction. The situation now seems to have no reality, as the old anticommunist rants had some merit, but the pretence that "terror" is somehow an existential threat to the USA is lunacy. Rights fought for over centuries have vanished.
It will only "come to that" because of the belligerence and unfairness of the Israeli governments actions.
As for quoting pre-WW2 ministers, even the USA had this policy, which is hardly the 2011 situation. Many present-day Jews in Canada, USA, Europe are now in positions of power and influence, and they admit that their success has been possible because of the laws in those democratic lands. Israel is certainly not as attractive for most Jews in the diaspora.
Not only is there a demonisation of Iran which is orchestrated by USI, but the whole idea that secret production of one or two nukes is putting Israel (no one else matters) or the whole world (Netanyahu's interpretation) in danger is preposterous. Israel's secret nukes are known, the USA has over 5000 and India, Pakista
There is a marvellous site in the UK detailing the acts of groups dedicated to preserving public space. They use humour and innovative nonviolent actions . Space hijackers.uk.
I agree. Well put and to the point. Any attack on Iran would be devastating for all concerned, and is completely unjustifiable unless you are Mcdonnell Douglas, Raytheon et al. Gwynne Dyer made a good point that secretly building one or two nukes would be pointless, as it is for deterring others that nukes are used. Ahmedinejad himself said that Iran would hardly use its one purported bomb against Israel with hundreds, USA with 5133 nukes; the "West" is behaving quite irrationally, just to back up Israel and its uninspected but known nukes and its belligerence and threats.
Unfortunately Sarkozy is very proZionist and has already indicated that "France" (ie him) will not vote in the UNSC for Palestine, thus ensuring that there will not be nine votes and that "dear friend Barack" will not have to use his veto.
You are far too kind to compare spineless Obama to confident Ike. Uri Avnery continues to be sure Israel will not attack, as the consequences would be catastrophic. This would not matter to Bibi and Barak, of course, but the USA would not allow it, as Juan says. The extra sanctions on Iran are the reward Israel will get, counterproductive as they are.
I am ashamed that Australia, my homeland, voted no, but not surpised, especially with the fanatical zionist Gizzard as PM.
btw, Juan, I read that UNESCO is one of the few UN bodies which is pro-Israel, but with US not paying for Holocaust education in ignorant countries any more, this will sadly be lost.
Just to add to Juan's great reply: There is always this "jewish people" lie, as if most Jews expect to live on stolen land, claimed to be from G-d the real estate agent. As for Ken's "absurd anti-isael" comment, does he ever read the MSM? Juan is very measured in his arguments.
This is why they keep expanding, to ensure they cannot be made to return the land. With the influx of former USSR hardliners like A Lieberman, thes numbers have escalated hugely since the Oslo process.
Woodrow Wilson was cerebral? He was pushed into the WH in 1912 by Republican bankers splitting the vote with a fake new party candidate, knowing that Wilson would be more pliable, as indeed he was. First the Federal Reserve Bank Law gave the private bankers control of the nation's money, then the loans to UK and France for WW1, and all the ups and downs ever since. Look at the USA now!
Cerebral? A pawn, like Obama.
Joe! the Iraqis are in what remains of their own land, are paying for the "reconstruction" with some of their oil money. Insurgency???? who has a right to be there and fight back against an invader? the USA???
Who knows who the rebels represent? In Palestine they are called terrorists,even if they are educated and articulate like Ismael Haniyeh, and no suggestion is made to allow them to be accepted, and they were democratically elected. Why suddenly support these rebels ?(insurgents? militants? fanatics? islamists?)
I agree with the other two comments. Suicide bombing is observed to be the work only of desperate people defending their home. It is the ONLY form of terrorism not begun and used by Israel, and for that reason is constantly put forward as far worse than when the perpetrators are safely away, as in Israeli and US drones, or in tanks. btw, Hamas abandoned suicide attacks over 5 years ago, but the way Israel talks, you would never guess.
None of the "western", NATO, US leaders seem to care at all about the poor country of Afghanistan,only about their troop losses, their reelections, the continuation of a completely unnecessary and dangerous international warmaking machine which should have been abandoned when its "enemy" disappeared twenty years ago. STOP NATO (read the posts on this site).
Stop US imperialism!
I wonder how proud "W" Bush and his friend Blair feel about their policies that have not only ruined an advanced, educated, secular society, but have caused one of the oldest Christian cmmunities in the world to be targeted, killed or forced to flee. Both these "leaders" pretend to be Christians.
Also remember the disgraceful demonization and incarceration of thousands of Japanese-americans for years during WW2, despite their known patriotism and American citizenship (up to 4 generations). Dorothy Lange's books with official photos are poignant. It seems the US has to have enemies.
How sad to have the aggressors making excuses again. They have all the MSM, the Congress, public opinion through lies, US financing, constant attacks on neighbours. Withdraw from Gaza????it is under siege. PA illegal pres? What about the legal Hamas government you and the US overthrew?
The true statement you made is that "Israel is Palestine as well". Why cannot you accept the generous amount you were given in 1947, and that ALL Arab groups and Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah agree to? Peace would be too hard to take, i expect.
Israel is never satisfied, and the Repubs are even more proZionist than Obama. Now he is saying Israel and the Palestinians have to sort out their differences without him, as if the $3000million per year, the UN vetoes, the Zionist Congress, the obsequiousness of Europe were evenly distributed between Israel and the land it holds completely, and illegally, in its control.
Thanks for a great article. Obama could STILL tell Israel, and mean it, that if it attacks Iran it is on its own. There is no conceivable reason USA is in any danger from Iran, which anyway has never threatened to attack anyone UNLESS attacked, which seems normal to normal humans.
Israel and USA have to dominate the region and the world, but if they really attack Iran, when they cannot pretend there is a threat to them, then let us hope this article is right. USA and Israel do not provide a sound basis for running the whole world, and if they would try diplomacy, fairness and democracy for a change, wht a different world it would be.
Sorry, Juan. Like every other commenter, I find it hard to believe your kind words about the warmonger, élite-supporter, anti-worker, anti-poor people, pro-Reagan, POTUS whose only similarity to MLK is his "African-american" label. See the interviews on TRNN of Glen Ford of the Black Agenda Report , or read the BAR article, to see the real differences.
We had this (equal pay for women) in Australia when I started work as a teacher in 1962.
How great that the USA only supplies weapons to peaceloving nations in imminent danger of attacks from outside,eg by Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and other mighty, belligerent imperialists.
The situation is very frightening, and the constant support still given to Israel's every crime by the present Obama administration makes it worse. Israel's present leaders and their more extreme new leaders like Naftali Bennett do not care at all about international opinion, but know the US will never refuse to support Israel's actions. Uri Avnery's two latest articles show the grim picture.
"every bit as frightening as those of Islamist extremists"is too weak, Israeli actions eg the 20 year anti-Iran campaign are much more serious on a large scale.
As for Livni,she is hardly a peacemaker, being one of the main forces behind the Gazan massacre of 2008-9, for which she is very proud, and claimed she would do the same again.
It is a pity it had to be commercialised and made ludicrous.
btw he is NOT an immigrant but on a student visa and is being investigated for working while on such a visa.
Thanks for the analysis, Juan, and the comments too. Don has a good finish to cheer us up as well!
Arundhati Roy has written and spoken copiously about the treatment of the poor and landless in the "world's larest democracy". People vote, but no notice is taken of their wishes. The national and regional governments make deals with corporations (Enron was a case in point, supplying vastly expensive electricity) and the forest people (with whom she shared several weeks, written about in Outlook India online) are constantly attacked and pushed aside when mines and dams are planned despite big campaigns against them. The attitude to women (remember all the stories of burning "accidents" to brides whose financial contibution was not enough for grasping inlaws) needs to vastly change.
"Netanyahu.. boxed in by the Obama administration" is a bit kind to jellyfish POTUS, who said NOT ONE WORD of sympathy for the 10 Palestinians killed (59 children) then allowed Susan Rice to do the usual veto of any criticism of Israel in the UNSC.
Thanks Juan for a very informative and interesting post.
Thanks Juan, and the great comment too. Don't forget Venezuela as an example for the good actions,as well as Brazil. The rich "representatives of the US citizens" are nothing like representative of the nation As well, figures from the recent election show the huge gerrymandring in so many States, where very small numbers of Democrats were elected, while the votes were proportionally much greater. sorry I forget the link, but it was noticeable. I realise the Dems are bad enough, but the "GOP" now has such power, with the POTUS weakly or willingly bargaining away the rights of the most needy, that there needs to be a real wakeup call to the masses, if they have enough food and energy to respond.
The USA is still claiming it is against the settlements, but refuses to condemn them. Is Obama a complete jellyfish? Does he want the USA continually humiliated like a Palestinian at a checkpoint? The USA should not be able to use its veto again to evade any responsibility for the illegal and cruel behaviour of its "ally".
btw I am in France and the video is suppressed.
Susan Rice must be delighted to continue in her Zionist-first role.
The glorifying of guns and the supposed "self-defense" seem to be widespread in the USA, but much rarer in civilised societies. Since all the leaders, with few exceptions, support the mighty military madness of the USA, and the MSM make sure everyone has plenty of advice from the corporations and lobbies, the attitude of "I must defend myself with a weapon" excludes normal reactions to everyday interactions with people who may differ from you but are not necessarily criminals or terrorists out to get you.
Thanks Juan for such an informative article.
Assault weapons of any type should have no place in a modern country, and people with "mental illness" need attention and care, preferably no drugs, prison and violence.
When a country defines itself by its exceptionalism and military might, and uses every means to impose its way on the rest of the world by threats or bribes, it is not surprising to see serious violence in the "Homeland".
The US mentality is so different from any other country I know.Individualism, exceptionalism, extreme religiosity, hatred of anyone different, assumption that might is right. I have never seen anyone grabbed, thrown against a car and frisked, or any of the other scenes typical of parts of the USA, or people imprisoned for long sentences for what any normal nation woul consider petty crimes (or non crimes eg returning to the USA when you are tossed out, criminalised a few years ago). Assuming anyone you do not know is an enemy,or those who you do not like to be therefore worth killing, is not a "regular'" reaction in mentally rational people in a democracy.
Notice SoS Hillary repeating that the solution for two states should come from talks between Ramallah and JERUSALEM, ie the divided but occupied "international city" being judaized illegally after annexation not recognised internationally is now taken by Hillary to be the capital of Israel for the "talks" to decide Palestine/Israel .
All the relevant partners-carmakers, local and State governments, federal govt, all abandoned the electric car development when it was well under way and doing well, battery and all, six years ago. Get the great DVD "Who killed the electric car?". It is well worthwhile viewing.
I read almost in disbelief the AIPAC lies passed as a motion without dissent by the "US Senate" and the "US House of Representatives". Every phrase was misrepresentation and every word was blaming Hamas, with not a suggestion of any restraint on Israel's actions (called "self defense"). How can a so-called superpower, or any sovereign State, demean itself by destroying any possible respect any rational observer could have for a "nation" that claims to be a world leader?
sorry, accept is the word I mangled.
How even the USA/UK can spout on about "self defence" is so extreme that no rational human could aept it.
From what I have read the emails were not threatening "get off my man" type, but more general and not even mentioning Petraeus.
I am glad to say I have NO facebook etc account and not even a mobile phone! It is possible to survive this way.
The main thing is for people to DEMAND these things, as Obama the jellyfish just will not try unless forced. You are right about the "centrist" position. There are far too many rightwingers -they hate Obama and he needs to lessen their importance, not pander to them.
The UK election cost £58 million. French elections too are very restricted and limited in what is allowed. I consider them reasonably democratic, unlike the complete overreach of the bought and corrupted "elections" of POTUS, Congress, judges, State officials which mercans are able to pretend is somehow related to people selecting leaders who will provide them with policies they want. What a hope!
Thanks Bill and Tom.
How heartwarming to belong to a truly Christian nation.
Now that this info has endangered the lives of many Libyan 'friends of the USA', unlike the facts made public by Wikileaks which did NOT endanger lives, will a big arrest be made and imprisonment of Darrell Issa????
What a disgusting comment. The USA is a serial aggressor and never pays any kind of reparations. It had an agreement with Iran (secretly of course with Reagan ensuring that Carter lost the 1980 election to him) but did not keep its side of the bargain. To pretend Iran is some sort of criminal state, while supporting the USA's cruel,illegal and unjustified present sanctions on the Iranian people is typical of "exceptional" mercans.
It certainly is a warped world, when people trapped in a prison, guarded and cut off from normal relationships with the rest of the world by our "closest friend and ally", are considered dangerous terrorists to be bombed at any time.
When we consider those killed in the USA on "9/11", a tiny proportion of the population while in "Cast Lead" 1400 Gazans died by IDF intervention out of 1.6 million crowded into that Strip, the fuss made by Mercans about their own safety concerns should really pale into insignificance.
Retaliated? You mean the "IDF" never acts first????
You expect them to stay quietly and accept every belligerent act of the Israelis? I notice Pres. Peres complained that Qatari money is being used to buy rockets; never a mention of US billions to buy devastating weapons to rain on unarmed people in an overcrowded open air prison.
Hizbollah, like Hamas, seeks power in its own territory and is only called terrorist for US political reasons. What could be more violent and invasive than the USA/NATO?
I am sad that despite strenuous efforts, I have never been able to get the Flash Upgrade, so can no longer watch Colbert. What are you supposed to do when the instructions are followed with no result???
Watch the Real News network's recent videos on Spain and the effects of "austerity". The Mutt is outstandingly ignorant- probably never went to a public school.
Suddenly electic cars return, years after they were abandoned by the State, federal and other leaders. Get the DVD "Who killed the electric Car" ans see and hear the familiar names.
the notion that people can resolve their differences peacefully; that diplomacy can take the place of war; and that in an interdependent world, all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens.
If only the USA could ever follow these ideals.
He does not mention the 47% who vote Repug come what may. They could be described as greedy, grasping, lacking in any sense of solidarity, fair play, christian charity, human warmth. They could be considered environmental vandals, spoilt brats, wannabe rich guys (so many are not rich, yet vote Repug hoping to join the 1%) and many other unsavoury terms, but I suppose the audience would not like that .
No mention of the huge influence of methane because of the increasing use of cattle as meat consumption rises. Numbers are significant because each methane molecule emitted has many times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide.
This is the way israel treats its friends ie the USA, which allows israel to act as if it is always at war and can therefore get away with anything. Never does israel consider others as humans, or people to be negotiated with, or treated fairly.
Azad has not mentioned the new IAEA report that the West is trying to distort; it makes clear Iran's truthful explanation of its civil nuclear activity.
Why on earth is he calling the UNSG Mr Moon????It is Mr Ban,as anyone should know.
This terrible woman who "represents" Floridan Mercans is also in charge of an important foreign relations committee, so she has weight in the Congress. Incredible lies just accepted by the listeners.
Obama is bad enough, but the Mutt seems incredibly ignorant as well as racist, islamophobic, Bibiphilic and ugly!
None of the GWOT invasions and occupations are justified anyway, so discussion of people's religion, even if it were true, should not be a part of military training unless it is to help the invaders have some clue on what they are doing.
USA/human rights. Don't mention them in the same sentence.
The Real News Network has excellent on the spot reporting of this.
Obama has raised the USA in the eyes of the world????His election did, when people thought there would be change after the W disaster, but ever since, the world now knows.
ObL's death??? what happened to "look forward, not back"?
Romney, after WBush then Obama, only shows that when a POTUS is excrutiatingly bad, an even worse one is possible.
Why is Israel allowed to take the control of all this discussion, when
1.they have at least 200 nukes and are always keen to attack others
2. they are not part of the IAEA/NPT
3.they lie all the time yet want to disbelieve a known religious leader
It was the still extant Henry Kissinger who suggested to the Shah that Iran should invest in nuclear energy for its future.Iran was part of Eurodif and paid into this European consortium. It has never been repaid.
The cruel counterproductive measures, even without further attacks, are a disgrace to the USA which has instigated them and forced others to join.
Any support group which includes John Bolton is more than suspect.
It is still a ridiculous waste of space, enrgy, brainpower, money etc to have all this for potential "terrorists" whose likelihood of attack is alost nil. Why would they? As bin Laden himself said, you just need to go to a remote spot and cry "AlQaeda" and the USans are terrified.
Ralph Nader pointed out that even before Obama's further loosening of any industrial safety rules, the USA has nearly 60 000 fatal work-related injuries per year, putting to near oblivion the deaths of 9/11, imputed to Islamic terrorists who have never been tried.
Sounds like sensible advice to me. Why does the USA think "all options on the table" does not include talks and negotiations, in a civilised way? USans do not even seem aware that the "supreme leader", not the Iranian president, controls foreign policy.
I have just read that the USA is pleased that Shater is being put forward after all. Sounds ominous.
I have long wondered about the real purpose of SWIFT. I make money transfers and am never sure of the SWIFT code, but it never seems to matter. I read that it is really the US tracking "terrorist transfers " of money, and the EU did not like the interference of the USA in its transactions.
I hope SimoHurtta is right, and other arangements are made.
India would be foolish to abandon all its former nonaligned benefits to join the US crusade against "enemies".
The polls show that the US public is NOT represented in the congress. Even in the poll, the questions were "leading", eg assuming that Iran was making nukes and the attack would stop this) so people may be even more canny than shown here.
All Yanks need to go home and put their own house in order. So much needs to be done in the USA-for example, learn a bit of history, understanding, science eg climate change, peace studies, how to get along with others rather than invade and murder them. No wonder the USA and Israel are such pals; the same mentality of "We cannot be wrong; we do anything we like".
With all that money it would be so easy to give a decent life to all those people, without the need for repression and violence. constitutional monarchy is hardly removing the top families from power or killing them off.
What a stupid waste. It is the road that is moving, not the robot, but I suppose it does little ham compared with DARPA's normal inventions.
Excellent article. It has been known by anyone who bothered to enquire that the Supreme authority in matters of foreign policy was Khamenei, but the Zionist media chose never to mention these speeches, and misconstrued the Iranian President's words to pretend Israel, and even the USA, was in mortal danger.
No admirer of Netanyahu???? distortion of israeli voices??
You might like to have a look at the interview on CNN international with Mark Regev on the hunger strike saga.
How long have you been asleep? Suicide bombings were abandoned more than six years ago (always assuming, of course, that giving up one's own life is less brave than ensuring only others are killed).
The acceptance by the USA of Israeli paranoid foreign policy and cruel domestic illegal occupation of Palestine is a disgrace.
If Obama is an environmentalist, forget about any future for humanity. If Santorum becomes POTUS, emigrate.
The Sick Rants of this man show how far the "christian" influence has gone in the USA. Noam Chomsky in his speech on 27 Jan said that the US has religious extremists (from a world point of view) but they are not considered extreme in the US. This seems to be true. Here in France mostpeople are nominal Catholics, and churches and crucifixes abound, with saints' names on every day on every calendar, but NOBODY interferes with others' beliefs or lack of them. Crosses are not allowed in schools, any more than muslim signs (since 1905!).
The UNGA unfortunately, has little impact. Every year they vote overwhelmingly to remove the blocade on Cuba. Frequently they condemn Israel's constant illegal actions agianst palestin ians and Israel's neighbours. These do not get reported in the MSM.
Angry Arab said this "The US explained that the veto is only used to protect Israel against criticism of its war crimes"!!
It is worth visiting the site capitolsteps/lirty dies to hear comments on US leaders eg "Gush and Bore. Gush couldn't frick Pants on a wap of the murld". His QI is in the dingle sigits.
I don't know what treatment the present GOP candidates wouldget, but one has a great name to flip : Sick Rantorum.
The US gives the lowest % of GNP in "foreign aid" of any developed country, and most is tied (ie spent in US), military, and for political purposes, not to reduce poverty or help the needy.
It is apparent that the "candidates" for the Repugs are designed to allow Obama to win by default. He acts like a Repug, is subservient to Israel, and will never condemn his criminal predecessors.
So it is more than two centuries! Also, the US invasion of Iraq may have been the first this century, but what about fifty or so since WW2? (listed by William Blum in "Rogue Stat", a book full of useful info.) The US hubris is staggering.
Thanks for the great blog, Juan.
If the POTUS could convince Israel to join a non-nuclear group,as every other country in the region wants, including of course Iran, it would be a miracle.
It cannot be true that Obama was "ambushed", yet would seem weak to refuse Israel's immoral demands- it would be the only strong thing he has done in three years. Would it not be worth stopping this potential, avoidable catastrophe? Just say no to any further aggression, stop the war crime sanctions, work with Iran!!.
I agree with Steve H. Suth Korea has been manipulated and militarised for over forty years by the USA, and has done well despite the interference in its politics. The USA does not aid nations, it bribes them. Israel without US aid would be less of a problem. Others, like Georgia,would be more restrained.
Worse than that, it stops other countries who do work with Iran from trading with the USA. Madness. The sanctions on Cuba for 60 years are in this category on a smaller scale. Why not treat Iran as the sovereign oilrich, cultured country it is? 25 years under the Shah and SAVAK are enough cruelty to Iran.
So what? If India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, not to mention the belligerent and provocative USA have nuclear weapons, they need some deterrent (which, like the others, should never be used). Iran is just the latest "enemy" of paranoid Israel which has to rule the roost.
Cheney is still giving advice; to suggest thet the USA should have gone into Iran or bombed frantically to get back or destroy the lost drone sinks to lower depths than his 1% plans.
Hamdi vs Rumsfeld was one of the most egregious cases of false conviction. The situation now seems to have no reality, as the old anticommunist rants had some merit, but the pretence that "terror" is somehow an existential threat to the USA is lunacy. Rights fought for over centuries have vanished.
It will only "come to that" because of the belligerence and unfairness of the Israeli governments actions.
As for quoting pre-WW2 ministers, even the USA had this policy, which is hardly the 2011 situation. Many present-day Jews in Canada, USA, Europe are now in positions of power and influence, and they admit that their success has been possible because of the laws in those democratic lands. Israel is certainly not as attractive for most Jews in the diaspora.
I wonder if this will let the Israeli warmongers think again about their easy strikes at iran's nonexistent nukes.
I love the definition COMA; thanks bellchambers.
How did Elliott Abrams get into this list? and "Freedom House" ? Strange bedfellows, Juan.
Not only is there a demonisation of Iran which is orchestrated by USI, but the whole idea that secret production of one or two nukes is putting Israel (no one else matters) or the whole world (Netanyahu's interpretation) in danger is preposterous. Israel's secret nukes are known, the USA has over 5000 and India, Pakista
There is a marvellous site in the UK detailing the acts of groups dedicated to preserving public space. They use humour and innovative nonviolent actions . Space hijackers.uk.
Why would the police need to come at 1am?
I agree. Well put and to the point. Any attack on Iran would be devastating for all concerned, and is completely unjustifiable unless you are Mcdonnell Douglas, Raytheon et al. Gwynne Dyer made a good point that secretly building one or two nukes would be pointless, as it is for deterring others that nukes are used. Ahmedinejad himself said that Iran would hardly use its one purported bomb against Israel with hundreds, USA with 5133 nukes; the "West" is behaving quite irrationally, just to back up Israel and its uninspected but known nukes and its belligerence and threats.
Unfortunately Sarkozy is very proZionist and has already indicated that "France" (ie him) will not vote in the UNSC for Palestine, thus ensuring that there will not be nine votes and that "dear friend Barack" will not have to use his veto.
You are far too kind to compare spineless Obama to confident Ike. Uri Avnery continues to be sure Israel will not attack, as the consequences would be catastrophic. This would not matter to Bibi and Barak, of course, but the USA would not allow it, as Juan says. The extra sanctions on Iran are the reward Israel will get, counterproductive as they are.
I am ashamed that Australia, my homeland, voted no, but not surpised, especially with the fanatical zionist Gizzard as PM.
btw, Juan, I read that UNESCO is one of the few UN bodies which is pro-Israel, but with US not paying for Holocaust education in ignorant countries any more, this will sadly be lost.
No wonder only about 13% of the public now supportsd the congress at all (latest poll).
Just to add to Juan's great reply: There is always this "jewish people" lie, as if most Jews expect to live on stolen land, claimed to be from G-d the real estate agent. As for Ken's "absurd anti-isael" comment, does he ever read the MSM? Juan is very measured in his arguments.
This is why they keep expanding, to ensure they cannot be made to return the land. With the influx of former USSR hardliners like A Lieberman, thes numbers have escalated hugely since the Oslo process.
Woodrow Wilson was cerebral? He was pushed into the WH in 1912 by Republican bankers splitting the vote with a fake new party candidate, knowing that Wilson would be more pliable, as indeed he was. First the Federal Reserve Bank Law gave the private bankers control of the nation's money, then the loans to UK and France for WW1, and all the ups and downs ever since. Look at the USA now!
Cerebral? A pawn, like Obama.
You choose to believe what you have already decided is true.
Joe! the Iraqis are in what remains of their own land, are paying for the "reconstruction" with some of their oil money. Insurgency???? who has a right to be there and fight back against an invader? the USA???
Who knows who the rebels represent? In Palestine they are called terrorists,even if they are educated and articulate like Ismael Haniyeh, and no suggestion is made to allow them to be accepted, and they were democratically elected. Why suddenly support these rebels ?(insurgents? militants? fanatics? islamists?)
I agree with the other two comments. Suicide bombing is observed to be the work only of desperate people defending their home. It is the ONLY form of terrorism not begun and used by Israel, and for that reason is constantly put forward as far worse than when the perpetrators are safely away, as in Israeli and US drones, or in tanks. btw, Hamas abandoned suicide attacks over 5 years ago, but the way Israel talks, you would never guess.
None of the "western", NATO, US leaders seem to care at all about the poor country of Afghanistan,only about their troop losses, their reelections, the continuation of a completely unnecessary and dangerous international warmaking machine which should have been abandoned when its "enemy" disappeared twenty years ago. STOP NATO (read the posts on this site).
Stop US imperialism!
I wonder how proud "W" Bush and his friend Blair feel about their policies that have not only ruined an advanced, educated, secular society, but have caused one of the oldest Christian cmmunities in the world to be targeted, killed or forced to flee. Both these "leaders" pretend to be Christians.
Also remember the disgraceful demonization and incarceration of thousands of Japanese-americans for years during WW2, despite their known patriotism and American citizenship (up to 4 generations). Dorothy Lange's books with official photos are poignant. It seems the US has to have enemies.
How sad to have the aggressors making excuses again. They have all the MSM, the Congress, public opinion through lies, US financing, constant attacks on neighbours. Withdraw from Gaza????it is under siege. PA illegal pres? What about the legal Hamas government you and the US overthrew?
The true statement you made is that "Israel is Palestine as well". Why cannot you accept the generous amount you were given in 1947, and that ALL Arab groups and Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah agree to? Peace would be too hard to take, i expect.
and the state of Palestine was supposed to be gazetted by October 1948. We are still waiting.
Israel is never satisfied, and the Repubs are even more proZionist than Obama. Now he is saying Israel and the Palestinians have to sort out their differences without him, as if the $3000million per year, the UN vetoes, the Zionist Congress, the obsequiousness of Europe were evenly distributed between Israel and the land it holds completely, and illegally, in its control.
what second term? He can show some backbone for once, and it would be easy.
Thanks for a great article. Obama could STILL tell Israel, and mean it, that if it attacks Iran it is on its own. There is no conceivable reason USA is in any danger from Iran, which anyway has never threatened to attack anyone UNLESS attacked, which seems normal to normal humans.
Israel and USA have to dominate the region and the world, but if they really attack Iran, when they cannot pretend there is a threat to them, then let us hope this article is right. USA and Israel do not provide a sound basis for running the whole world, and if they would try diplomacy, fairness and democracy for a change, wht a different world it would be.