8 February, 2012 — Information Clearing House

Intervention in Syria will Escalate Not Stop the Killing
By Seumas Milne
For the US, Britain and their allies to indulge in moral posturing over Syria or pose as friends of its people is preposterous.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30472.htm

US Will Continue to Arm Anti-government Rebels in Syria
By Pepe Escobar
“This is an insurrection funded by foreign governments” http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30474.htm

Obama Can Stop Israel from Attacking Iran
By Sheldon Richman
It’s not too late to prevent another war in the Middle East. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30473.htm

Will Iran Be Attacked?
By Paul Craig Roberts
There seems to be an infinite supply of foreign leaders who prefer Washington’s money and favor to loyalty to their own countries’ interests. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30477.htm

Playing with Fire
By Mike Prokosch
Instead of firing teachers, closing libraries and senior centers, and cutting bus routes, let’s put the Pentagon on a diet. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30475.htm

Children of Immigrants Targeted by Tax Warfare in Congress
By Michelle Chen
The fundamental injustice of the tax system grows clearer as tax day looms ominously over working people and a few horde more and more of the nation’s wealth. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30476.htm

US Kills 10 People In Pakistan: A United States drone targeted a compound in the restive North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan today, killing 10 suspected militants, officials said. http://bit.ly/AtJWs9

Fact or fiction?
Afghan official: Top US envoy met Taliban leaders in Qatar: “I can confirm that Mr Grossman met with the Taliban representatives in Qatar. When the president (Karzai) was in Rome, he came over to his residence and briefed him about his meetings with the Taliban,” the official said. http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=50523

67% Favor Ending U.S. Combat Role in Afghanistan by Next Year: Voters strongly favor the Obama administration’s plan to wrap up U.S. combat action in Afghanistan by the middle of next year http://bit.ly/xcD1pq

Official: U.S. misjudged al-Qaida capabilities:
With the benefit of more than a decade of hindsight, America may have misjudged the true threat posed by al-Qaeda in the immediate aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, a top Pentagon official said Tuesday. http://bit.ly/ztyN2S

Suicide car bomb kills 11 in Somali capital: A suicide bomber killed at least 11 people Wednesday in the war-torn Somali capital Mogadishu when he detonated an explosive-laden vehicle near the presidential palace, officials said. http://bit.ly/wXaOF2

Syria: Civilians, security forces killed in Homs car blast: Several civilians and security forces were killed and injured in a car blast by a “terrorist group” in Homs, Syria‘s National TV reported. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4187192,00.html

The killing has to stop :
‘Besieged’ Homs endures tank assault : Video – Activists said the army was firing rockets and mortar rounds to subdue opposition districts on Wednesday, as tanks entered the Inshaat neighbourhood and moved closer to Bab Amr. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=njiz1bvhK6Y

Foreign troops helping Syrian rebels : “The foreign troops are not engaged in direct combat with the Syrian forces bombarding different parts of Syria‘s third largest city of 1.2 million. They are tactical advisers, manage rebel communications lines and relay their requests for arms, ammo, fighters and logistical aid to outside suppliers, mostly in Turkey,” the report states. http://nyp.st/yto6qW

Report: US preparing military options in Syria: The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command have begun a preliminary internal review of U.S. military capabilities in order to prepare options in the event that President Obama calls for them. http://bit.ly/xms1Oz

2 Lebanese accused of arms smuggling to Free Syrian Army: Two Lebanese men were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of smuggling arms to the Syrian opposition through illegal border crossings in the Bekaa, including the town of Arsal. http://bit.ly/yqpcnS

Why the Syrian Rebels Should Put Down Their Guns: If the violence continues to spiral, the regime is going to win. They are better armed and better organized http://bit.ly/AbJrv9

The Free Syrian Army base in Lebanon (II): The second part of Al-Akhbar’s exclusive series on the Free Syrian Army in Lebanon delves into the organization’s shaky command structures, casualty smuggling, and political convictions. http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=21663

Russia’s Putin warns against outside interference: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday the world faced a growing “cult of violence” and Moscow must not let events like those in Libya and Syria be repeated in Russia, issuing a warning to the West against interference. http://reut.rs/xP2L2o

Russia says it offers alternative path to peace in Syria: Mr. Lavrov said he convinced Mr. Assad to hold an open dialogue with all political forces in his embattled country, and to agree to hold a national referendum on a new constitution for the country. http://bit.ly/A2jBbV

Results of Syria talks must not be set in advance: Russia: Lavrov reiterated Russia’s call for countries that have influence with opponents of Assad to press them to enter dialogue with the government. Moscow has accused Western nations of encouraging Assad’s opponents to avoid talks. http://trib.in/x5Kttc

Why China vetoes UN draft resolution for Syria issue: The situation in Syria is still worsening and civilian casualties in Syria are still increasing. Vetoing the UN Security Council’s draft resolution does not mean that China will sit by and watch the sad situation going on. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90780/7723539.html#

Israel embassies preparing for Iran strike?: Diplomats stationed in Israel request gas masks, prepare contingency plans in case of missile attacks; envoys fear that thousands of dual-citizenship Israelis will seek evacuation. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4186799,00.html

Iran’s parliament summons Ahmadinejad: The summons was the first of its kind for an Iranian president since 1979. It follows a petition by a group of legislators for a review of policy decisions by Ahmadinejad, who has come under increasing attacks in recent months from the same people who brought him to power. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2012/02/20122722326300746.html

CIA digs in as Americans withdraw from Iraq, Afghanistan: The CIA is expected to maintain a large clandestine presence in Iraq and Afghanistan long after the departure of conventional U.S. troops as part of a plan by the Obama administration http://wapo.st/vYXSW8

RAF helicopter death revelation leads to secret Iraq detention camp: The truth about the mission raises some searching questions about the legality of some of the British forces’ operations carried out in close co-operation with US allies. http://bit.ly/ArviNE

Australia’s link to secret Iraq prisons: The revelation has led to an Australian human rights organisation investigating such secret prisons to claim that the Australian military might have been complicit in war crimes by handing detainees over to the so-called ”black site” known as H1. http://bit.ly/yE8Udn

“Who Killed Che? How the CIA Got Away with Murder”: New Book Ties Johnson Admin to Guevara’s Death http://www.democracynow.org/2012/2/7/who_killed_che_how_the_cia

Santorum beats Romney in 3 states on conservatives: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum shrugged off his also-ran status with strong victories in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri, riding a wave of distrust of Mitt Romney’s conservative credentials and stalling – for the time, at least – Romney’s seemingly inevitable march to the nomination. http://bit.ly/w2xHoQ

Ron Paul places second in Minnesota caucus: Ron Paul had his best night of the year in Minnesota on Tuesday, beating Mitt Romney for a strong second-place showing and proving he can expand his base of support from four years ago. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72594.html

Obama: “The Devil” Made Me Take the Super Pac Money:
The Devil has just forced Mr. Obama to put together his own infernal Super Pac, the demon-spawn of the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision allowing corporations and wealthy individuals to spend as much money as they like on elections. http://bit.ly/xPL83F

U.S. Faces Downgrade If No Plan: Chambers: The U.S., lacking a plan to contain $1 trillion deficits, faces the prospect of another rating cut in six to 24 months depending on the outcome of November elections, according to John Chambers of Standard & Poor’s. http://bloom.bg/zh1gtm

Meeting the ‘new homeless’ on Greece’s freezing streets: In the heart of central Athens, a stone’s throw from the city’s glorious ancient sites, another face of today’s Greece is on show http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16878756

UK: Girls, 13, given contraceptive implants at school: Girls as young as 13 have been fitted with contraceptive implants at school without their parents knowing. http://tgr.ph/x5ZoAu

Cost Of war

Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered In US War And Occupation Of Iraq “1,455,590”
 
Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In America’s War On Iraq:
4,801

Number Of International Occupation Force Troops Slaughtered In Afghanistan : 2,883
Cost of War in Iraq & Afghanistan
Total Cost of Wars Since 2001
 $1,300,336,509,873 http://www.costofwar.com/