US fanning terror, flouting international laws: China
China's top state newspaper on Tuesday accused the United States of flouting international law and fanning terrorism after a NATO attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, and it warned that the Islamabad's grip on security could be dangerously weakened.
Iran advises UK against opportunism
Iran's Speaker criticizes the "hasty" UN Security Council move in condemning a student rally outside the British Embassy in Tehran and advises London against exploiting the incident.
Obama: 'No ally more important than Israel'
President Barack Obama is reassuring Jewish supporters that his administration is committed to the security of Israel. He says: "We don't compromise when it comes to Israel's security."
Robert Fisk: Sanctions are only a small part of the history that makes Iranians hate the UK
Britain staged a joint invasion of Iran with Soviet forces when the Shah's predecessor got a bit too close to the Nazis in World War Two and then helped the Americans overthrow the democratically elected Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953 after he nationalised Britain's oil possessions in the country.
Target Iran: Washington's Countdown to War
As William Blum documented in Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II, 1953's CIA-organized coup against Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, guilty of the "crime" of nationalizing the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, may have "saved" Iran from a nonexistent "Red Menace," but it left that oil-rich nation in proverbial "safe hands"--those of the brutal dictatorship of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.
Obama Refrains From a Formal 'I'm Sorry' to Pakistan
The White House has decided that President Obama will not offer formal condolences — at least for now — to Pakistan for the deaths of two dozen soldiers in NATO airstrikes last week, overruling State Department officials who argued for such a show of remorse to help salvage America's relationship with Pakistan, administration officials said.
America: The ally from hell
In Washington, the Pakistan-bashers are having a field day avoiding U.S. responsibility
Pakistan's air space may be denied to US
Pakistan has decided, for the time being, not to block US military use of its air space for over-flights into Afghanistan, but this could come within 15 days if bilateral diplomacy fails to relieve tensions over the Mohmand attacks, security experts say.
November 29, 2011
Moscow concerned over calls for NATO to become global cop
Moscow is concerned about calls by western politicians to turn NATO into a global cop. This comes in a statement made by an official of the Russian Foreign Ministry Yuri Gorlach at an international conference in Moscow on Euro-Atlantic security architecture.
US and Pakistan enter the danger zone
The air strike by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the Pakistani military post at Salala in the Mohmand Agency on the Afghan-Pakistan border Friday night is destined to become a milestone in the chronicle of the Afghan war.
US senator says new Iran sanctions won't disrupt oil
Saudi Arabia has expressed "great willingness" to boost oil production to ensure potential new US sanctions on Iran don't disrupt global petroleum markets, a key US senator said Tuesday.
Kirk and Menendez join forces on new Iran sanctions proposal
Senate Democrats and Republicans have agreed on a way forward regarding new sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) that would impose crippling sanctions on the Iranian economy, with an eye toward preventing a catastrophic consequence for the world oil markets.
The Syrian Revolution Hijacked
Mass demonstrations never materialized in Damascus and Aleppo. The military and security forces didn't crack. The Alawite on Sunni crackdown (Alawites form the backbone of the army/security forces/irregular goon squads) fomented sectarian divisions, with most non-Sunnis minorities cleaving desperately to the Assad regime. Prosperous Sunnis have presumably been hedging their bets by donating to the anti-government cause in recent days but have not explicitly abandoned the regime.
Bomb voyage: 600 Libyans 'already fighting in Syria'
The Libyan government apparently wants to share its successful experience of overthrowing the Gaddafi regime with like-minded Syrians. It has sent 600 of its troops to support local militants against the Assad regime, according to media reports.
November 28, 2011
Glenn Greenwald: Is Obama Fulfilling the Neocon Dream of Mass Regime Change in Muslim World?
Political blogger Glenn Greenwald recently wrote about retired General Wesley Clark's recollection of an officer telling him in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks that the then U.S. Secretary of Defense had issued a memo outlining a plan for regime change within five years in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran.
Nato may reap what they sow in Pakistan
EVEN by the usual standards of American "friendly fire" incidents, the attack on Pakistani troops by US Apache helicopter gunships on Friday was potentially world changing.
Russia Considers Blocking NATO Supply Routes
Russia said it may not let NATO use its territory to supply troops in Afghanistan if the alliance doesn't seriously consider its objections to a U.S.-led missile shield for Europe, Russia's ambassador to NATO said Monday.
French forces said to be training Syria rebels
A Turkish newspaper has reported that French military forces are training armed Syrian rebels to fight the government of President Bashar Al Assad.
UN: Ex-rebels still hold 7,000 people in Libya
Former Libyan revolutionaries still hold about 7,000 people, and some reportedly have been subjected to torture and ill treatment, according to a U.N. report circulated Monday.
Libyan clerics back disarmament of ex-rebels
Dozens of Libyan religious leaders on Monday urged authorities to disarm former rebels and form a national army, backing the transitional government's struggle to exert control over the militias that overthrew dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
'Regret' as UK ambassador expelled from Iran
Downing Street expressed "regret" today at Iran's decision to expel the UK's ambassador from Tehran in a further worsening of relations between the two countries.
Image shows Iranian missile site was destroyed
Two weeks after a mysterious explosion at an Iranian missile base, a Washington-based research group has released a satellite image showing extensive damage to the site.
US presses Emirates over Iran
The UAE is under increasing pressure to sever its links with Iran's financial system as US terrorism and financial intelligence officials visit the country to drum up opposition to Iran's nuclear programme, which Tehran says is for peaceful purposes.
Bahrain Postpones Protesters' Death Penalty Appeal
A civilian court in Bahrain on Monday postponed a highly anticipated ruling on the appeal of two protesters sentenced to death by a security court during a wave of anti-government protests earlier this year.
Pakistan: Nato ignored pleas for ceasefire
ISLAMABAD: The Nato air raids that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers lasted almost two hours - continuing after commanders pleaded with the US-led coalition forces to stop, the army claimed yesterday.
Former Pakistan FM joins up with Imran Khan
Pakistan's ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi joined forces with cricketer-politician Imran Khan Sunday, becoming the most high-profile defector to his growing campaign to win the next general election.
Kuwait cabinet resigns amid political crisis
Kuwait's cabinet has resigned after protesters and opposition deputies demanded that the prime minister step down over allegations of corruption, state-run television has reported.
Pakistan blocks U.S. supplies, orders drone base closed after NATO raid
Pakistan on Saturday blocked supply routes for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan and announced it would end the use of a Pakistani airbase by American forces, in retaliation for a NATO attack on a Pakistani border outpost that officials said killed at least 24 soldiers and injured another 13.
Pakistan stops NATO supplies after deadly raid
NATO helicopters and fighter jets attacked two military outposts in northwest Pakistan Saturday, killing as many as 28 troops and plunging U.S.-Pakistan relations deeper into crisis.
Egypt's military under pressure from protests, US
The U.S. has increased pressure on Egypt's military rulers to hand over power to civilian leaders, and the generals have turned to a Mubarak-era politician to head a new government in a move that failed to satisfy the more than 100,000 protesters who jammed Tahrir Square in the biggest rally yet this week.
Turkey says ready to act with Arab League to stop Syria violence
Turkey Foreign Minister Davutoglu says Turkey ready to attend meeting of Arab League foreign ministers that could take place Sunday; also consulting EU, NATO and UN Security Council members over Syria action.
Pro-Assad rallies in Syria denouncing the Arab League
Demonstrations were taking place Friday across Syria to denounce the Arab League's deadline to Damascus and expressed rejection to any foreign interference in Syria's affairs.
Pressure grows on Syria but foreign powers divided
Turkey and Arab powers kept up pressure on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to end the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators on Friday but longtime ally Russia warned against any foreign intervention.
Libya's new rulers offer weapons to Syrian rebels
Syrian rebels held secret talks with Libya's new authorities on Friday, aiming to secure weapons and money for their insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
Libya leaders supported by "money, arms, PR": ex-premier
One of the most senior figures in Libya's outgoing government has denounced its leaders as an unelected elite, supported by "money, arms and PR," and warned that 90 percent of Libya is politically voiceless.
Karzai says NATO strike killed seven Afghan civilians
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday accused NATO-led international forces of killing up to seven civilians, most of them children, in an air strike in the south.
Report: Iran lawmaker says 12 CIA agents arrested
Iran has arrested 12 agents of the American Central Intelligence Agency, the country's official IRNA news agency reported, quoting an influential lawmaker.
Report: U.S. carrier sent to Syrian coast as tensions flare
The USS George H.W. Bush, the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, has reportedly parked off the Syrian coast. The move comes as the U.S. embassy in Damascus urged Americans to "immediately" leave the country.
Turkey confronted with possible Syrian civil war
Turkey appears to be preparing for some form of civil war in neighbouring Syria, wary of any unilateral intervention but fearful fighting there could quickly escalate to a broader sectarian conflagration in the Arab world.
Yemen power transfer deal fraught with obstacles
A Yemeni power-transfer deal that demands President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down faces a range of obstacles that could derail it despite high-level Saudi support, analysts say.
November 23, 2011
On Cairo's Violent Streets, an Untenable Status Quo Meets an Unwritten Future
"Say it, don't be afraid: the military council has to leave," chanted some of the tens of thousands of protesters who thronged Cairo's Tahrir Square Tuesday night. Their slogan was a combative response to the junta's plan, announced hours earlier in an unprecedented television address by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, for a transfer of power to an elected civilian government next summer.
Drone attacks: Complaint to UN panel planned
ISLAMABAD: The government told the National Assembly on Tuesday it was planning to complain to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against frequent deadly US drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas to target militant hideouts, but held the Punjab government as the main culprit for most domestic human rights violations.
Yemen's Saleh signs power transfer deal
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed a Gulf initiative on Wednesday to hand over power to his deputy as part of a proposal to end months of protests that have pushed the Arab country to the brink of civil war.
Half of US voters say bomb Iran if sanctions fail
Fifty percent of Americans believe military action should be taken to stop Iran's nuclear program if sanctions do not work, a national poll released on Wednesday said.
China opposes expanded sanctions against Iran
China said Wednesday it opposed unilateral and expanded sanctions against Iran, such as those announced by several Western countries aimed at pressuring Tehran to halt its suspected nuclear weapons program.
China opposes expanded sanctions against Iran
China said Wednesday it opposed unilateral and expanded sanctions against Iran, such as those announced by several Western countries aimed at pressuring Tehran to halt its suspected nuclear weapons program.
U.S. urges Americans to leave Syria "immediately"
The U.S. Embassy in Damascus urged its citizens in Syria to depart "immediately," and Turkey's foreign ministry urged Turkish pilgrims to opt for flights to return home from Saudi Arabia to avoid traveling through Syria.
Syrian army defectors pin hopes on prospect of Turkish safe zone
The prospect that Turkish troops might create a safe zone inside Syria has inspired Syrian army defectors, who say that with such protection they would swiftly be able to mount a rebellion and sweep President Bashar al-Assad from power.
David Cameron: War looms in Syria
David Cameron urged world leaders to "engage" with Syrian opposition groups yesterday as he warned the country was on the brink of a full-scale civil war.
France considers 'humanitarian corridors' in Syria
France will discuss creating protected humanitarian corridors in Syria with its EU and Arab allies, Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Thursday, after meeting the exiled Syrian opposition leader.
Revealed: how Gaddafi's son was caught
Saif Al Islam Gaddafi was betrayed to his captors by a Libyan nomad who says he was hired to help Muammar Gaddafi's son escape to neighbouring Niger on the promise that he would be paid £1 million (Dh4.95 million).
November 22, 2011
Arab states, Turkey plan 'No-Fly Zone' over Syria
Senior European sources said that Arab jet fighters, and possibly Turkish warplanes, backed by American logistic support will implement a no fly zone in Syria's skies, after the Arab League will issue a decision, under its Charter, calling for the protection of Syrian civilians.
More questions than answers about NATO's Libya role
The reasons and the consequences behind NATO's bombing on the Libyan town of Majer still remain unclear three months on. Deutsche Welle visited the scene of one of the darkest episodes in Libya's war.
Police burn protest tents to clear Cairo's Tahrir
Egyptian soldiers and police set fire to protest tents in Cairo's Tahrir Square and fired tear gas and rubber bullets in a major assault Sunday to drive out thousands demanding that the military rulers quickly transfer power to a civilian government. At least 11 protesters were killed and hundreds were injured.
Syria Won't 'Bow Down' as Forces Kill 24
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said he won't "bow down" to international pressure as an Arab League ultimatum that called for an end to the violence expired.
Gaddafi son denies seeking deal with Hague court
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi denied on Saturday that he had been in contact with the International Criminal Court while he had been on the run before his capture by Libyan fighters.
NATO says trusts Libya, ICC on justice for Saif
NATO trusts Libyan authorities and the International Criminal Court to secure justice for Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam after his capture, a spokeswoman for the military alliance said.
Seif al-Islam Gadhafi captured in southern Libya
Moammar Gadhafi's former heir apparent Seif al-Islam was captured by revolutionary fighters in the southern desert Saturday just over a month after his father was killed.
Britain in secret talks with Syrian rebels
Britain has formally opened talks with the Syrian opposition movement as international pressure continues to mount against the beleaguered regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
November 18, 2011
Clinton says there could be civil war in Syria
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday Syria could slide into civil war but she did not foresee the global community intervening in the same way it did in Libya.
Syria 'to accept' Arab League monitoring mission
Syria has conditionally accepted an Arab League plan to send a mission to observe the implementation of proposals aimed at ending violence, a Syrian diplomatic source has told the BBC.
Report: Russia warships to enter Syria waters in bid to stem foreign intervention
Russian warships are due to arrive at Syrian territorial waters, a Syrian news agency said on Thursday, indicating that the move represented a clear message to the West that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in the country's civil unrest.
Syria targeted for imperialist intrigue after Arab League suspension
Wednesday's three-day deadline by the Arab League for Syria to meet its terms is a political provocation. It presents terms that the Syrian government cannot possibly accept, to allow other Middle Eastern regimes to continue an imperialist-backed intervention against Damascus.
U.S. Arms Persian Gulf Allies For Conflict With Iran
Rumors and reports of, speculation over and scenarios for attacks against Iran's civilian nuclear power facilities and military sites by the United States, Israel or both have flared up periodically over the past several years, especially since early 2005.
Libya UN envoy says Qatar arming Islamists
Libya's U.N. envoy Mohammed Abdel Rahman Shalgam on Friday urged Qatar to stop meddling in his country's domestic affairs, accusing the fellow Arab nation of providing funds and weapons to Libyan Islamists.
Analysis: As Libyans wrangle, Qatar in wings
With horse-trading over Libya's new government in its intense final days, foreign travel might not seem a priority for the interim leader, but when Mustafa Abdul Jalil jetted off to Qatar this week, few were surprised.
Two British terror suspects killed in US drone strikes in Pakistan
Two young British men have been killed in US drone strikes against suspected militants in Pakistan's tribal belt, according to reports from the country. The pair, both Muslims from London, are reported to have been killed in separate drone strikes two weeks apart in South Waziristan.
November 17, 2011
Militia warning as Libyan PM forms government
A commander of Libyan former rebels has warned that his men could overthrow the incoming government if it fails to meet their demands for representation.
IAEA resolution to sharply criticize Iran for nuclear efforts
World powers meeting at the United Nations' nuclear agency have agreed on a draft resolution sharply criticizing Iran for its nuclear activities while deferring any discussion of new U.N. sanctions until the spring, two Western diplomats familiar with the document said Thursday.
Bomb Iran? Sanity in Exile
Or as Mitt Romney put it, playing the irresponsible-lunatic game convincingly enough to become the leading Republican presidential candidate: "If we re-elect Barack Obama, Iran will have a nuclear weapon."
China, Russia Resist Sanctions Against Iran
A new U.S. and European-led push to censure Iran before the United Nations nuclear agency for alleged efforts to develop atomic weapons is facing resistance from Russia, China and a bloc of developing countries, which threaten to dilute any international punishment.
Top US senator unveils Iran central bank sanctions
Looking to heap pressure on Iran over its suspect nuclear program, a top US senator on Thursday introduced legislation aimed at collapsing the country's central bank.
Why the West is demonizing Iran
Iran nationalised its oil to achieve economic and political independence and combat poverty.
Barak tries damage control after 'Iran gaffe'
Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, has reassured Israelis about his government's resolve after he appeared to empathise with Iran's alleged quest for nuclear weapons during a US television interview.
Iran nuclear sanctions hurt the middle class, not Guards
International sanctions aimed at Iran's nuclear program have hurt the country's middle class and caused factories to shut down while low-quality goods flood the country, say foreign policy analysts.
Sanctioning Syria: The Long Road to Damascus
In 1996, an Israeli think tank, the Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies, prepared "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm" for incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In that seminal report, the Richard Perle-led study group suggested that Israel could "shape its strategic environment, in cooperation with Turkey and Jordan, by weakening, containing, and even rolling back Syria."
Syrian opposition welcomes Arab League observers, opposes suspension
The Syrian opposition will welcome Arab League observers, but is opposed to the organization suspending Syria's membership and imposing sanctions on the Western Asian country, an opposition leader said on Thursday.
Iraq's Sadr backs embattled Syrian leader Assad
Iraq's radical anti-US Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has expressed support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even as much of the Arab world turns against the embattled strongman.
US drone strike kills 7 in NW Pakistan
At least seven people have been killed in the latest non-UN-sanctioned US assassination drone strike in the northwestern tribal belt of Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, Press TV reported.
Syria apologises for attack on Jordan embassy
The Syrian government on Tuesday apologised for an attack the previous night on the Jordanian embassy in Damascus, perpetrated by regime supporters.
Airstrike Against Iranian Nuclear Facilities Could Kill 100s of North Koreans and Russians
As the drums for direct military intervention to derail Iran's purported covert military nuclear weapons program beat louder in both Jerusalem and Washington, an overlooked issue is the possibility of international "collateral damage," to use the Pentagon's favourite euphemism for civilian casualties.
"Nuclear Option" Against Iran's Economy Paves Way for War
The drumbeat for another round of draconian sanctions against Iran is growing louder on Capitol Hill. While Illinois Senator Mark Kirk's proposed legislation to "collapse the Central Bank of Iran" was intended to be attached to the now-stalled international affairs funding bill, the pressure from Congress for another round of indiscriminate sanctions continues to build.
Powers make "progress" on IAEA Iran resolution
World powers are making progress in narrowing their differences on how to respond to a U.N. watchdog report that aired intelligence suggesting Iran has worked on designing a nuclear weapon, Western diplomats said on Wednesday.
Iran ready to help Turkey with nuclear plant - aide
An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader said on Tuesday that Tehran was willing to share its controversial nuclear technology with neighboring countries, suggesting it could help Turkey build an atomic power plant.
Who said Gaddafi had to go?
So Gaddafi is dead and Nato has fought a war in North Africa for the first time since the FLN defeated France in 1962. The Arab world's one and only State of the Masses, the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriyya, has ended badly. In contrast to the bloodless coup of 1 September 1969 that overthrew King Idris and brought Gaddafi and his colleagues to power, the combined rebellion/civil war/ Nato bombing campaign to protect civilians has occasioned several thousand (5000? 10,000? 25,000?) deaths, many thousands of injured and hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, as well as massive damage to infrastructure. What if anything has Libya got in exchange for all the death and destruction that have been visited on it over the past seven and a half months?
The killing of blacks in Libya and the rise of the African mercenary
It is a dangerous time to be dark-skinned in Tripoli," Human Rights Watch reported recently. Since the revolutionaries defeated, and then killed, Muammar Gaddafi, "dark-skinned" Africans from outside traditional North Africa have seen hell.
US drone strike kills 17 in Somalia
A US assassination drone strike has killed at least 17 people and wounded nearly 67 others in southern Somalia, Press TV reports.
US drone kills 7 in Pakistan
Pakistan: A suspected US drone fired missiles at a house in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border early Tuesday morning, killing seven alleged militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said.
Syria frees 1,180 prisoners
Syria has released 1,180 prisoners who were arrested during the past few months of unrest in the country.
Syrian soldiers killed in clash with defectors
Dozens of soldiers and security forces were gunned down by suspected army defectors in southern Syria, a deadly ambush that comes as President Bashar Assad increasingly appears unable to manage the crisis, activists said Tuesday.
Syria decides not to attend the Arab League meetings in Morocco
The Syrian government decided late Tuesday that it will not take part in the 4th session of the Arab-Turkish Forum nor the Arab League ministerial meetings scheduled to convene in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on Wednesday, the state-run Syrian News Agency (SANA) reported.
Iran's nuclear defiance finds rare common ground in fractured country
Banners proclaiming Iran's "obvious right" to nuclear technology are draped over building facades. State media describe the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency as an American puppet and dismiss claims about nuclear weapons advances as made-in-USA falsehoods.
Nuclear Pots Call Iranian Kettle Black
Here we go again. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) long awaited, much ballyhooed report on Iran's nuclear activities has been thunderously greeted in North America as conclusive evidence that Iran is working on nuclear weapons.
Iran Getting Nukes? The Hard Sell to Send Troops to Iran
In politics, there is no such thing as coincidental timing. Over the last week, Iran has become more prevalent in the next as Israel may be preparing for a preemptive strike on the nation in the hopes of preventing Iran from creating a nuclear weapon. Today, there is word of a United Nations report that points out that Iran is very close to a nuclear weapon. I would say that these announcements were not coincidence.
Iran students form chain to defend nuclear site
Hundreds of Iranian students on Tuesday formed a human chain around one of the Islamic republic's nuclear sites, vowing to strongly respond to any strike by arch-foe Israel, Fars news agency reported.
November 14, 2011
NATO countries may face war crimes inquiry
Some NATO members are worried that their organization may be investigated by the International Criminal Court after its prosecutor said allegations of crimes committed by NATO in Libya would be examined "impartially and independently," according to diplomats accredited to NATO headquarters.
Libyan scenario unfolding in Syria
The "illegitimate" decision to suspend Syria from the Arab League has received wide support from the EU and the US. Russia, however, has strongly opposed the measure, which is starting to look like another step on the road to a Libya-style scenario.
Israel says Iran closer to atom bomb than thought
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday the full extent of Iran's nuclear programme was not reflected in a recent U.N. report, which said that Tehran appeared to have worked on designing an atomic bomb.
CIA operations in Iran underway to take out Tehran bigs in mission to dismantle weapons program
In public Sunday, President Obama was at a summit unsuccessfully leaning on Russia and China to back diplomatic efforts to curb Iran's nuke program. In private Sunday, there was more evidence of an efficient and brutal covert operation that continues to degrade Iran's military capabilities.
Western official: Israel is behind recent Iran explosion
Western intelligence source tells Time Magazine that he believes the Mossad was responsible for deadly blast near Tehran which killed key figure in Iran's missile program.
'IAEA report contains nothing new'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has criticized the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's nuclear program, saying it "contains nothing new."
US speeds up militarization of Iran's neighbors
With American and Iranian relations on the brink of war due to news or a nuclear program being developed out of Tehran, Obama administration insiders say the US is about to cut an arms deal with a powerful American ally in the region.
Gun battles on outskirts of Tripoli leave 13 dead
RIVAL militias clashed on the outskirts of the Libyan capital for a fourth day yesterday in the most sustained violence since the capture and killing of Muammar al-Gaddafi last month.
AL chief visits Libya, says premature to recognize Syrian opposition
The Arab League (AL) Secretary General, Nabil al-Arabi, said here Sunday that it is premature to recognize the Syrian opposition at this moment, calling for a more significant role of Libya in regional affairs.
November 13, 2011
'Gaddafi couldn't kill more people than NATO did' — Syrian deputy FM
Even if Gaddafi had lived for another 100 years, he could not have killed even a fraction of the number obliterated by NATO during its intervention in Libya, claims Syria's deputy Foreign Minister, Faisal al-Mikdad, in an exclusive interview with RT.
Syrians Protest Arab League Suspension Vote, Drawing Mixed Reactions in Middle East
Tens of thousands of Syrian government supporters poured into the streets Sunday to protest an Arab League vote to suspend the country's membership, as Turkey sent planes to evacuate diplomatic staff and their families after a night of attacks on embassies.
Libya: Media blackout, why?
Has anyone noticed the virtual silence on Libya among western news agencies? If Libya was today quiet, and without any conflict, we could believe the Lies on Sky and friends incorporated that a dictator had been toppled and his enraptured people freed, living now in peace, preparing for democracy. But this is not the case...
At Least Six Are Killed as Libyan Militias Clash on Coastal Highway Near Tripoli
Two rival militias fought a sporadic but deadly gun battle just west of Tripoli over the weekend, blocking traffic on the vital coastal road between the Libyan capital and the Tunisian border. The outburst of violence was among the worst to come to light since the killing of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi last month.
Rival Libyan militias clash near military base
Rival militias clashed on the outskirts of the Libyan capital for a fourth day Sunday in the most sustained violence since the capture and killing of Moammar Gadhafi last month.
Libyans say clashes resolved, but firing goes on
Despite continued gunfire and explosions near Tripoli on Sunday, Libyan officials and fighters said a bloody local dispute that has strained nerves in the city for three days was being resolved.
America's Media War on Iran
When Washington goes to war or threatens it, America's media march in lockstep, cheerleading. Fiction substitutes for fact.
U.S. demands Iran respond to IAEA report within days
Iran must respond soon to a report by the UN atomic agency alleging that it is working secretly on developing a nuclear weapon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday while attending a Pacific Rim summit.
Eyeing Iran, US plans weapons sale to UAE
THE United States has plans to provide thousands of advanced "bunker-busting" bombs to the United Arab Emirates as part of efforts to contain Iran, The Wall Street Journal says.
Libya interim leader: No place for extremist Islam
Libya won't turn into an extremist Islamic country, its interim leader assured the European Union's top diplomat on Saturday, adding that the formation of a new government of experts is to be completed in the coming week.
Terror and Revenge Engulfs NATO's Libya
The "new Libya" has entered its own "Terror" which is spreading inexorably, aided by NATO member states including American, French and British SAS units known locally as "disappearance squads". This is one of the rapidly developing consequences of the UN's rush to "protect Libya's civilian population" last spring.
Obama to announce US marine base in Darwin
PRESIDENT Barack Obama is to announce that the US will begin rotating marines through an Australian base in Darwin in a permanent new military presence, intensifying the alliance in a sign of heightened concern about China.
14 killed, Syria accused of 'crimes against humanity'
At least 14 people were killed in violence in Syria on Friday, most of them civilians in the restive city of Homs, as Human Rights Watch accused the regime of crimes against humanity.
Reports of Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Sound Like a Repeat of Iraq Eight Years Ago
"We will not build two (nuclear) bombs in the face of (America's) 20,000," said Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in response to an International Atomic Energy Agency report this week that accuses Iran of doing just that. He called Yukiya Amano, the head of the IAEA, a U.S. puppet, saying: "This person does not publish a report about America and its allies' nuclear arsenals."
Clinton urges China to put pressure on Iran
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged China to use its influence to raise pressure on Iran after new charges that the Tehran regime is pursuing nuclear weapons, officials said.
Iran: Nobody would dare attack Islamic Republic
A senior Iranian envoy is discounting the threat of a military attack on his country, saying "nobody would dare" to provoke such a confrontation with Tehran.
Fighting reported in western Libya
Clashes were being reported Friday in western Libya between two rival groups vying for control of the base of a brigade formally led by one of the sons of ousted leader Moamer Gaddafi.
Niger grants asylum to Saadi Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi's son Saadi has been granted asylum in Niger on humanitarian grounds, the country's president confirmed on Friday.
NATO may have ended its operations in Libya, but the Western presence is far from over - with big companies replacing the warplanes. The countries that bombed the oil-rich country are now getting lucrative contracts to rebuild it. RT's Laura Smith adds up the profits of war.
Pakistan Drone Strikes Aided by Covert Emitters?
The targeting by American Predator and Reaper UAVs of terrorists along the Afghan-Pakistan border is being aided by GPS tracking devices placed covertly in the suspects' vehicles, according to media reports.
Reports: U.S. Military to Help Fight Nigerian Terrorists
The Pentagon's shadow war in Africa could have a new front, if reports coming out of Nigeria are accurate. U.S. troops are headed to Nigeria to help local forces do battle with Boko Haram, an Islamic terror group that has killed up to 400 people this year in an escalating campaign of bombings and shootings.
November 10, 2011
IAEA errs on "foreign expert" in Iran n-programme
The latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran appears to have falsified information about a Russian scientist who allegedly helped Tehran advance its nuclear weapons programme.
Dennis Ross Fired Over IAEA Dud
I have a hunch that the abrupt firing of Dennis Ross is one of the (well deserved) outcomes of the recent "nuclear Iran" IAEA, Americn induced report dud.
Russia, China: No new Iran sanctions
Russia and China have voiced their opposition to fresh sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, the Russian Foreign Ministry has announced.
Heavy security measures along Iraqi-Syrian borders
Source at the Border Guards Command told NINA on Thursday, Nov. 10, that heavy security measures are been taken along the Iraqi-Syrian borders in Anbar province in anticipation of infiltration by gunmen as a result of Syrian forces withdrawal into cities witnessing demonstrations.
US terror drones kill 38 more in Somalia
At least 38 people have been killed in US assassination drone attacks in southern Somalia near the border with Kenya, Press TV reported.
November 09, 2011
Arab league prepares 'harsh' measures against Syria
The Arab League's ministerial meeting in Cairo on Saturday may approve "fresh harsh measures" against Syria, Egypt's Al Ahram newspaper said on Wednesday.
US to Syrian protesters: Say no to amnesty offer
The U.S. is telling Syrian protesters not to take up their government's offer of "amnesty" — reinforcing earlier advice that has angered President Bashar Assad.
Britain, France urge new strong sanctions on Iran
Britain and France, in a joint statement Wednesday, called for new tougher strong sanctions to be imposed on Iran unless Tehran cooperates over its nuclear programme.
Iran's Nuclear Program and the Legal Mandate of the IAEA
Daniel Joyner of the University of Alabama School of Law says the IAEA went outside of its legal mandate with its latest report on Iran, a move that has been viewed by some states as indicating the IAEA's shift from a technical body to a politicized one.
IAEA study as pretext for war on Iran
In its most critical report yet on the country, the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran might be working on developing nuclear weapons.
The Obama Doctrine: Making a Virtue of Necessity
After nearly 3 years in deep pursuit of the colonial wars initiated by ex-President Bush, the Obama regime has finally recognized the catastrophic domestic and foreign consequences. As a result the "reality principle" has taken hold; the maintenance of the US Empire requires modification of tactics and strategies, to cut political, military and diplomatic losses.
New Libyan PM seeks cash, reassures fighters
Libya's incoming prime minister Abdurrahim El-Keib was forced on Wednesday to pacify an angry crowd of armed fighters demanding jobs and back-pay, and urged his Western allies to unblock frozen funds so his government can pay its way.
14 dead as Niger clashes with convoy from Libya
Niger's army has clashed with a heavily armed convoy of vehicles that entered its territory from Libya, killing 13 in the convoy and suffering one casualty on its side, military sources in the West African country said on Wednesday.
Russia criticizes release of IAEA Iran report
MOSCOW: Russia criticized the release of information in a UN watchdog report pointing to Iranian work on designing an atom bomb, saying it would dim hopes for dialogue with Tehran and could be meant to scuttle chances for a diplomatic solution.
IAEA Accuses Iran Of Secret Work 'Specific To Nuclear Weapons'
The UN atomic agency charges in a new report on Iran's nuclear program that Tehran has worked on developing a nuclear weapon design and other research and testing relevant for such arms.
IAEA: Iranian Nuclear Explosive Development 'May Still Be Ongoing'
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) "is unable to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities," according to a report by the UN watch-dog.
Flashback:Nuclear Wikileaks: Cables show cosy US relationship with IAEA chief
As Mohamed ElBaradei's term as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headed towards a close last year, Washington looked forward to the new era under Yukiya Amano with relish.
Iran Guard says will retaliate if leaders killed
An Iranian semi-official news agency says that a top commander in the country's Revolutionary Guard force has threatened to kill "dozens" of American military commanders, should the U.S. kill any one of theirs.
Report: Sarkozy calls Netanyahu 'liar'
Microphones accidently left on after G20 meeting pick up private conversation between US, French presidents. Sarkozy admits he 'can't stand' Israeli premier. Obama: You're fed up with him? I have to deal with him every day!
From Balfour to Obama: Colonial Thinking on Palestine
The phrase "British Mandate of Palestine" is as commonplace in Western and Zionist scholarship on Palestine as to be inoffensive and therefore barely given a second thought. Indeed, a quick internet search of this seemingly innocuous term reveals some two million results of wildly varying quality and usefulness.
Senior Cleric Warns of Iran's Powerful Reprisal for US Plots
Ayatollah Seyed Ahmad Khatami, a senior and influential cleric in the Islamic Republic, warned on Monday that Tehran would reciprocate any US move and plot against the Islamic Republic with such strong acts of reprisal that Washington and its allies would never forget.
Iran says IAEA's documents on its missile program "fake"
A senior member of Iran's Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami said Monday that the documents of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its missile program are "fake," the official IRNA news agency reported.
Syria asks for Arab help against U.S. involvement in 'bloody events'
Syria has sent the Arab League a letter asking for support against what it called U.S. involvement in "bloody events" in the country amid increasing opposition calls for international protection of civilians against the forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Former Syria VP leads new opposition group
A new Syrian opposition group backed by Bashar al-Assad's former Vice-President Abdul-Halim Khaddam said on Monday it wanted to unify the various opposition strands and use "all means" necessary to oust the Syrian leader.
November 06, 2011
Ron Paul: Befriend Iran
GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul says "offering friendship" to Iran, not sanctions, would be a more fruitful to achieving peace with Tehran.
Israel set to attack over Iran nuclear risk
ISRAELI President Shimon Peres has warned that an attack on Iran was "more and more likely," ahead of tomorrow's release of a report by the UN nuclear watchdog, which is expected to say Tehran has tested nuclear triggering technology and modified ballistic missiles to carry nuclear warheads.
Engineering Consent For Attack On Iran IAEA: Iran Had Model of Nuclear Warhead
The UN atomic agency plans to reveal intelligence this week suggesting Iran made computer models of a nuclear warhead and other previously undisclosed details on alleged secret work by Tehran on nuclear arms.
Iran to IAEA: Go ahead and publish 'counterfeit' report
A crucial IAEA report on Iran's nuclear programme due in the next few days -- raised as a possible trigger for war by Israel -- is based on "counterfeit" claims, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in comments published on Sunday.
Engineering Consent For Attack On Iran An Inside Look at the (Alleged) Base where Iran is Developing Nuclear Weapons
UN nuclear watchdog to release report on activities this week; Iran has carried out experiments in the final stage for developing nuclear weapons including explosions and computer simulations of explosions.
Iran says US plot suspect is anti-Tehran militant
Iran has complained to the United Nations about a U.S. accusation it tried to assassinate a Saudi diplomat, saying one of the alleged plotters Washington calls an Iranian military official is really a member of an anti-Tehran rebel group.
The Guardian of Israel
Gilad Atzmon argues that, by regurgitating Israeli disinformation that the UK is ready to join the US and Israel in attacking Iran but without any attribution or substantiation, Britain's Guardian newspaper has turned itself into a mouthpiece of Israeli propaganda.
'15,000 strong' army gathers to take on Syria
An insurgent army which claims to be up to 15,000 strong is being coordinated from Turkey to take on President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which risks plunging the region into open warfare.
Zionist plan to build 60,000 settlement units in Jerusalem
Hebrew media sources revealed a strategic plan of the occupation municipality in Jerusalem which aims to build more than 60,000 new settler residential units in Jerusalem over the next 20 years.
Cornered in Free Libya
"We've walked all the way here to tell everybody that we are being treated like dogs," said 23-year old Hamuda Bubakar, among a couple of hundred black refugees protesting at Martyrs Square in Tripoli. "I'd rather be killed here. I wouldn't be the first, or the last."
Syria and Iran: the great game
This summer a senior Saudi official told John Hannah, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, that from the outset of the upheaval in Syria, the king has believed that regime change would be highly beneficial to Saudi interests: "The king knows that other than the collapse of the Islamic Republic itself, nothing would weaken Iran more than losing Syria."
Vicious triangle forming against Iran
In recent days, there has been a vociferous interest in Israel, the US and the UK in fanning the flames of Iranophobia in what observers see as a political red herring to engage in a catastrophic war in the Middle East.
UN report 'to suggest Iran nuclear weapons work'
The UN's atomic watchdog is planning to reveal evidence that Iran has been working secretly to develop a nuclear weapons capability, diplomats say.
Syria releases 553 prisoners ahead of Muslim Eid al-Adha
The Syrian government released Saturday a total of 553 prisoners arrested during the seven-month- long unrest on the occasion of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, the state-run TV reported.
'Keep Gaza lull, or Israel will attack'
Egyptian official says escalation and rocket fire toward Israeli cities could prompt wide military offensive in the Strip; says Cairo's ability to thwart operation limited
Israel begins deporting Gaza boat activists
Israeli authorities on Saturday began deporting pro-Palestinian activists who tried to breach the Jewish state's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Sole Military Super-Bloc: NATO Issues Daily Reprieves To The World
On October 31 North Atlantic Treaty Organization chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived in the Libyan capital of Tripoli at the end of seven full months of the military bloc's war in the country and effused: "It's great to be in Libya, free Libya."
US drone attacks kill dozens in Somalia
Two US assassination drone attacks have left at least 75 people dead and about 80 others wounded in southern Somalia, Press TV reports.
November 04, 2011
Urgent: ships BOARDED by Israeli Navy
Canadian and Irish ships sailing with Freedom Waves to Gaza have been illegally boarded by the Israeli military in international waters a short while ago.
Libya militias taking law into own hands
Many of the fighters that pushed Muammar Qaddafi from power have refused to stand down. Now, some of Libya militias are allegedly stealing and targeting Qaddafi supporters for revenge.
Libya's Liberation Front Organizing in the Sahel
"Sahel" in Arabic means "coast" or "shoreline". Unless one was present 5000 years ago when, according to anthropologists, our planets first cultivation of crops began in this then lush, but now semiarid region where temperatures reach 125 degrees F, and only camels and an assortment of creatures can sniff out water sources, it seems an odd geographical name place for this up-to-450 miles wide swatch of baked sand that runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
CIA Drones Kill Large Groups Without Knowing Who They Are
The expansion of the CIA's undeclared drone war in the tribal areas of Pakistan required a big expansion of who can be marked for death. Once the standard for targeted killing was top-level leadership in al-Qaeda or one of its allies. That's long gone, especially as the number of people targeted at once has grown.
Ex-Mossad Chief: Radical-Right Jews More Dangerous than Iran
A former chief of Israel's intelligence service, the Mossad, says that ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel pose more of a threat to the Jewish state than Iran. Ephraim Halevy pooh-poohed the threat from Iran, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak were said to be rounding up support for a unilateral attack on Iran. Halevy said Iran is "far from posing an existential threat to Israel."
US advises Syrians against surrendering to regime
The US State Department on Friday advised Syrians against turning themselves in to President Bashar al-Assad's regime after Damascus announced an amnesty for those who surrender their weapons.
The Lynching of Libya
British writer and political thinker George Orwell died at 46. In the short span of his writing life, he left behind lucid pieces of prose in which he articulated his brilliant political thought. Had he lived longer, the world would have been further enriched by his political philosophy. In his essay "Shooting an Elephant," Orwell wrote, "When the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys." After having launched unprovoked wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the white man has now inflicted tyranny on Libya.
Egypt: "We Will Not Allow Israel To Attack Gaza"
Egyptian security leaders stated that they believe Israel still intends to conduct a large-scale military offensive against the Gaza Strip, despite extensive Egyptian efforts to maintain calm, and added that Egypt will not allow Israeli to cross "Red Lines".
Israel freezes UNESCO funding after Palestinian membership
Netanyahu decides to hold $2 million Israel transfers to UN cultural body yearly; Israel decided Tuesday to expedite settlement building in West Bank in response to PA's UNESCO membership.
Syrians rally in support of Assad govt
Syrians have held a massive demonstration in the Mediterranean port city of Tartous to voice their support for President Bashar al-Assad's government.
Syria: At least 12 dead as number of army defectors reaches 15,000
Rights activists said at least 12 Syrian civilians were killed Thursday by security forces, one day after Damascus announced its acceptance of the initiative put forward by the Arab League to resolve the crisis. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced earlier the killing of 7 civilians in the city of Homs.
US planning Iran attack? Tehran ready for worst
Iran's foreign minister said on Thursday that Tehran was "prepared for the worst" and warned the United States against putting itself on "collision course" with his country.
Israel attack on Iran military suicide
There is a strong speculation that Israel is bound to mount an attack on Iranian nuclear sites, a threat which the Zionist regime has frequently repeated and an idea which, if translated into action, will bring about apocalyptic consequences for the Zionist entity.
US drone raids kill over 120 in 2 days
At least 127 people have been killed in separate US assassination drone strikes in Somalia and Pakistan's northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan over the past two days.
US night raids killed 1,500 Afghan civilians
United States Special Operations Forces (SOF) killed well over 1,500 civilians in night raids in less than 10 months in 2010 and early 2011, analysis of official statistics on the raids released by the US-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) command reveals.
Murder as Instrument of Foreign Policy
President Obama has openly deployed murder as an instrument of foreign policy. Soon after assuming office, Obama authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to plan and execute the murder of terrorists and other enemies, regardless of whether they are U.S. citizens.
IMF to meet with Libya's TNC officials
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday said it was meeting with leaders of Libya's Transitional National Council (TNC) to determine the needs of the country. "There will be a meeting with the authorities shortly. I don't have a specific date but it will be soon," IMF spokesman David Hawley said at a news conference in Washington.
November 02, 2011
Neocolonial scramble for Africa
The neocolonial scramble for Africa has truly begun with the installation of the National Transitional Council in Libya.
Peace? You're joking. Much blood will yet be shed in Libya
Days after Gaddafi was buried, the flag of Al Qaeda is flying in Libya and sharia law has been imposed. Now, many rebel fighters fear the rise of a hardline Islamist state - and will fight to the death to stop it.
Israeli nuclear bluff and the American hand behind it
As reported by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, a senior U.S. State Deapartment official has said that Washington is concerned that Israel will mount a military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities. An uncontrolled an uncoordinated unilateral Israeli action against Iran "may not necessarily be in line with US interests in the region."
The human toll of the U.S. drone campaign
The principal reason so little attention is paid to the constant victims of American violence in the Muslim world is because the U.S. Government refuses to disclose anything about these attacks and media outlets virtually never report on those victims (MSNBC demoted and then fired its then-rising-star Ashleigh Banfield when she returned from Iraq and pointed out that fact in an April, 2003 speech denouncing the "one-sided" coverage of American wars: meaning, the invisibility in U.S. media of America's civilian victims).
US drone attack kill 20 Somalis
The US assassination drone carried out the attacks on Wednesday morning on the outskirts of Kismayo city, leaving 20 people dead and 60 others, mostly women and children, injured.
Group: Syrian army deserters kill 15
Syrian army deserters killed seven soldiers and eight members of the security forces and gunmen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in an apparent response to the killing of 11 villagers earlier on Wednesday, an activist group said.
November 01, 2011
Bahrain rights probe head says torture systematic
Bahrain said on Tuesday it would push ahead with parliamentary reforms it hopes will end unrest in the Gulf Arab country in an announcement that came a day after the head of a rights commission said he had found evidence of systematic abuse.
Syria mining Lebanon border
Syria is planting landmines along parts of the country's border with Lebanon as refugees stream out of the country to escape the crackdown on anti-government protests, officials and witnesses said Tuesday.
UN probe unveils new suspected Syrian nuclear facility
Investigators identify previously unknown complex in northwest of country, bolstering suspicions of nuclear ties between Assad regime and the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb.
In Libya, Fighting May Outlast the Revolution
Many of the local militia leaders who helped topple Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi are abandoning a pledge to give up their weapons and now say they intend to preserve their autonomy and influence political decisions as "guardians of the revolution."
Libya's Other Victims Pick Up the Pieces
Suleyman and Rasool have come to the University of Bani Walid, in western Libya. If they are lucky, they might find some chemistry notes and, perhaps, a computer that works. Unfortunately, it is not likely, since NATO reduced the campus to rubble.
Libya: Military Success Doesn't Erase Moral Questions
Shortly after the first U.S. cruise missiles fell in Libya on March 19, 2011, signaling the start of the seven-month NATO campaign to "protect civilians" by dropping bombs on that country, I wrote that even if we reduced our moral standards to those of Osama bin Laden, the murder of even one Libyan in the name of "human rights" must still be considered immoral. With the declared end of NATO's "Operation Unified Protector" on Oct. 31, 2011, it is worth revisiting the morality of the so-called humanitarian intervention in Libya.
US condemns UNESCO over Palestine vote
Washington stops payment of $60 million in annual funding to UN heritage body after it admits Palestine as full member.
