6 March 2012 — Information Clearing House

13 French Army Officers Captured in Syria

By Lauren Williams

Around 13 French officers are being held by Syrian authorities in Syria, sources have confirmed to The Daily Star. Sources said the group is being held in a field hospital in the city.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30722.htm

 

Stratfor Leaks: NATO Commandos in Illegal Special Ops in Syria

By RT

Undercover NATO troops are already in Syria despite denials from their parent governments, according to a leaked brief from a highly-placed analyst.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30734.htm

 

Obama Administration Moves to Aid Syrian Opposition

By Josh Rogin

The Obama administration is moving to provide direct assistance to the internal opposition in Syria “for the first time”, marking a shift in U.S. policy toward a more aggressive plan to help oust President Bashar al-Assad.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30737.htm

 

In Syria, al Jazeera’s Credibility Implodes

By PETER LEE

“This is rather explosive.  You know how low Aljazeera has sunk when Syrian regime TV stations have a field day with the shoddy journalism and fabrication procedures of Aljazeera.”   http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30723.htm

 

Fact, Fiction Or Propaganda?

Hospital Medical Staff Torture Patients in Homs, Syria

Video – WARNING: Graphic Content

Exclusive Channel 4 News footage purports to show patients shackled in their beds at the military hospital in Homs.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30735.htm

 

Netanyahu’s Conspiracy to Drag the U.S. to War

By Sefi Rachlevsky

‘Sometime between early June and mid-August, just before the Republican nominating convention, will be the ideal moment to drag the United States into war, the planners believe.’  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30731.htm

 

AIPAC

The Annual, Ritual Humiliation of US Presidents

By George Galloway

Following the defeat of the Western powers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the British government is sleep-walking into another disastrous war, he said. They will have to be stopped or all of us will pay for their mistake for the rest of our lives.   http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30733.htm

 

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Video and Transcript

“I want to explain why Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.”  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30727.htm

 

US Will Ensure Israel’s “Military Superiority”: Panetta

By AFP, Al-Akhbar

“This is an ironclad pledge which says that the United States will provide whatever support is necessary for Israel to maintain military superiority over any state or coalition of states, as well as non-state actors,” Panetta told the top pro-Israel lobby in Washington, AIPAC.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30732.htm

 

Occupy AIPAC

Video

Occupy Wall Street Activists Disrupt Sen. Levin in AIPAC Conference Final Plenary: Don’t Bomb Iran, Equality for Palestinians.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30728.htm

 

Murder Is Legal, Says Eric Holder

By David Swanson

Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday explained why it’s legal to murder people — to target and kill an individual sitting on his sofa, with no charges, no arrest, no trial, no approval from a court, no approval from a legislature, no approval from we the people, and in fact no sharing of information with any institutions that are not the president.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30729.htm

 

The United States’ War on Terror Threatens America

By Michael S. Rozeff

Failure to understand the realities of terrorism has led Americans to support aggressive war policies that are highly destructive of innocent lives and societies overseas and do not diminish the threat of terrorism.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30730.htm

 

The Saga of Bradley Manning, Julian Assange, and Wikileaks

By William Blum

If Manning had committed war crimes in Iraq instead of exposing them, he would be a free man today.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30726.htm

 

Dictatorship Of The Elite

By Hugo Chavez

President Hugo Chavez explains why the American empire’s practice of privatization, foreign intervention, and violence is not conducive to a humanistic society.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30725.htm

 

The True Cost of Oil/Tar Sands

Must Watch Video

What does environmental devastation actually look like? Photographer Garth Lenz shares shocking photos of the Alberta Tar Sands mining project — and the beautiful (and vital) ecosystems under threat.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30736.htm

 

25 Iraqi police killed in insurgent rampage: Assailants waving the battle flag of al-Qaida gunned down 25 policemen Monday in a brazen and well-orchestrated challenge to government control over a strategic town fraught with Iraq war symbolism. http://bit.ly/wrKWmc

 

4 suspects killed, 2 in suicide bombings: Four other suspects were killed, including two suicide bombers who blew themselves up when Iraqi soldiers stormed their hideout, the statement said. http://wapo.st/xoIXlA

 

Sunni tribes mete out justice to curb Iraq unrest: Sunni Arab tribes in central and north Iraq, long home to violent extremists such as Al-Qaeda, are taking a new approach against unrest: fining and expelling those who aid insurgents. http://yhoo.it/xlHVud

 

Fugitive Iraq VP says he will stay in Kurdish zone: Iraq‘s fugitive Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi said on Monday he would stay in the autonomous Kurdish zone unless he was told he had become an “embarrassment” to the Kurdish authorities. http://bit.ly/z0Vq9v

 

2 killed in suicide attack in Afghanistan: Two children were killed and two other civilians were injured Monday evening when a suicide attack rocked the main gate of Bagram Airbase, north of Afghan capital of Kabul, an official said. http://bit.ly/xWH0pG

 

“US burning of Quran was intentional”: Afghan Investigator: The burning of the Koran at a US military base in Afghanistan was intentional, a member of the investigating team told dpa Monday. ‘We believe it is intentional,’ said Maulavi Khaliqdad, a member of the panel established by President Hamid Karzai. http://bit.ly/Awa1R3

 

Talks over US-Afghan strategic deal end in failure: US media reports say talks over a strategic partnership deal, which would allow Washington to retain its military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014, have failed. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/230275.html

 

France threatens early withdrawal from Afghanistan: France threatened Friday to unilaterally speed withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, underlining growing doubts about coalition unity in the U.S.-led effort to leave behind a lasting government in Kabul after more than a decade of war. http://wapo.st/wxu4cS

 

Afghan child hunger among worst in world: report: Children in Afghanistan suffer one of the highest levels of chronic malnutrition in the world, a report said Monday, despite billions of dollars in “aid” that have poured into the war-torn country. http://yhoo.it/wmpGmm

 

Seven Militants Killed, Nine Injured In Clash In Pakistan: Local customs official Abdul Rahman Mastooi said two wanted militant commanders, Khaki Ramazani and Laghai Bugti, were among those killed. http://bit.ly/yukH3L

 

Yemen army deaths in Qaeda attack rise to 185: The number of soldiers killed in a weekend assault by Al Qaeda militants on an army camp in Yemen’s restive Abyan province has risen to 185, a military official said on Tuesday following the discovery of more bodies. http://bit.ly/wcBrKE

 

Al Qaeda says Yemen attack follows US troop increase:

The Yemeni branch of al Qaeda said on Tuesday it attacked a U.S. intelligence officer after U.S. soldiers were sent to the country, whose new leader has vowed to fight the militant Islamist group. http://bit.ly/zMLade

 

McCain calls for US to lead on Syria airstrikes:

Sen. John McCain on Monday became the first senator to call for airstrikes against Syria, saying President Barack Obama has taken too soft a stand against President Bashar Assad and his brutal crackdown on his own people. http://bit.ly/zrmsyr

 

Russia says no shift on Syria after Putin victory: Russia warned the West on Tuesday not to expect a shift in its stance on Syria following Vladimir Putin’s victory in a presidential election, saying its position had nothing to do with domestic politics. http://bit.ly/weQUTU

 

Iran Has Corroborative Evidence to Prove US Involvement in Arms Smuggling into Syria: – Iran is in possession of documents substantiating involvement of the US and a number of Arab countries in the smuggling of large weapon cargos into Syria, an Iranian deputy foreign minister revealed on Tuesday. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9012151343

 

“Big powers” accept Iran offer of nuclear talks – EU’s Ashton, who represents the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany in dealings with Iran, said the date and venue for the talks would now have to be agreed. http://bit.ly/wGXd7n

 

Netanyahu to AIPAC: Israel cannot wait much longer on Iran: Intoning the mantra “never again,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday night in an impassioned speech to AIPAC that “as prime minister of Israel, I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation.” http://bit.ly/zhwZxD

 

By conjuring the Holocaust, Netanyahu brought Israel closer to war with Iran: In his speech to the AIPAC conference Monday night Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moved closer than ever to the point of no return en route to war with Iran. http://bit.ly/wVHp7e

 

U.S. Officials Believe Netanyahu Has Already Decided to Strike Iran: U.S. intelligence officials are confident the Israeli leadership has already decided to attack Iran, unless a significant change happens in the coming weeks or months with the Iranian nuclear program http://bit.ly/xLSZsg

 

Top Military, Intelligence Officials Warning Against Iran War: If you open the Washington Post this morning, you will find an ad featuring top former military and intelligence officials urging President Obama to resist the pressure for a war of choice with Iran. http://bit.ly/wtDbol

 

Transcript of Remarks by Obama, Netanyahu:

President Barack Obama welcomed Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House Monday, assuring him that “the bond between our two countries is unbreakable,” and that the U.S. “will always have Israel‘s back when it comes to Israel‘s security.” http://on.wsj.com/yjzM19

 

GOP hopefuls brandish their pro-Israel credentials: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich paused while competing for votes in the high-stakes Super Tuesday primaries to join the speakers’ lineup at a conference of Israel‘s leading pro-Israel lobby. Romney and Gingrich appeared by satellite, while Santorum spoke to the group in person. http://bit.ly/z9EQCZ

 

At AIPAC, Gingrich says he will “replace” the Iranian regime: “[I will] undermine and replace the Iranian dictatorship by every available method short of war,” Gingrich said via satellite to the pro-Israel lobby. http://bit.ly/xnZG8p

 

Panetta: When all else fails, the U.S. will act against Iran: Sensure Israel‘s security. peaking at the AIPAC conference in Washington, U.S. Secretary of Defense says Israel, United States are stronger when they ‘work together’ http://bit.ly/yBNMUr

 

Have they no shame?

McConnell Discusses Use Of Force Resolution at AIPAC – Video – Sen. Mitch McConnell Offers To Back Senate Use Of Force Resolution Against Iran http://bit.ly/AgiZ7J

 

Hamas official: We will ‘stay out’ of war between Israel and Iran: Speaking to The Guardian, member of Palestinian militant group’s Gaza leadership says Hamas is not part of regional alliance and will not take sides in a possible conflict. http://bit.ly/xfGNom

 

Discrimination in Iran’s temporary marriage law goes unchecked: Iran‘s sigheh law gives men right to have as many sexual partners as they wish but discriminates against women http://bit.ly/ApYrKj

 

Nigeria: 45 Die in Clash,: No fewer than 45 persons are feared dead in a renewed skirmish between Fulani herdsmen and native Tiv community in Gwer West local government area of Benue State http://allafrica.com/stories/201203060069.html

 

Libya tribes declare breakaway region in oil-rich area: Tribal leaders and militia commanders have declared a semiautonomous region in oil-rich eastern Libya, it has emerged. Thousands of major tribal chiefs, militia heads and politicians made the declaration in a ceremony in the city of Benghazi. http://bit.ly/AoIe13

 

Libya leader claims Arabs supporting ‘sedition’ in east: Libyan leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil charged on Tuesday that some Arab nations were supporting and financing sedition in eastern Libya, hours after tribal and militia leaders declared autonomy for the region. http://bit.ly/ABSTiW

 

Spying’ journalists reported killing of black Libyans: Two British journalists detained in Libya and accused of being spies were reporting on atrocities meted out against black people by the same forces that arrested them. http://bit.ly/yFsfsv

 

U.S. official: Missiles give Libyan militias ‘leverage’: Libyan militias that are sitting on stockpiles of portable anti-aircraft missiles will probably not relinquish them until they reach a broad political agreement with the country’s fledgling central government, a top State Department official said. http://tspne.ws/xqKKFA

 

Attorney General Explains : Why It’s Okay to Murder U.S. Citizens Without a Trial: From Attorney General Eric Holder’s prepared remarks today on the topic of why it’s okay to kill U.S. citizens without charges or trial: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30724.htm

 

Jonathan Turley: So, Eric Holder, we should just trust that the president won’t assassinate us?: That, in effect, is the pledge the Obama administration’s attorney general says has replaced our constitutional protections http://bit.ly/wT0Srm

 

UN official slams WikiLeaks suspect Manning’s treatment: US authorities’ treatment of WikiLeaks suspect Private Bradley Manning was “cruel and degrading,” the UN special rapporteur on torture Juan Ernesto Mendez said Monday. http://bit.ly/ypcG8r

 

FBI Tries To Coax Muslim Into Bombing US Capitol: – Video – http://bit.ly/xClZ00

 

Is The ‘Mother Of All Corporate Immunity’ Cases About To Get Even Worse?: Last week, the Supreme Court heard the “mother of all corporate immunity” cases, a case that literally presents the question of whether oil companies that engage in torture are immune from a federal law holding the most atrocious human rights violators accountable to international norms. http://bit.ly/yGcDt7

 

Obama Poised to Restrict Protest Rights: The bill passed in the House of Representatives with only three dissenters-but they raise important points about potential misuse of this law and worry that it might make protesting in the presence of politicians much more difficult. http://bit.ly/zZbthP

 

Iceland’s ex-PM tells court he is innocent as historic financial crisis trial opens: Iceland’s former prime minister has rejected charges he failed to adequately protect his country’s economy from financial shocks in the first criminal trial of a world leader over the 2008 financial crisis. http://wapo.st/wjO8Ou

 

Rick Santorum: Single mothers are ‘breeding more criminals’: For a guy who’s still whining about being typecast as the social issues guy, Rick Santorum sure spews a lot of incendiary and attention-grabbing (not to mention hateful) stuff on social issues. Like the scourge of single mothers. http://bit.ly/xAHGfN

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 : 2,908

 

Cost of War in Iraq & Afghanistan

Total Cost of Wars Since 2001

$1,309,258,285,027 http://www.costofwar.com/

 

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