Just how deep does the rabbit hole go?
Posts tagged conflict
DOJ Calls It A Hit Piece: Frontline – The Untouchables
03 months ago
Source: http://video.pbs.org/video/2327953844
Screen capture from video.
Watch The Untouchables on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
Even a fiat currency and the casino game of fractional reserve standards are not enough to cover the never ending greed. Banks use your deposited money plus imaginary reserve policy funds to make bad bets, and lose. But who really lost? The banks get bailed out by Washington D.C. criminals, you get foreclosed on and then you are responsible for the cost of the bailout.
Part 1 of 4. To view complete please follow the link provided above. Bernie Madoff and other smaller fish got constant mainstream media coverage while the big ponzi scheme rolls along with white glove treatment, as it seems only the Wall Street thieves approved by D.C. are officially too big to fail.
Your thoughts appreciated below.
Syrian opposition victory possible, but at unacceptable price – Moscow
05 months ago
Source: http://rt.com
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims his weapon towards a Syrian military warplane (not pictured) in Aleppo’s al-Amereya district December 12, 2012. (Reuters/Saleh Anadani)
Moscow has admitted the possibility that the Syrian opposition may emerge victorious as government forces continue to lose more territory as the conflict rages on, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.
“We must face the facts: the current tendency shows that the government is progressively losing control over an increasing part of the territory,” Bogdanov told the Public Chamber. “An opposition victory can’t be ruled out.”
The Deputy Foreign Minister warned that Syria would most likely suffer heavy casualties from the ensuing violence.
“The fighting will become even more intense, and (Syria) will lose tens of thousands and, perhaps, hundreds of thousands of civilians,” he warned. “If such a price for the removal of the president seems acceptable to you, what can we do? We, of course, consider it absolutely unacceptable.”
Bogdanov, addressing the “behaviour by some of our partners,” pointed to the disturbing incidence of arms supplies flowing into the embattled country, which he warned “incite the Syrian rebels to make a stake on using force.”
These developments only lead to escalating violence, which hinder the implementation of the goals [the peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis], the high-ranking diplomat added.
Other Russian officials also weighed in on the deteriorating situation in Syria following the Friends of Syria meeting, which was held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Wednesday. The delegates officially recognized the ‘National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces’ as the only representative of the Syrian people.
Alexei Pushkov, the State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, believes the decision makes the prospects for a peaceful resolution to the conflict exceedingly grim.
Israel spends $647 million to load up on US munitions following Gaza war
05 months ago
Source: http://rt.com
An Israeli F-15 Eagle fighter jet (AFP Photo / Jack Guez)
The Pentagon has approved a deal to supply 6,900 precision bomb kits to replenish Israel’s weapons stockpiles, diminished by the recent war against Hamas in Gaza. The contract is valued at $647 million.
“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the Pentagon said in a statement. The deal is expected to sail through formal approval by legislators.
The Boeing-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions are complex electronic guidance devices fitted onto missiles to make them vastly more accurate. Precision air-strikes were the main tactic employed by Israel during the 8-day attack on Gaza last month.
10,000 explosive charges are also part of the contract. Of these, 3,450 are one ton bombs, 1725 bombs weighing 250 kilograms with the rest being BLU-109 and GBU-39 bunker busters.
The Gaza bombardment, which Israel says it started in response to more than 2,000 Palestinian rockets launched this year, has been costly for both sides.
Palestinian authorities said that the cost of 120 buildings destroyed and 8,000 damaged buildings amounted to $1.2 billion.
Meanwhile, military operation Pillar of Defense cost Israel around $760 million. Officials estimate the conflict also indirectly cost the country $1.8 billion in lost tourist revenues.
More than 180 Palestinians were killed in the conflict and six Israelis.
President Jimmy Carter on US Violating Human Rights & Israel, Palestine
05 months ago
Published on Nov 29, 2012 by breakingtheset
Abby Martin returns from her trip to Haiti and goes over her interview with former US President Jimmy Carter and their discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the erosion of the rule of law in the US.
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[CIM]
It seems I have recently heard some of these same sentiments spoken by the only honest and non warmongering presidential candidate the last two election cycles, Dr. Ron Paul!
Black Sea Fleet Moves to Evacuate Russian Nationals from Gaza
05 months ago
Source: http://www.infowars.com
By Kurt Nimmo
Infowars.com
In a move revealing the hostilities in Gaza may be far from over, Russia has sent a detachment of ships from the Black Sea Fleet to the coast of the Gaza Strip to evacuate Russians if the conflict escalates.
“The detachment of combat ships of the Black Sea Fleet, including the Guards missile cruiser Moskva, the patrol ship Smetliviy, large landing ships Novocherkassk and Saratov, the sea tug MB-304 and the big sea tanker Ivan Bubnov, got the order to remain in the designated area of the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea for a possible evacuation of Russian citizens from the area of the Gaza strip in case of escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” the main command of the Black Sea Fleet told The Voice of Russia early today.
The radio station quoted the Russian Navy as stating “the crews of the ships will continue their routine combat training, maintenance of equipment and weapons.”
Israel has imposed a maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip and it is unclear how the Russians would evacuate their nationals if they decided to do so.
On Thursday, the Russian government praised a ceasefire agreement between the Palestinians and Israel and called for an end to a blockade of the Palestinian territories.
“We believe it is necessary to proceed further to achieve stable and lasting settlement, which guarantees security of Israel and peaceful life of Gaza residents as a part of Palestinian territories, without any blockade and isolation,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters.
Bahrain repressed protesters with West’s tacit approval – Amnesty International
05 months ago
Source: http://rt.com
A riot police officer fires teargas during clashes with anti-government protesters after a rally held in support of opposition members currently serving life in prison, in the village of Bilad al-Qadeem, west of Manama, Bahrain, April 1, 2012. (Reuters / Hamad Mohammed)
A year after an eruption of protests in Bahrain, the ruling monarchy continues to commit serious human rights abuses against activists. Amnesty International has criticized the US and UK for ignoring the repression, and urged action.
In November 2011, a panel of human rights experts investigated the uprising in Bahrain and its aftermath and released the Bahraini Independent Commission of Enquiry (BICI) report. In June 2012, the panel sent a follow up unit to monitor Bahrain’s progress in implementing the report’s recommendations. Amnesty International has found that human rights activists are being arrested and harassed at increasing rates.
“The establishment of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and its report was considered to be a groundbreaking initiative, but a year on, the promise of meaningful reform has been betrayed by the government’s unwillingness to implement key recommendations around accountability,” the group reported.
The watchdog group said that the human rights situation in Bahrain has “markedly deteriorated” in recent months, and the country “risks sliding into protracted unrest and instability.”
The government’s failure to bring in promised reforms, recommended almost a year ago by the independent BICI panel, pose a serious threat to the small Gulf nation, which is deeply divided and is suffering from escalating violence, the reports said.
“We have found that actually the situation is much worse than it was months ago, it’s really deteriorating. We’re talking about at least 24 killed since BICI issued its report last year, a ban on all protests by the end of October and only a week ago a revocation of nationality of 31 opposition activists,” the author of the report, Covagonga de la Campa told RT.
Insufficient international condemnation
The human rights watchdog also criticized the US and the UK for refusing to condemn human rights violations committed by their ally, and choosing instead to “satisfy themselves with the narrative of reform while ignoring the reality of repression.” Bahrain is the strategic home of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Dozens of people have been killed in Bahrain since the Shia-led uprising began against the ruling Sunni monarchy in February 2011. Protestors are demanding an end to widespread discrimination against the country’s Shiite majority. Bahraini authorities blamed Shiite religious figures for fueling tensions in the country.
The BICI commission received complaints concerning the ‘mistreatment’ of 559 people in state custody. Forensic evidence in 59 of the complaints “was highly consistent with beatings and trauma.”
US Navy orders Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group to head to Israeli shores
05 months ago
USS Iwo Jima (Reuters / Ranu Abhelakh)
Source: http://rt.com
Right as the sailors and Marines aboard three of the US Navy’s assault ships were on their way home for Thanksgiving, they received an order to turn the ship around and set sail for Israel.
After passing the Strait of Gibraltar, south of Spain, the USS New York, USS Iwo Jima and the USS Gunston Hall were forced to return in the direction they had just come from. The ships had been on their way back to the US after a six-month deployment, but will now have their deployment extended on the Israeli coast.
Rather than return shortly after Thanksgiving, the estimated 2,500 Marines will now be delayed until the most recent Israel-Gaza clash settles down.
The ships will be on reserve for Americans who need to escape Israel as a result of the recent conflict with Gaza or require treatment for injuries from the conflict. Deadly rocket attacks and bloody missile raids have left many dead in a week of continuous fighting.
USS Gunston Hall (AFP Photo / U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kristopher Wilson / Handout)
Anonymous leaks personal information of 5,000 Israeli officials
0Source: http://rt.com
(AFP Photo / Hazem Bader)
Internet hacktivist group Anonymous has declared cyberwar on Israel, posting personal data of five thousand Israeli officials online.
The group used their Anonpaste.me site to address a message to the Israeli government before linking to the page with names, ID numbers and personal emails of 5,000 officials.
The message said: “It has come to our attention that the Israeli government has ignored repeated warnings about the abuse of human rights, shutting down the internet in Israel and mistreating its own citizens and those of its neighboring countries.”
(Screenshot from anonpaste.me)
The group also said “Israeli Gov. this is/will turn into a cyberwar.”
Earlier, the group hacked over 700 hundred Israeli websites, including the Bank of Jerusalem, the Israeli Defence Ministry, the IDF blog, the President’s official website and many others.
Most of the sites remain down.
The country’s finance minister has acknowledged the recent wave of attacks, saying the government is now waging a war on a “second front.”
Over the past four days, Israel has “deflected 44 million cyber-attacks on government websites,” Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz told AP.
Clashes erupt as Madrid cops squelch austerity protest (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
07 months ago
Source: http://rt.com
Riot police take positions during clashes with protestors at the end of a demonstration against the government’s austerity measures at Neptuno Square in Madrid, September 29, 2012 (Reuters / Sergio Perez)Sporadic clashes have broken out in central Madrid, with twelve people reportedly injured after riot police moved in to clear the Plaza de Neptune, threatening to arrest those who would not leave.
The demo turned violent when police encircled about 300 protesters who refused to leave the square. The demonstrators chanted slogans, while some threw projectiles at police vehicles.
Twelve people have reportedly been injured as Madrid’s police split up the crowd, giving protesters the choice to either leave or face arrest. Two people have been arrested, El Pais reported.
A group of roughly 100 protesters tried to organize a sit-it, but left without incident, with police not trying to detain any of them.
The organizers of the protest have reportedly agreed to hold a meeting on Sunday to decide on the future actions of the movement.
Thousands of protesters face off police forces outside the Congress of Deputies on September 29, 2012 in Madrid, to denounce the conservative government’s deep budget cuts as the government submitted an austerity budget and said the public debt and deficit are set to rise far above earlier forecasts (AFP Photo / Dani Pozo)
In Spain, demonstrators spoke out against government spending cuts, tax hikes, and the nation’s alarmingly high unemployment rate.
The protest was centered near the Spanish Parliament building in the city’s downtown district.
Eager to make known their disapproval of the current administration, the crowd let off loud whistles near Parliament and yelled, “Fire them, fire them!”, referring to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government.
(more…)
Turkey to buy long-range missile system
010 months ago
in Global News, War
Source: http://www.rt.com
Missile shopping: Turkey to buy long-range missile system
An Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket (Reuters/Baz Ratner)
Turkey is looking to buy a new long-range air-defense missile system soon, the country’s Defense Procurement Agency has announced. The news comes as relations with neighboring Syria grow increasingly tense.
The Turkish move is part of a move to strengthen the country’s military. Currently, Turkey’s armed forces do not have a long-range missile system.
On Thursday Turkish officials confirmed the deployment of anti-aircraft batteries close to the border with Syria.
This is seen as a response to the latest incident between the two countries when Syria shot down a Turkish warplane which had stranded into the Syrian territory. Turkey has been pushing NATO to treat Syria’s actions as an attack on the alliance.
Companies likely to compete for the $4 billion contract include Raytheon and Lockheed Martin of the United States, Rosoboronexport of Russia, CPMIEC of China and the French-Italian consortium, Eurosam.
A Western diplomatic source told AFP a shortlist would be announced on July 11 or 12.
He also said that France has a good chance of winning the order as the country’s new President Francois Hollande – unlike his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy – does not plan to make denial of the Armenian genocide a criminal offence.
China and Russia are unlikely to succeed as neither of them belongs to NATO. Turkish media say this is likely to influence the decision of Turkey, which is a member of the alliance.
This is a work in progess, a self learning tool and fun little project. Please excuse the slow development as it seems the needed proper time is always lacking. It is my hope that the combination of content and links to other sources of information in this simple blog may help awaken a few of the sleeping masses and encourage and inspire others to initiate their own research, ultimately for each person to be a light to help awaken others. Opinions expressed belong to me, myself and I. Also, a big thank you to all that take the time to visit, it is appreciated :)
