David Ignatius’ 15 Years of Running Spin for Saudi Regime

28 April 2017 — FAIR

WaPo: A young prince is reimagining Saudi Arabia. Can he make his vision come true?David Ignatius on Saudi Arabia: “Reform plans appear to be moving ahead slowly but steadily”–as always.

Last week, in “A Young Prince Is Reimagining Saudi Arabia. Can He Make His Vision Come True?,” Washington Post foreign affairs columnist David Ignatius (4/20/17) wrote what read like a press release for the Saudi regime. What’s more, he’s written the same article several times before. For almost 15 years, Ignatius has been breathlessly updating US readers on the token, meaningless public relations gestures that the Saudi regime—and, by extension, Ignatius—refer to as “reforms.”

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Trump’s Nuclear Obsession, Threat of Nuclear War against North Korea

28 April 2017 — Global Research

The greatest threat to humanity is nuclear war.

While public opinion is largely misinformed regarding the impacts of a nuclear war , US “decision-makers” including president Trump are also unaware and misinformed as to the devastating consequences of their actions.

The production of nuclear weapons constitutes a multi-billion dollar bonanza for the Military-Industrial Complex. “Scientific opinion” on contract to the Pentagon “confirm” that the B61-11 and B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons are  “peace-making” bombs “harmless to the surrounding civilian population because the explosion is underground”.

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‘1 Percent of Taxpayers Receive More Than the Bottom 80 Percent’

28 April 2017 — FAIR

Janine Jackson interviewed Jeremie Greer about the tax code and inequality for the April 21, 20117, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript.

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Israel Supports the Islamic State (ISIS)

27 April 2017 — Global Research

Turkey’s Kurdish Agenda

            By Dr. Binoy Kampmark, April 27, 2017

Any doubts that Turkey’s involvement in the conflict against Islamic State is purely symbolic were dispelled by a latest round of air strikes against Kurdish positions in northeast Syria and Iraq’s Sinjar region, killing at least 20 fighters. (The number from Ankara is a more inflated 70). Iraqi government officials were flawed by the action, infuriated by its audacity; the US State Department was troubled and confused. Continue reading

Media: At Reuters, ‘Not Refuting’ Is the Same as ‘Seeing’

26 April 2017 — FAIR

Top U.S. general in Afghanistan sees Russia sending weapons to TalibanTop US general in Afghanistan does not say what Reuters‘ headline says he said.

“Top US General in Afghanistan Sees Russia Sending Weapons to Taliban” was Reuters’ headline over a April 25 story.

Well, that sounds like news! Tell me more, Reuters’ Idrees Ali:

The head of US and international forces in Afghanistan said on Monday he was “not refuting” reports that Russia was providing support, including weapons, to the Taliban….

Asked about reports that Russia was providing a range of help, including weapons, to the Taliban, who control large areas of Afghanistan, [Gen. John] Nicholson replied: “Oh no, I am not refuting that.”

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Media: NYT’s ‘Impossible to Verify’ North Korea Nuke Claim Spreads Unchecked by Media

26 April 2017 — FAIR

New York Times: As North Korea Speeds Its Nuclear Program, U.S. Fears Time Will Run OutThe New York Times (4/24/17) makes news with an “impossible to verify” claim.

Buoyed by a total of 18 speculative verb forms—five “mays,” eight “woulds” and five “coulds”—New York Times reporters David E. Sanger and William J. Broad (4/24/17) painted a dire picture of a Trump administration forced to react to the growing and impending doom of North Korea nuclear weapons.

“As North Korea Speeds Its Nuclear Program, US Fears Time Will Run Out” opens by breathlessly establishing the stakes and the limited time for the US to “deal with” the North Korean nuclear “crisis”: Continue reading

Islamophobia, Trumps War and the French Elections

26 April 2017 — Global Research

Finance Capital and Neo-Fascism: The French Elections Mirror the Crises of Western States

By Abayomi Azikiwe, April 26, 2017

A runoff between National Front leader Marine Le Pen and the 39-year-old banker and former Minister of Finance Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche (Onwards) is slated for May 7.

These two candidates represent the dominant sectors within the French ruling class being the aggressive anti-immigrant and neo-fascist electorate and the pro-European Union (EU) elements who view the status quo as sufficient to guarantee the continuation of capitalism and Paris’ role in the international division of economic power and labor. Neither party nor movement, in the situation of Macron’s En Marche, represents any clear vision of a prosperous future for the people of France. Continue reading

Black Agenda Report for 26 April 2017

26 April 2017 — Black Agenda Report

Obama’s New Job: Guardian of Official Lies

by BAR executive editor Glen Ford

Having spent eight years telling lies about who the U.S. was fighting in its so-called “War on Terror” (secular governments) and who it was allied with (jihadists), ex-president Obama must now ensure that these lies become part of the “common base line of facts” shared by all Americans. “Fake news” must not be allowed to interrupt the flow of the official (false) narrative. That’s how “legacies” are made, and how power is preserved. Continue reading

Bechtel Corporation and Iran By Gaither Stewart

26 April 2017 — Greanville Post

A Story of American Corporatism-Imperialism

(Rome) Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979 resulted in the overthrow of the US-supported Pahlavi dynasty at that time under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The Iranian Revolution was a violent and widely popular overthrow of a ferocious US-inspired regime installed following the CIA-organized coup d’état of the democratically elected government led by Premier Mohammad Mossadegh on August 19, 1953.

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Media Lens: ‘An Impeachable Offence’ – Professor Postol and Syria

26 April 2017 — Media Lens

It is hard to believe that just three weeks ago the entire corporate media was in uproar over Syria; specifically, about the need to ‘do something’ in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Khan Shaykhun, Idlib, Syria, on April 4. Guardian commentator George Monbiot summed up the corporate media zeitgeist:

‘Do those who still insist Syrian govt didn’t drop chemical weapons have any idea how much evidence they are denying?’

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NSA: Agustin Edwards: A Declassified Obituary

26 April 2017  — National Security Archive

  • Declassified CIA, White House Documents Reveal Collaboration between Chilean Media Mogul and Highest Level of Nixon Administration
  • Kissinger Set up Secret Meetings for Edwards with Nixon and CIA Director Richard Helms
  • Documents Record Edwards Covert Coup Plotting to Overthrow Allende in Chile

National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 587

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US Destabilization Plots, Trump on Wikileaks

25 April 2017 — Global Research

Destabilization Plots Against Syria and Venezuela

            By Hugo Turner, April 24, 2017

Trump is massively expanding every dirty war and destabilization campaign the Empire is involved in and doubtless in future months we will learn of countries now peaceful being thrown into chaos as a result of CIA/NED operations now being launched of which we have no idea. We can only hope that Russia and China are working on some plans of their own. Continue reading

Statewatch News Online, 25 April 2017 (06/17)

25 April 2017 — Statewatch

Also available as a pdf file: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2017/apr/email-apr.pdf

ANALYSIS & BRIEFING
http://www.statewatch.org/analyses.htm

1. Hindering humanitarianism: Commission not to ensure protection for those supporting sans-papiers
2. UK-EU: Guide to the Brexit Negotiations (EU Law Analysis, link) by Professor Steve Peers:

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France’s Presidential Elections: Selected Stories

23 April 2017 — Global Research

In line with the first round of the 2017 French Presidential Elections, take a look at the articles below for some issues concerning France’s future and potential threats on the day of the elections.

The Main Issue in the French Presidential Election: National Sovereignty and the Future of France

            By Diana Johnstone, April 21, 2017

The 2017 French Presidential election marks a profound change in European political alignments. There is an ongoing shift from the traditional left-right rivalry to opposition between globalization, in the form of the European Union (EU), and national sovereignty. Continue reading