U.S. Uses False Taliban Aid Charge to Pressure Iran

By Gareth Porter

The Barack Obama administration has given new prominence to a Bush administration charge that Iran is providing military training and assistance to the Taliban in Afghanistan, for which no evidence has ever been produced, and which has been discredited by data obtained by IPS from the Pentagon itself. Continue

Pakistanis Reject U.S. "Aid" Flights

Lawsuit Filed Against U.S. Drone Attacks

By Jeremy Scahill

Damn those ungrateful Pakistanis. After U.S. drone attacks killed more than 600 of their people since 2006—most of them civilians—it seems they think they have some right to say they don’t want the U.S. flying its “aid” planes to Swat and other “tribal areas. Continue

Iraq a Failed Imperialist Venture

By Haroon Siddiqui

America plunged Iraq into chaos, shattered the infrastructure and destroyed the society, reducing human beings to their basest instincts. They turned on each other and found safety only in family, tribe, clan and sect. Shiites and Sunnis, who had lived together for ages, ethnically cleansed each other's neighbourhoods, which to this day remain separated by barricades, walls and checkpoints. Continue

How to Deal with America's Empire of Bases

A Modest Proposal for Garrisoned Lands

By Chalmers Johnson

The U.S. Empire of Bases -- at $102 billion a year already the world's costliest military enterprise -- just got a good deal more expensive. Continue

America's Praetorian Guard Is Slowly Crumbling

By Jack D. Douglas

I have a suggestion for other countries that are getting a bit weary of the American military presence on their soil: cash in now, before it's too late. Either up the ante or tell the Americans to go home. I encourage this behavior because I'm convinced that the U.S. Empire of Bases will soon enough bankrupt our country, and so -- on the analogy of a financial bubble or a pyramid scheme -- if you're an investor, it's better to get your money out while you still can. Continue

Whorehouse On The Potomac

By Paul Craig Roberts

As Americans celebrate July 4th, they can contemplate that the union of “free and independent states,” like the former British colonial power, has evolved into its final manifestation--a complete whore house. Continue

Honduran Coup Tries to Halt Advance of Latin America's Left

By Roger Burbach

A reform-minded president supported by labor unions and social organizations is now pitted against a mafia-like, drug-ridden, corrupt political elite that is accustomed to controlling the Supreme Court, as well as congress and the presidency. It is a story often repeated elsewhere in Latin America, with the United States almost always weighing in on the side of the established, entrenched interests. Continue

Honduras Under Siege

By Bertha Oliva:

Coup leaders reviving despotism of the 80s in bid to crush participatory democracy. Continue

The Other 9/11 Returns to Haunt Latin America

It was inevitable that the people at the top would fight to preserve their privileges

By Johann Hari

For the people of Latin America, this is a replay of their September 11. On that day in Chile in 1973, Salvador Allende – a peaceful democratic socialist who was steadily redistributing wealth to the poor majority – was bombed from office and forced to commit suicide. He was replaced by a self-described "fascist", General Augusto Pinochet, who went on to "disappear" tens of thousands of innocent people. The coup was plotted in Washington DC, by Henry Kissinger. Continue

Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire and Cynthia McKinney speak from an Israeli Jail Cell

By Free Gaza Team and Democracy Now! Transcript and audio

"This is Cynthia McKinney and I am calling from an Israeli prison" Continue

Helen Thomas: Not Even Nixon Tried to Control the Media Like Obama

By Penny Starr and Fred Lucas

“I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences,” she said. “It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.” Continue

Running On Empty

By Mike Whitney

Consumer spending is 70% of GDP, but consumers have suddenly stepped on the brakes. This is a real game-changer. Even if the credit markets are restored and the banks show a greater willingness to lend; there will be no return to the pre-crisis consumption-levels of the past. Those days are over. Continue

This Fourth Of July Is Yours, Not Mine

By Frederick Douglass

Fellow citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions, whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are today rendered more intolerable by the jubilant shouts that reach them. If I do forget, if I do not remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, "may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!" Continue

Pakistan: 28 "fighters" killed in Khyber clashes: "At least 28 militants of Lashkar-e-Islam were killed in shelling by helicopter gunships," Major Fazal Khan, a spokesman for the paramilitary unit, said on Thursday.

Extrajudicial Killing : Pakistan: At least 17 killed in 'US attack: U.S. missiles struck a "training facility" operated by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud and a militant communication center Friday, killing 17 people and wounding 27 others, intelligence officials said.

At least six dead in Pakistan bus attack: At least six people were killed and more than 15 injured on Thursday when a suspected Taliban suicide bomber rammed his motorcycle into a government bus in Rawalpindi, the military’s garrison city just outside Islamabad.

Suicide blast hits Pakistani city: At least one person has been killed after a suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up near a bus carrying workers from a nuclear facility in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, police say.

Taliban claims downing Pakistan Army helicopter: A spokesman for the Islamic militants told Sama television that the Taliban had also captured the pilot of the helicopter gunship.

Pakistan desperately needs money to resettle Swat residents: Unless the United States and other allies provide the required money to reconstruct Swat, Pakistan risks losing the "hearts and minds" of those who had to flee the operation that fought the Islamic extremists who'd overrun the region. Islamabad doesn't have the money, Pakistani officials said.

Pakistan: Millions of displaced people face discrimination and cannot access aid, warns Amnesty: People who lost everything as a result of the fighting are now being treated as second-class citizens in their own country

25 dead in 2 days in Somalia, witnesses say: Fighting in the Somali capital has killed 25 people over two days, leaving corpses in the streets of a city where a bloody insurgency is intensifying, doctors and witnesses said on Thursday.

Ethiopia: ‘We won’t send troops’: Somali residents have recently reported seeing truckloads of Ethiopian troops around the country's central regions but Ethiopian officials have repeatedly denied those claims.

African leaders discuss new mandate for Somali force: At the moment, the 4,300 troops from Uganda and Burundi in the AMISOM are largely confined to their bases and protect key sites such as the presidential palace, airport and seaport.

'Fighter influx' for Somali group: An "Islamist" commander in Somalia has told the BBC there has been an influx of fighters from overseas joining their battle against the interim government.

Bombings kill three in Baghdad area: In Baghdad, the violence began when a roadside bomb struck an Iraqi Army patrol, killing a soldier and wounding seven other people, police and hospital officials said.

Anti-US protest marks start of Biden's Iraq trip: A fiery protest marked the start on Friday of US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Iraq, with supporters of the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr burning the Stars and Stripes.

Roadside bombing kills five road constructors in E Afghanistan: Five employees of an Indian road construction company were killed as a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in Khost province, in east Afghanistan, on Friday, a local official said.

Marines say 1 killed in new Afghanistan offensive: The Marine Corps says one Marine has been killed in fighting in southern Afghanistan during a major offensive against the Taliban.

American states seek Zelaya return: The head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) is due to arrive in Honduras to demand the reinstatement of Manuel Zelaya, its ousted president.

Honduras coup leaders soften stance: HONDURAN coup leaders have raised the possibility of early elections to solve the country's political crisis, hours before the head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) is due to arrive.

Top Honduran military lawyer: We broke the law: In an interview with The Miami Herald and El Salvador's elfaro.net, army attorney Col. Herberth Bayardo Inestroza acknowledged that top military brass made the call to forcibly remove Zelaya -- and they circumvented laws when they did it.

Activists Decry Suspension of Fundamental Rights: Parliament approved a decree Wednesday issued by Roberto Micheletti – who was appointed by Congress to replace Zelaya – that suspends the right to freedom of association and movement from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM and allows people to be arrested and held without charge for more than 24 hours.

EU ambassadors pull out of Honduras: "All EU ambassadors have now left [Honduras]," Carl Bildt, whose country is president of the 27-nation bloc, said in a blog on Thursday

US-backed Colombian soldiers execute innocent for cash: A UN report accuses Colombian soldiers of systematically killing innocent people for a cash reward. The United States is slated to hand over some $750 million in mostly military aid to Colombia this year. The potential contribution of US taxpayers’ money to fund the killing of innocent people

OAS ends Cuba suspension after 47 years: - The Organization of American States lifted its 47-year suspension of Cuba on Wednesday in a move backed by Washington, but Cuban state-run TV said Havana had no interest in rejoining the group.

Troops gather on Georgian border: Less than a year after the enclave of South Ossetia erupted in war, this tinder box of the Caucasus is primed to flare up again

Glenn Greenwald: The still-growing NPR "torture" controversy: There are several noteworthy developments since I wrote on Tuesday about the refusal of NPR's Ombdusman, Alica Shepard, to be interviewed by me about NPR's ban on using the word "torture" to describe the Bush administration's interrogation tactics.

Cleared by a jury, man is labeled a terrorist: Three days after Megahed was acquitted of charges of possessing and transporting explosives, he was arrested again. This time, the U.S. government wants him deported, based on evidence authorities say suggests the Egyptian-born Megahed is a terrorist, in violation of his immigration status.

7 more banks fail as FDIC mulls rules for sales: Six Illinois banks and one bank in Texas were shuttered Thursday as government regulators proposed new rules for private equity firms seeking to take over failed banks.

Chamber of Commerce Launches $100 Million Campaign to Protect Wall Street's Power at Our Expense: The CoC is the world's most powerful lobbying machine and it's working to make sure our money gets funneled to corporate execs.

The New Homeowner Hallucination: : The next segment of the market to crash will be the mid- to high-end, where many smug homeowners are now telling themselves they'll just rent their houses for a year while they wait for the market to "come back." Needless to say, Mark thinks these folks are dreaming.

Woman Commits Suicide to Avoid Eviction: Newnam documented her life on Twitter as user rsangel04. Her last post on June 24 read, "Rich get richer, poor get poorer, families on the street, govt doesn't care. God bless the usa, but can He save it?"

July 01, 2009

Iraq: Troop Movements Are not a 'Withdrawal'

By Dennis Kucinich

“This is not a great victory for peace. On May 19, the Christian Science Monitor reported that Iraqi and U.S. military officials virtually redrew the city limits of Baghdad in order to consider the Army’s Forward Operating Base Falcon as outside the city, despite every map of Baghdad clearly showing it with in city limits. Continue

Neocons Agree
Report Projects Continued U.S. Military Presence in Iraq

By Michael Novinson

When former Republican presidential candidate John McCain said in January 2008 that he would be OK with United States troops in Iraq for another 100 years, Democrats ridiculed him as a warmonger. Now, a report from a "centrist" political think tank predicts that U.S. troops will remain in Iraq well after the current December 2011 withdrawal deadline. Continue

The “Spirit of Humanity

By Paul Craig Roberts

On June 30, the government of Israel committed an act of piracy when the Israeli Navy in international waters illegally boarded the “Spirit of Humanity,” kidnapped its 21-person crew from 11 countries, including former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Laureate Mairead MaGuire. Continue

Pirates of the Mediterranean

By Yvonne Ridley

 While western naval fleets are patrolling the waters off the coast of Africa, acts of piracy are being carried out routinely in the Mediterranean.  But the international community leaders couldn’t care less because most of those who are kidnapped, shot at and hijacked at sea are Palestinian fishermen from Gaza. Continue

Demonising Iran Conveniently Hides Uncomfortable Truths for the West

By Robin Yassin-Kassab

THE MAINSTREAM media narrative of events unfolding in Iran has been set out for us as clear as a fairytale: an evil dictatorship has rigged elections and now violently suppresses its country's democrats, hysterically blaming foreign saboteurs the while. But the Twitter generation is on the right side of history (in Obama's words), and could bring Iran back within the regional circle of moderation. If only Iran becomes moderate, a whole set of regional conflicts will be solved. Continue

Democracy Derailed in Honduras

By Greg Grandin

The US media have also falsely yet unanimously presented Zelaya's moves as a power grab, an effort to end term limits to allow him to run for re-election. But the referendum Zelaya was pushing--which prompted the coup--asked citizens only if there should be a vote on "whether to hold a Constituent National Assembly that will approve a new political Constitution." In other words, Hondurans weren't being asked to vote on term limits or even on revising the Constitution. Continue

Behind the Honduran Coup

Why Zelaya's Actions Were Legal

By Alberto Vallente Thorensen

In their rage, the almighty gods of Honduran politics have punished an aspiring titan, President Manuel Zelaya, for attempting to give Hondurans the gift of participatory democracy. This generated a constitutional conflict that resulted in president Zelaya’s banishment and exile. In this tragedy, words are once again the healers of enraged minds. If we, the spectators, are not attentive to these words, we risk succumbing intellectually, willfully accepting the facts presented by the angry coup-makers and Honduran gods of politics. Continue

Democracy Held Hostage in Honduras

By Al Giordano

Today in Honduras, various important things happened. The illegitimate “president,” Roberto Micheletti, convened a rally (see photo) where he stood side by side with the military general that led the violent coup. So much for the spin that the generals handed over the reins to civilian authorities: the coup has expanded their power vastly. Continue

The Significance Of Washington's Coup Attempt In Honduras

By Shamus Cooke

Nearly all of the U.S. media’s writing about the Honduran coup is littered with negative references to Hugo Chavez, the “socialist project,” and other buzzwords meant to influence the reader toward acceptance of the coup. Continue

Weapons: Our #1 Export?

By Frida Berrigan

Absent an explicit shift away from Bush administration policies, U.S. weapons sales are likely to continue to fuel conflict and abet human rights abuses. During the two Bush terms, the majority of U.S. arms sales to the developing world went to countries that our own State Department defined as undemocratic regimes and/or major human rights abusers. And over two-thirds of the world's active conflicts involved weapons that had been supplied by the United States. Continue

In case you missed it
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

How the U.S. Uses Globalization to Cheat Poor Countries Out of Trillions

By John Perkins

In his first book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, John Perkins told the story of his work as a highly paid consultant hired to strong-arm leaders into creating policy favorable to the US government and corporations, what he calls the “corporatocracy.” John Perkins says he helped the US cheat poor countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars by lending them more money than they could possibly repay and then taking over their economies. Continue

Banks Own The US Government

By Dean Baker

Last month, when the US Congress failed to pass a bankruptcy reform measure that would have allowed home mortgages to be modified in bankruptcy, senator Dick Durbin succinctly commented: "The banks own the place." That seems pretty clear. Continue

Declaration of Indictment

The unanimous Declaration of the fifty united States of America

By David Swanson

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with a gang of lawless thugs and insist on the appointment of a special prosecutor to enforce the laws of the land even against those until recently holding the reins of Power, a decent respect to the opinions of humankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Prosecution. Continue

The Fourth of July Is a Celebration of Agitation

By Jim Hightowe

Are you an agitator? You know, one of those people who won't leave well enough alone, who's always questioning authority and trying to stir things up. If so, the Powers That Be detest you — you ... you ... "agitator!" They spit the term out as a pejorative to brand anyone who dares to challenge the established order. Continue

Pakistan: 27 killed in Kurram Agency clashes: According to sources, two groups clashed with each other in Kurram Agency area of Mangak, killing 21 people including a commander of a group; while, six from other group were killed.

Another five militants killed in Dir, Swat: : One soldier was also killed and twelve soldiers, including an officer injured in operations. Additionally, in Dir a number of suspected militants were killed and injured by the local Lashkar in the area, as they cleared Shatkas village

Pro-Govt Pakistan tribal leader killed: A pro-Government tribal leader and vocal critic of Islamist militants was killed in an ambush near his home in north-west Pakistan, officials said.

4 Taliban insurgents killed in S Afghanistan: Four Taliban insurgents were killed as they came in contact with Afghan National Police and U.S. -led Coalition troops in southern Afghan province of Ghazni Wednesday morning, police said.

Taliban commander killed in Afghanistan: A key Taliban commander was killed in northern Afghanistan when militants attacked a Nato convoy as Afghan and foreign troops conducted an operation to clear an area of militants, officials said yesterday.

Two NATO occupation force soldiers killed in Afghanistan: – A bomb blast in Afghanistan on Wednesday killed two soldiers in the NATO-led force deployed here to counter a Taliban insurgency, the military said.

'The enemy has the momentum in Afghanistan': The man known to be the architect of America's surge of troops in Iraq, believes it will take 18 months for the western allies to take control in Afghanistan.

Iraqis are too shrewd to fall for an ‘invisible’ occupation: US operations will be suspended for a few days to promote the perception that Iraqi forces are actually in control; Ali al-Adeeb, a senior leader of Mr al-Maliki’s Dawa party, says the Americans will become “invisible”.

Xe-Blackwater Personnel Shot Iraqi Children, Others in Multiple Incidents: A spate of unprovoked civilian shootings by Xe-Blackwater personnel in Iraq between 2005 and 2008 are detailed in an amended lawsuit filed late Tuesday in Virginia federal court, according to the Washington, D.C. law firm that represents the families of those killed and wounded in the incidents.

US forces to free Iranian diplomats: As part of its security accord with the Baghdad government, the US military will release the Iranian diplomats it took hostage in Iraq two years ago.

Moussavi digs in on Ahmadinejad election win: 'From now on we will have a government the legitimacy of which the majority of the people, including me, will not acknowledge,' Moussavi said in his first reaction to the official confirmation of Ahmadinejad's re-election.

Mousavi to disclose tell-all documents: As the Iranian opposition continues to express skepticism about the election result, defeated candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi says he will present documents that prove electoral fraud.

UK Embassy staff released in Iran: Three more Iranian staff of the British embassy in Tehran are released by authorities as two losing presidential candidates denounce the election.

Plight of Palestinians getting worse, UN warns: The blockade of Gaza is causing severe humanitarian hardship and the situation is getting worse every day, the head of the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Wednesday..,

US remains silent over McKinney arrest by Israel: Israeli Navy detained former US congresswoman and Nobel Prize laureate Cynthia McKinney and twenty other human rights activists on board a relief boat outside Israel's territorial waters on Tuesday as they were heading to Gaza on a humanitarian mission.

Gaza aid activists transferred to immigration authority ahead of deportation: The 19 foreign peace activists, who were arrested on Tuesday after trying to sail to the Gaza Strip, were transferred to the immigration authority's detainment facility ahead of their deportation from Israel.

We are NOT the “Story”, It’s Not Just Our 21 Kidnapped Passengers: Since its founding in 1948 the State of Israel has regularly kidnapped and tortured Palestinians, throwing them into forgotten prisons where they can languish for years. Today, over 11,000 Palestinian political prisoners without benefit of due process, some never even charged - men, women, and children - endure torture and isolation in Israeli jails, outdoor prison camps, and secret black sites

Netanyahu: Israel's bond with the United States is unbreakable: Speaking at 4th of July reception, PM praises US as model for freedom, values; hints that a nuclear Iran would be "greatest danger facing the world."

2 dead, 60 injured in Honduras anti-coup protests: The death toll from protests against the interim Honduran government installed after a military coup increased to two on Monday after a protestor died in hospital.

Honduras president postpones return home after OAS ultimatum: "We will wait 72 hours in order to continue with this process," Zelaya said in an interview with the CNN after the OAS gave Honduras 72 hours to restore Zelaya's presidency or would face suspension from the organization. Zelaya said on Tuesday that he would return to Honduras on Thursday.

Interim Honduran leader says only armed invasion will restore Zelaya: - Honduras' interim president says it's going to take a lot more than the threat of suspension from the Organization of American States to get his predecessor returned to office.

U.S. suspends military ties with Honduras: The United States said on Wednesday that it has suspended its military ties with Honduras days after Manuel Zelaya, president of the country, was deposed in a coup.

U.S. Base in Honduras on Shut-down : The 600 American soldiers, sailors and airmen based at Soto Cano Air Base are staying on the base and not conducting exercises with the Honduran military, said Robert Appin, deputy director for public information and outreach at Southern Command in Miami.

Honduras new government is censoring journalists: Reporters for The Associated Press were taken away in military vehicles and Venezuela's Telesur network -- and any other station supportive of toppled president Manuel Zelaya -- are still off the air.

Photos of Protests On The Streets Of Honduras: Confrontations between demonstrators opposing the government of RobertoMicheletti Bain and elements of the Honduran armed forces and the national police left around 60 wounded and 5 disappeared protestors, whose whereabouts are still unknown, but that the authorities of the de facto government are trying to ignore the serious human rights implications

Zelaya accused of drug ties: "Every night, three or four Venezuelan-registered planes land without the permission of appropriate authorities and bring thousands of pounds ... and packages of money that are the fruit of drug trafficking," its foreign minister, Enrique Ortez, told CNN en Espanol.

U.S. spy says just followed orders in Italy kidnap: A former U.S. spy at the center of a kidnapping trial in Italy appeared to acknowledge a role in the abduction of a Muslim cleric but said he was only following orders, according to a rare interview published on Tuesday.

GM and Ford suspend Russian plants: General Motors and Ford, the US car manufacturers, have suspended operations on their production lines in Russia.

Citi raises rates on millions of credit cards: report: Citigroup Inc has increased interest rates on up to 15 million U.S. credit card accounts just months before curbs on such rises come into effect, the Financial Times reported citing people close to the situation.

California budget crisis deepens: John Chiang, state controller, could now issue “IOU”-style notes by Thursday to the state's vendors, local agencies overseeing health programmes and recipients of state aid - including the elderly, the disabled and college students.

Hotel Loan Defaults Double as Recession Cuts Travel: As many as one in five U.S. hotel loans may default through 2010 as the recession means companies are spending less on travel and perks, according to University of California economist Kenneth Rosen.

Gannett Laying Off 1,000 as Ad Sales Slide: Gannett, which owns top-selling newspaper USA Today, is laying off more than 1,000 staff to try and combat persistent declines in revenue, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Goldman Sachs The Fourth Branch of the U.S. Government: Best Financial Markets Analysis ArticleQuietly and almost unnoticed by most Americans, the US Federal Government introduced a fourth branch to its political structure in 2006.

June 30, 2009

$2,000 for a Dead Afghan Child

$100,000 for Any American Who Died Killing it.

By Jay Janson

Shocking? Shame provoking? Embarrassing that no Afghani or Pakistani child or parent has any human right at all, including the right not to be blown to pieces in a US drone air strike? - the final insult being the value of their lives put at a mere $2,000 by the wealthiest nation in history? Continue

Iraq's "National Sovereignty Day" is U.S.-Style Hallmark Hype

By Jeremy Scahill

The puppet government in Iraq has named June 30 as “National Sovereignty Day,” and—without mentioning the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis maimed, killed, tortured or made refugees by the U.S. invasion and occupation—thanked the occupiers for placing them in power. Continue

Showdown in Honduras
The Rise, Repression and Uncertain Future of the Coup

By Benjamin Dangl

Zelaya has been criticizing and taking on the sweatshop and corporate media industry in his country, and increased the minimum wage by 60%. He said the increase, which angered the country's elite but expanded his support among unions, would "force the business oligarchy to start paying what is fair."  Continue

Headlines Continued

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