” It’s the Economy, Stupid.” [Or oil, or gas, or energy…] If you think you know why Syria is happening [and happening NOW], you’re probably missing a number of the elements at play. Don’t expect western governments or the corporate media to enumerate these. Sure, chemical weapons are horrible, but
Continue readingTag: Iran
Sanctions—deadlier than war?
Most Canadians, I suspect, don’t pay much attention to the use of sanctions in international politics. War, yes—people being shot, bombed, and apparently even gassed is hard to ignore—but sanctions are complicated and largely invisible, easy to tune out. Most people’s reaction is simply, “They’re a lot better than war,
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Obama & Syria: A Rehearsal for Iran?
After Prime Minister David Cameron’s failure to bring along with him a majority of the MPs in the British Parliament, America has been reduced to vocal support from Germany (but no fighting Germans) and vocal and forceful support from France, in his attempts to put together a coalition to punish
Continue readingLeDaro: Barack Obama and Martin Luther King
Was Obama a suitable person to give a speech on the 50th anniversary of MLK’s “I have a dream” speech? MLK may have his own weaknesses as he was human after all, but he was not a hypocrite like Obama. It was Martin Luther King’s efforts and Lyndon Johnson’s co-operation
Continue readingThe U.S. war against democracy in the Middle East
The CIA’s recent public admission that it masterminded the 1953 military coup against Iran’s democratically elected government reminded me once again of the fickle U.S. support for democracy in the Middle East. American involvement was well-known—books have been written about it—but the publishing of previously classified documents by the U.S.
Continue readingdrive-by planet: U.S. arms for Syrian rebels: inflaming Sunni-Shia sectarianism
The Obama administration’s decision to authorize the arming of the Syrian rebels is opposed by a large majority of Americans. A recent Pew poll indicates that 74 percent of independents, 71 percent of Republicans and 66 percent of Democrats are opposed to the U.S. and its allies sending arms to
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Who are we trying to impress?
Canada ends all trade with Iran citing ‘grave and sincere concern’ over nuclear program Canada ended all trade with Iran on Wednesday, citing “grave and sincere concern” over the Islamic republic’s nuclear program and its failure to engage in meaningful negotiations. The ban on all imports and exports to and
Continue readingLeDaro: Israel and Peace in the Middle East
What is the biggest threat to stability and peace in the Middle East? It is not Iran, Iraq, or Syria… it’s Israel. The government of Israel – especially prime ministers like Netanyahu – are a de-stabilizing force in the region. The hard line policies of those like Netanyahu drive open
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive | News & Analysis: Veterans for Peace: Please Don’t Iraq Iran or Any Other Nation
By: Veterans for Peace | Press Release: WASHINGTON – April 1, 2013 – Veterans for Peace has released the following statement: With the 10-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq behind us, the task lies before us of preventing the next one. The Iraq war, like all wars, was launched on the basis
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: And How Did That Work Out For You?
It’s settled now that Iraq’s oil riches pretty much sealed Saddam Hussein’s fate. The Anglo-American conquest of Iraq was heavily an oil-driven decision. And wasn’t it nice of the Americans to avoid bombing Iraq’s oil infrastructure and to make it the first of the few things they actually secured after
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Iran’s Aerial Snake Oil
A few weeks back I put up a survey of various nations that were getting into the stealth game with either aircraft or UAVs under development or actually in testing. One reader pointed out I had overlooked Iran’s new stealth fighter. Overlooked, no; omitted, yes. The photos Iran released showed
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Argo: American propaganda wins best picture at the Oscars
The Hollywood-White House embrace was front and center when Michelle Obama was beamed into the Oscars, military personnel behind her, to announce the best picture pick. Surprise, surprise… Argo, replete with revisionist pro-American propaganda, was the Oscar winner. The Hollywoodization of entertainment is bad enough, what’s worse is Hollywood-as-political-tool. Argo
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canadian activist says Harper is wrong about Iran, gets CSIS visit
By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 22, 2013: In January, 2012, outspoken labour and anti-racism activist, Ken Stone argued that “Harper is Wrong in Demonizing Iran” in an editorial piece published by the Hamilton Spectator. On January 15, 2013, two Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) agents showed up on his door and
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Americans Now Primed for WWIII
(Gallup: Staggering 99 Percent of Americans See Iran’s Nuclear Program as ‘Threat’ Americans See Civilian Program as a Bigger Threat Than North Korea’s Actual Nukes by Jason Ditz, February 20, 2013) ”A grim new poll from Gallup shows an overwhelming majority of Americans, indeed 99 percent of them, believe
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: In Tehran, A Creepy New Anti-Obama Billboard (PHOTO)
Photo credit: asriran.com A new billboard in downtown Tehran has U.S. President Barack Obama side by side with Shmer, a seventh-century villain in Shia Islam. Obama is sort of leaning on the scary-looking Shmer, who is handing the viewer a scroll or something. Phot credit: asriran.com Iran is certainly sending the White House another
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canada-Benin FIPA: Stephen Harper’s new scramble for Africa’s wealth
“A FIPA is a treaty designed to protect and promote Canadian investment abroad through legally binding provisions,” – Prime Minister Stephen Harper With the new Canada-Benin Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), Canada’s first FIPA in Sub-Saharan Africa, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has strengthened Canada’s foothold on the new scramble for Africa‘s
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Go Back To Sleep America, At Your Own Peril
I never reprint other people’s writings, no matter how good – but I will make an exception for this. This article is a true must-read. Please, take the time to read it. Then act. Good morning America. It’s time for a new day. Kudos and warm thanks to Jill Dalton
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Netanyahu Steps In His Own Mess
Benjamin Netanyahu, with a looming date with Israeli voters, is doing his best to portray himself as the victor in Israel’s 8-day, Operation Pillar of Defence but, in the minds of many Israelis, he’s actually the loser. Der Spiegel reports that a…
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Why the U.S. Won’t Allow Dying Iranian Sociologist to Join His Family
by Cora Currier | ProPublica Dr. Rahmatollah Sedigh Sarvestani is dying. The Iranian sociologist, recently retired from a long teaching career at the University of Tehran, suffers from prostate cancer and a pelvic tumor. With his kidneys failin…
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Good Ol’ American Sex Scandal
The American media is very primitive, which is why it avoids complex and important issues, and instead resorts to tabloid topics like sex scandals. While their country is embroiled in an unprovoked war in Iraq, occupies Afghanistan (along with Canada), and itches to bomb Iran for oil, they’re worried more about where the wiener Petraeus […]