Iraq
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FAIR: Journalism’s Dark Matter
For a profession predicated on demanding transparency and accountability from others, the practice of granting anonymity serves as an inconvenient reminder of journalism’s own messy reality. The implied bargain therein—that the value of the light provided by a source’s information outweighs the cost of casting of a shadow over his or her public identity—trades upon… Continue reading
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The UN Security Council Has Become A “Rubber Stamp” To Wage US-NATO’s Illegal Wars. Disastrous Results of UNSC “Military Authorizations” By Carla Stea
Since 1991, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, which authorized the US-UK attack on Iraq, which, in the words of Marti Ahtissari “destroyed the infrastructure necessary to support human life in Iraq,” the United Nations has been dragged into destructive “adventures” that have literally created the crises it is now trying to resolve. Continue reading
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National Security Archive: DIA Declassified: A Sourcebook
The Defense Intelligence Agency, established in 1961, is one of the United States government’s largest intelligence organizations – employing 17,000 individuals, including thousands stationed overseas. Its 2013 fiscal year budget request was for $3.15 billion. Yet, the DIA is also one of the more secretive agencies in the U.S. intelligence community, regularly denying access to… Continue reading
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Media Lens: The Comic Book Simplicity Of Propaganda
The referendum campaign on Scottish independence heightened many people’s awareness of the pro-elite bias of the ‘mainstream’ news media. The grassroots power of social media in exposing and countering this bias was heartening to see. But the issue of independence for Scotland is just one of many where the traditional media consistently favour establishment power. Continue reading
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Breaking the last taboo – Gaza and the threat of world war By John Pilger
For many people, the truth is out now. At last, they know. Those once intimidated into silence can’t look away now. Staring at them from their TV, laptop, phone, is proof of the barbarism of the Israeli state and the great destructive force of its mentor and provider, the United States, the cowardice of European… Continue reading
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Media Lens: Damascene Conversions – Isis, Assad And The Bombing Of Iraq
This time last year, Western corporate media were focused on a single, grave threat to human life and civilised values. An endless stream of atrocity claims – some real, some fabricated with ‘evidence’ posted on YouTube – depicted President Assad of Syria as the latest incarnation of Milosevic, Saddam Hussein, bin Laden, Gaddafi: namely, the… Continue reading
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Washington Threatens The World By Dr. Paul Craig Roberts
The reality in the Middle East stands in vast contradiction to the stage managed landing of George W. Bush on the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln where Bush declared “Mission Accomplished” on May 1, 2003. The mission that Washington accomplished was to wreck the Middle East and the lives of millions of people and to… Continue reading
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“The Israeli Dream”: The Criminal Roadmap Towards “Greater Israel”? By Felicity Arbuthnot
The concept of a “Greater Israel” according to the founding father of Zionism Theodore Herzl, is a Jewish State stretching “’From the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.’ Continue reading
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Israel stoking conflict in Iraq, Iran, Syria and the Occupied Territories By Chris Marsden
It is clear that Israel wanted some justification for stepping up aggression against Syria. In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sunday, Netanyahu gave a frank insight into the politically criminal thinking of the Israeli ruling elite when he urged the United States to pit Sunni insurgents in Syria and Iraq against Iran, rather… Continue reading
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The Soaring Profits of the Military – Industrial Complex And the Soaring Costs of Military Casualties By James Petras
The launch of two major wars by the US government had two major beneficiaries, one domestic and one foreign. The three major weapons manufacturers, Lockheed Martin (LMT), Northrop Grumman (NOG) and Raytheon (RTN) have delivered record-shattering returns to investors, CEOs and investment banks during the past decade and a half. Continue reading
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The Guardian’s Zoe Williams tries to rehabilitate Tony Blair By Julie Hyland
“Stop calling Tony Blair a war criminal. The left should be proud of his record”, implored journalist Zoe Williams in the Guardian last week. The occasion for Williams’ plea was an article by the former Labour prime minister for the Guardian on the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, along with comments Blair made on… Continue reading
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“If Stones Could Weep”: Syria, Blair’s Plans and an Archbishop’s Son By Felicity Arbuthnot
Not only is Middle East “Peace Envoy”, Catholic convert and Butcher of Baghdad, Tony Blair gunning for another overthrow and mass destruction in Syria, he has recruited the son of an Archbishop to help him. Continue reading
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Special Plans and Double Meanings: Controversies over Deception, Intelligence, and Policy Counterterrorism
Washington, DC, February 20, 2014 — A major controversy during the administration of President George W. Bush concerned the use or misuse of intelligence with regard to Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs and possible links between Iraq and al-Qaida. The best known elements of that controversy were Iraqi motivations behind the procurement of aluminum… Continue reading
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Media Lens: ‘Not Even Close To Reality’ – Filtering Sources On The Syrian War By David Edwards
If corporate media performance on Iraq was shocking, the response to Syria is made worse precisely because the lessons from Iraq could hardly be more obvious. Continue reading
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The Independent: Devastating dossier on ‘abuse’ by UK forces in Iraq goes to International Criminal Court
An article by the Independent explains that Public Interest Lawyers and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights have presented a complaint before the International Criminal Court. This action takes place after a 3 years investigation during which a huge number of testimonies have been collected. Continue reading
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John Pilger: ‘We Have Been Misled’
When I travelled in Iraq in the 1990s, the two principal Moslem groups, the Shia and Sunni, had their differences but they lived side by side, even intermarried and regarded themselves with pride as Iraqis. There was no Al Qaida, there were no jihadists. We blew all that to bits in 2003 with ‘shock and… Continue reading
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Information Clearing House 7 November 2013: Torture on Tape: Disturbing Video Shows U.S. Special Forces
7 November 2013 — Information Clearing House Torture on Tape: Disturbing Video Shows U.S. Special Forces Observing Brutal Afghan Interrogation Video A video just posted online shows a hogtied prisoner being whipped by Afghan security forces, as what appears to be two unidentified American military officers look on. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36785.htm Continue reading
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Information Clearing House 6 November 2013: President Arafat Murdered
6 November 2013 — Information Clearing House The Brutal Past and Present are Another Country in Secret Australia By John Pilger More than any colonial society, Australia consigns its dirtiest secrets, past and present, to a wilful ignorance or indifference. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36776.htm Continue reading
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Information Clearing House 5 November 2013: This Transatlantic Trade Deal is a Full-frontal Assault on Democracy
5 November 2013 — Information Clearing House Pay No Attention to That Imperialist Behind the Curtain By Robert Scheer What John Kerry did this week in Egypt and Saudi Arabia is nothing short of despicable. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36764.htm Continue reading
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VTJP Palestine/Israel Newslinks 1 November 2013
1 November 2013 — VTJP News International Middle East Media CenterFour Palestinians Killed In GazaIMEMC – [Friday November 1, 2013] The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, has reported that four of its fighters have been killed during armed clashes with Israeli soldiers invading Al-Qarara and Abasan Al-Jadeeda area, east of Khan Younis, Continue reading
The New Dark Age 