16 September 2011 — Information Clearing House

US Mendacity Knows No Bounds
US Says State Veto In ‘Interests’ of Palestinians
BY AFP
The United States said Thursday it would block a Palestinian drive for recognition in the United Nations Security Council because it was the only way to help Palestinians frame a genuine state.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29146.htm

Taking on Turkey: Israel’s ‘Dangerous’ Game
By Ramzy Baroud
Turkey had no other option but to escalate before an obstinate ‘ally.’
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29147.htm

What is the True Cost of the Afghanistan War?
By Tony Benn.
With horrific costs in the deaths of thousands of Afghan civilians, and of soldiers sent to kill and be killed. This video, dramatically conveys the cost of wars which are opposed by most people in Britain.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29140.htm
 
Global Nato and the Recolonisation of Africa
Lessons From the Libyan Intervention
By Horace Campbell
A robust propaganda and disinformation campaign by the corporate media covered up the real content of what was happening.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29143.htm

Familiar Hawks Press Obama on Iraq Withdrawal
By Jim Lobe
A familiar group of mainly neo-conservative hawks – many of whom championed the 2003 invasion of Iraq -released an open letter to President Barack Obama Thursday urging him to retain a substantial military force in
that Middle East country beyond this year.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29142.htm

From The Archives – September 29, 2002
The President’s Real Goal in Iraq
By Jay Bookman
Having conquered Iraq, the United States will create permanent military bases in that country from which to dominate the Middle East, including neighboring Iran.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2319.htm

America’s Sham War on Terrorism
By James Bovard
Private cars packed with dynamite are evil, while guided missiles launched from government jet fighters that blow up cars driven by terrorist suspects are good, regardless of how many children are in the back seat at the
time of the “surgical strike.”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29141.htm

America’s Crumbling Infrastructure
By RT
America is literally falling apart. From natural disasters, to massive power blackouts, to bridge collapses, U.S. infrastructure has shown that it is not up to standards.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29145.htm

Free to Die
By Paul Krugman
Compassion is out of fashion – indeed, lack of compassion has become a matter of principle.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29144.htm

Times poll finds a souring mood among troops:
After a decade of war in Afghanistan, many troops are losing confidence in the long-term likelihood of success for the U.S. military mission there, and their overall support for President Obama has slipped, according to the latest Military Times annual reader survey.
http://bit.ly/pW1Gg3
 
Glenn Greenwald: Major Discovery:
A Purpose of the War in Afghanistan: Our invasion and occupation is what enables the Taliban to recruit massive numbers of Afghan teenagers into their cause. And now, we have to stay until we either kill all the people who hate us and want us gone from their country or propagandize deradicalize them into meekly accepting our presence.
http://bit.ly/mODLyf

Official: US dollars ending up in Taliban hands:
U.S. government money spent on contracts in Afghanistan is ending up in the hands of Taliban insurgents that American troops have been fighting for nearly a decade, and it is unlikely the flow can be shut off completely, a senior Pentagon official said Thursday.
http://bit.ly/ocs9KR

15 killed in Syria: Reports:
In the central city of Homs, two demonstrators were shot dead by security forces when several thousand people gathered to protest, activists said.
http://bit.ly/owCeqs

Armed men attack Syrian troops, kill 1:
Armed groups have killed a Syrian law enforcement agent and injured four others in the southern province of Dara’a, SANA reported.
http://presstv.com/detail/199506.html

13 rebels killed as fighting rages in Kadafi’s hometown:
Fighting continued in Moammar Kadafi’s hometown of Sirte on Friday, with 13 anti-government troops reported killed and at least 25 wounded.
http://lat.ms/nrXvTp

Libya fighters forced to retreat:
Libyan government supporters put up fierce resistance against offensives trying to storm two strongholds today, forcing revolutionary fighters into retreat in the mountains and turning Gaddafi’s seaside home town into a battlefield of snipers firing from mosques and heavy weapons rattling main boulevards.
http://www.eecho.ie/news/world/libya-fighters-forced-to-retreat-520909.html

Libyan rebel fighters regroup for new attack on Sirte :
Rebel fighters regrouped on Friday for a new assault on Muammar Qaddafi’s hometown of Sirte, remaining upbeat despite suffering heavy losses the previous day at the hands of the toppled tyrant’s forces.
http://bit.ly/oKtaxe

Rebel troops enter Bani Walid: Reuters witness: –
Libyan fighters poured into a desert town held by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi on Friday as explosions and gunfire echoed around the town’s hills and valleys, a Reuters reporter said.
http://yhoo.it/nab1AY

Rampant racism:
Black migrants barred from fleeing Libya :
Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) wants to screen some 3,000 migrant workers, most of whom are of sub-Saharan origin, to identify Gaddafi mercenaries among them. They will not be allowed out of the country until the process is completed.
https://rt.com/news/libya-black-migrants-abuse-737/

Islamists’ growing sway raises questions for Libya:
The growing influence of Islamists in Libya raises hard questions about the ultimate character of the government and society that will rise in place of Moammar Gadhafi’s autocracy.
http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_18897166?source=rss

Africa Command Learns from Libya Operations: –
 Libya was the first major combat operation for U.S. Africa Command, and its men and women responded well, the unit’s commander said.
http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=65344

US Bombs South Somalia: :
At least three missiles have reportedly been fired by US drones near the Kenya-Somalia border, raising fears of possible casualties, Press TV reports.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/199459.html

Yemeni troops ‘fire on anti-regime demo’:
Yemeni troops opened fire Thursday on thousands of people demonstrating in Taez for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down, wounding at least 10 people, the protesters said.
http://bit.ly/oPJ67c

Hamas, Fatah representatives meet in Gaza ahead of UN bid:
Hamas leader Ismail Radwan, who attended the meeting, said that the sides hold differing opinions on the efficacy of the UN bid for statehood, but agree that national unity is a priority.
http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=238161

Congress mulls closing PLO mission in Washington in light of UN bid:
Congress considers cutting PA aid; former terrorism finance analyst at U.S. Treasury accuses PA President Abbas of being corrupt, recommends that Abbas presidential budget be scrutinized and power of PA PM Fayyad be increased.
http://bit.ly/n4l3FK

U.S. Vetoing Palestinian State It Claims to Support:
“Negotiations with the Israelis were Plan A, but as I have advised the Palestinian leadership since 1987, Plan B would be to get UN full membership. The Israelis have refused to negotiate in good faith for all these years
http://www.accuracy.org/release/u-s-vetoing-palestinian-state-it-claims-to-support/

Israel violates UNSC resolutions: UNIFIL:
UNIFIL’s political director, said on Friday that the Israeli army violates Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on an almost daily basis which is against the UNSC Resolution 1701.
http://presstv.com/detail/199461.html

WHAT!?
Saudis ‘eye Pakistani nukes’ to face Iran: —
Saudi Arabia has been beefing up its military links with Pakistan to counter Iran’s expansionist plans and this reportedly includes acquiring atomic arms from the only Muslim nuclear power or its pledge of nuclear cover
http://bit.ly/pNc65i

USS Cole bombing case called ‘too tainted’ for death penalty trial:
The military’s case against a former Saudi millionaire accused of masterminding the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole is tainted by delay, torture and destruction of evidence, lawyers argued Friday in a bid to spare the Guantánamo captive a death penalty trial.
http://bit.ly/qDHw0Q

War crimes: Dutch state found liable for 1947 massacre of 431 men and boys in Java:
SIXTY-FOUR years after it happened, the Dutch state has been found liable for the deaths of 431 men and boys in a massacre in the Javanese village of Rawagede in 1947 – during a notorious “police action” by colonial troops following Indonesia’s declaration of independence two years earlier.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2011/0916/1224304195266.html

Washington hails NATO radar deployment deal with Turkey:
US officials have called a recently signed agreement between Turkey and the United States on the deployment of a US radar as part of a NATO-backed missile defense system designed to protect European members of the alliance from missile threats
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-256948-washington-hails-nato-radar-deal-with-turkey.html

NATO welcomes U.S.-Polish start of missile defense agreement:
The United States will deploy elements of a missile defense shield in Poland by 2018. The United States and Poland said in a joint statement on Thursday that the Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement of 2008 and its Amending Protocol of 2010 on deployment of the land-based SM-3 system within Poland has entered into force, effective as of September 15, 2011.
http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110916/166891921.html

USA and NATO tighten Anaconda loop around Russia:
Everything indicates that the U.S. military machine and NATO are inexorably approaching the Russian borders
http://english.pravda.ru/world/europe/15-09-2011/119052-romania_usa_missile_defense-0/

Deal near on more US military access in Australia:
An emerging defense agreement would let the U.S. expand its military presence in Australia as the Obama administration and its allies maneuver to counter an “increasingly assertive” China.
http://bo.st/pzPKRq

Hacking: Met use Official Secrets Act to demand Guardian reveals sources:
Unprecedented move sees Scotland Yard use the Official Secrets Act to demand the paper hands over information
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/16/phone-hacking-met-court-order

MI5 recruits “telephone spies” to listen in on London 2012 plots:
The Security Service hopes to find candidates able to eavesdrop on potential terrorists by getting foreign language speakers to play an interactive “game” online.
http://bit.ly/p95O8d

Blackberry would close UK service in unrest if ordered: –
BlackBerry said on Thursday it would close down its hugely popular messenger service in Britain if ordered to at times of civil unrest, after police singled out the system as a key tool used in last month’s riots.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/15/us-britain-riots-rim-idUSTRE78E3YB20110915

Stranger than fiction:
Should Faking a Name on Facebook Be a Felony?:
Congress contemplates draconian punishment for Internet lies.
http://on.wsj.com/rfQS2h

1984 :
Group urges U.S. to adopt electronic ID cards for citizens:
As the Obama administration works on a set of voluntary online credentials for American Web surfers, some technologists say the government should examine Estonia’s mandatory electronic identification cards as a model.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110915_9324.php

John Nichols: Supreme Court Blocks Rick Perry’s Texecution of Inmate ‘Based on the Color of His Skin’:
Texas Governor Rick Perry uses his state’s reputation for killing without question to gain applause for his presidential bid from Tea Party audiences that cannot contain their bloodlust.
http://bit.ly/o1PJ9q

Is China Ready To Pull The Plug?
The debate over the health and longevity of the dollar comes down to one very simple and undeniable root pillar of economics; supply and demand.
http://www.alt-market.com/articles/266-is-china-ready-to-pull-the-plug

War good for US employment:
The Pentagon is warning Congress that potential sweeping cuts to the defence budget would put millions more out of work and add a percentage point to the country’s unemployment rate, officials said Thursday.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world_business/view/1153526/1/.html

Unemployment rates rose in majority of states:
Unemployment rates in August rose in 26 states, fell in 12 and remain unchanged in 12
http://yhoo.it/pSr6kJ

High Stakes Testing in Schools: Who’s Cheating Who?:
“High stakes testing was designed as a Trojan Horse for a corporate educational takeover, but packaged as a public good.”
http://bit.ly/nmlDc7