This week’s top news:
Neocons Press Hagel in Confirmation Hearings: Hagel was largely submissive to right-wing bullies, passing up opportunities to defend his own views.
UN Report: Israel Must Withdraw All Settlers or Face ICC: The United Nations Human Rights Council said in a report issued Thursday that Israel is violating international law in the West Bank, that Israel “must immediately initiate a process of withdrawal of all settlers” from the West Bank and cease further settlement building “without preconditions.”
Israel Attacks Syria, Adding Complexity to Syrian Civil War: Fresh off of weekend claims by Vice Premier Silvan Shalom that Israel was considering attacking Syria, they did exactly that, sending warplanes through Lebanon into Syrian territory and launching air strikes that killed two people.
US Official: Mali Intervention ‘Could Take Several Years’: The Pentagon surely seems prepared to milk the Mali intervention for all its worth and certainly for decades to come. The US is already planning on using the war in Mali to justify establishing a base for drone operations throughout northwest Africa.
CIA Nominee John Brennan Had Detailed Knowledge of Bush-Era Torture: While serving as deputy executive director of the CIA under the Bush administration, President Obama’s nominee for CIA chief and current counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan “had detailed, contemporaneous knowledge” of the use of torture on detainees in US prisons.
Obama Closes Office Working to Shut Down Gitmo: The Obama administration has decided to close the office and eliminate the special envoy devoted to closing the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
Opinion and Analysis:
- Justin Raimondo wrote about why people should care about US foreign policy, the decline of American Empire, and the Hagel hearings.
- Kelley B. Vlahos speculated on what kind of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel would be.
- Philip Giraldi revealed the militarism embedded within American sports.
- Ivan Eland lamented stupid Republicans and questioned what the party stands for.
- Nebojsa Malic explained two simple rules to explain the Balkans enigma.
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I was tortured for almost 3 years by the FBI and their friends only
because 85 years old man, Roland Sibens(chicago) convinced them that I
am a terrorist. I was tortured for working on my prosthetic legs in
the basement. I done absolutely nothing illegal or wrong. They thought
that in theory it is possible to hide bomb in them. They saw an
opportunity to get famous, so they were trying to torture me till I
sign their insane story. They tortured me using more than 100
different torturing methods and trust to me waterboarding is not how
they torture nowadays. I dont know where to find justice.
I think that after 9/11 things got out of control. Freedom fighters
became tyrants. In 1945, most Germans had an opportunity to learn about Nazis death
camps. I hope that one day American citizens will get chance to learn about people
like me, who were tortured with no reason for years.
The most important piece of news today is: NATO Chief: NATO Won´t Back Down on Missile Defense. But they must, because it´s suicidal. Professor J. Edward Anderson, "Deployment of anti-missile missiles in Eastern Europe is part of a first-strike strategy." Missile engineer Bob Aldridge: Whether they are on ships or land, they are still a necessary component for an unanswerable first strike." Dr Bob Bowman, Chief DOD "Star Wars" Program: Missile defense is the missing link to first strike. This leads to Launch On Warning by 2017 and Suicide. More info: claus eric/antiwar.com esp. interview with Ray McGovern.