6 New Messages
Digest #4797
Messages
Thu Sep 5, 2013 1:03 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://en.rian.
Russian Information Agency Novosti
September 5, 2013
Syria Crisis Dominates Day 1 of Russia’s Global Economy Summit
ST. PETERSBURG: The first day of the G20 summit, traditionally a platform for economic debate, was dominated Thursday by the Syrian crisis, with Russian President and summit host Vladimir Putin proposing that world leaders discuss over dinner the United States’ call for a military strike against the Syrian regime.
Putin told the summit’s opening session at the Constantine Palace on the outskirts of St. Petersburg that it would be best if discussions about Syria took place during the evening meal Thursday so as not to distract from pre-planned agendas in the event’s other meetings.
The gathering of the Group of 20, a club that includes countries with two-thirds of the world’s population and over 90 percent of its economic output, was expected to tackle issues of financial regulation, shadow banking and tax avoidance, but it has become increasingly overshadowed by US President Barack Obama’s call for American military intervention in the Syrian civil war.
Putin has led international opposition to such intervention. He has said that an attack on Syria without the backing of the United Nations Security Council would be an act of “aggression” and has accused the US Secretary of State John Kerry of deliberately lying about the situation inside Syria.
Obama appeared increasingly isolated Thursday as, after flying in to St. Petersburg, other world leaders openly expressed their opposition to a military intervention against Damascus.
The two most senior European Union officials, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission Jose Barroso, called for a “political” solution to the Syrian crisis during a joint press conference in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
“The situation remains a stain on the world’s conscience,” Barroso said. “The European Union believes that efforts should be evolved towards a political solution to the conflict.”
China also spoke out against unilateral US military action in Syria, warning that such action could lead to severe economic problems.
"Military action would have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price – it will cause a hike in the oil price," Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told a briefing, Reuters reported.
Even the Pope appeared to enter the debate with a letter to the G20 leaders calling on them to “lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution” in Syria, according to a copy of the letter posted on the Vatican’s website.
The dinner for G20 participants during which Syria will be discussed, will take place at Peterhof, another former tsarist palace outside St. Petersburg, and will be addressed by Putin and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. The dinner will be followed by a “musical fountain show” in the grounds of the seafront palace.
Moscow has repeatedly insisted that the United Nations is the only body that can legitimate military action in Syria, a position that Peskov reiterated Thursday.
“In international relations, the only organ that can make a legitimate decision about the use of force is the United Nations Security Council – not the Russian parliament, not the US Congress,” Peskov said.
Obama has asked the US Congress to support a limited military intervention in Syria because of the regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons, which the US claims killed over a thousand civilians in one attack last month. The Senate's Foreign Relations Committee approved a motion backing a military strike Wednesday, and a final vote is expected next week after Congress reconvenes on Monday.
Washington has not hidden its dissatisfaction with the Russian opposition to military action, and Obama told reporters during a pre-summit visit to Stockholm on Wednesday that US-Russian relations had “hit a wall,” media reports said.
Peskov has said there are no scheduled meetings between Putin and Obama during the G20 summit, but that the two men are likely to talk to each other informally.
The G20’s focus on Syria was reflected in last-minute additions to the guest list. Unusually for the G20, some foreign ministers will be in attendance, although Kerry is not planning to come to St. Petersburg, media reports said.
UN officials said Thursday that Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN and Arab League special envoy for Syria, would be flying to St. Petersburg to take part in the discussions about Syria.
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Russian Information Agency Novosti
September 5, 2013
Syria Crisis Dominates Day 1 of Russia’s Global Economy Summit
ST. PETERSBURG: The first day of the G20 summit, traditionally a platform for economic debate, was dominated Thursday by the Syrian crisis, with Russian President and summit host Vladimir Putin proposing that world leaders discuss over dinner the United States’ call for a military strike against the Syrian regime.
Putin told the summit’s opening session at the Constantine Palace on the outskirts of St. Petersburg that it would be best if discussions about Syria took place during the evening meal Thursday so as not to distract from pre-planned agendas in the event’s other meetings.
The gathering of the Group of 20, a club that includes countries with two-thirds of the world’s population and over 90 percent of its economic output, was expected to tackle issues of financial regulation, shadow banking and tax avoidance, but it has become increasingly overshadowed by US President Barack Obama’s call for American military intervention in the Syrian civil war.
Putin has led international opposition to such intervention. He has said that an attack on Syria without the backing of the United Nations Security Council would be an act of “aggression” and has accused the US Secretary of State John Kerry of deliberately lying about the situation inside Syria.
Obama appeared increasingly isolated Thursday as, after flying in to St. Petersburg, other world leaders openly expressed their opposition to a military intervention against Damascus.
The two most senior European Union officials, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission Jose Barroso, called for a “political” solution to the Syrian crisis during a joint press conference in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
“The situation remains a stain on the world’s conscience,” Barroso said. “The European Union believes that efforts should be evolved towards a political solution to the conflict.”
China also spoke out against unilateral US military action in Syria, warning that such action could lead to severe economic problems.
"Military action would have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price – it will cause a hike in the oil price," Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told a briefing, Reuters reported.
Even the Pope appeared to enter the debate with a letter to the G20 leaders calling on them to “lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution” in Syria, according to a copy of the letter posted on the Vatican’s website.
The dinner for G20 participants during which Syria will be discussed, will take place at Peterhof, another former tsarist palace outside St. Petersburg, and will be addressed by Putin and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. The dinner will be followed by a “musical fountain show” in the grounds of the seafront palace.
Moscow has repeatedly insisted that the United Nations is the only body that can legitimate military action in Syria, a position that Peskov reiterated Thursday.
“In international relations, the only organ that can make a legitimate decision about the use of force is the United Nations Security Council – not the Russian parliament, not the US Congress,” Peskov said.
Obama has asked the US Congress to support a limited military intervention in Syria because of the regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons, which the US claims killed over a thousand civilians in one attack last month. The Senate's Foreign Relations Committee approved a motion backing a military strike Wednesday, and a final vote is expected next week after Congress reconvenes on Monday.
Washington has not hidden its dissatisfaction with the Russian opposition to military action, and Obama told reporters during a pre-summit visit to Stockholm on Wednesday that US-Russian relations had “hit a wall,” media reports said.
Peskov has said there are no scheduled meetings between Putin and Obama during the G20 summit, but that the two men are likely to talk to each other informally.
The G20’s focus on Syria was reflected in last-minute additions to the guest list. Unusually for the G20, some foreign ministers will be in attendance, although Kerry is not planning to come to St. Petersburg, media reports said.
UN officials said Thursday that Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN and Arab League special envoy for Syria, would be flying to St. Petersburg to take part in the discussions about Syria.
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Thu Sep 5, 2013 1:03 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://en.rian.
Russian Information Agency Novosti
September 5, 2013
Russia Questions IAEA on Syrian Nuclear Risks
MOSCOW: Russia has handed over an official request to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to analyze potential nuclear risks of a US airstrike on Syria, a Russian diplomat said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow would raise the issue at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors on Monday.
Russia’s permanent envoy to international bodies in Vienna, Vladimir Voronkov, said he had handed over an official letter to IAEA director general Yukia Amano.
“We request the agency to immediately react to the current situation and provide member states with an analysis of risks, related to potential US strikes on a neutron reactor and other objects in Syria,” he said, adding that similar letters were sent to Vienna envoys of other IAEA member states.
A day before, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged the IAEA secretariat to urgently evaluate nuclear risks of a US strike on the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) near Damascus and other nuclear objects in Syria.
Western intervention in Syria could jeopardize the region’s nuclear security, the ministry said in a statement, adding that any damage caused to a neutron reactor near Damascus would have disastrous consequences.
The IAEA told RIA Novosti that it would consider Russia’s risk-analysis initiative as soon as an official request arrives. On Thursday, a diplomatic source in Vienna told RIA that Moscow would soon send an official request to the agency.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Wednesday to give President Barack Obama the authority to use military force against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack last month.
A US intelligence report claims that the Assad regime was behind a chemical weapons attack near Damascus on August 21 that Washington says left more than a thousand civilians dead.
The UN Security Council has so far not authorized any military intervention in the Syrian crisis. Russia has urged all sides in the conflict to use diplomatic means to resolve it.
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Russian Information Agency Novosti
September 5, 2013
Russia Questions IAEA on Syrian Nuclear Risks
MOSCOW: Russia has handed over an official request to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to analyze potential nuclear risks of a US airstrike on Syria, a Russian diplomat said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow would raise the issue at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors on Monday.
Russia’s permanent envoy to international bodies in Vienna, Vladimir Voronkov, said he had handed over an official letter to IAEA director general Yukia Amano.
“We request the agency to immediately react to the current situation and provide member states with an analysis of risks, related to potential US strikes on a neutron reactor and other objects in Syria,” he said, adding that similar letters were sent to Vienna envoys of other IAEA member states.
A day before, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged the IAEA secretariat to urgently evaluate nuclear risks of a US strike on the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) near Damascus and other nuclear objects in Syria.
Western intervention in Syria could jeopardize the region’s nuclear security, the ministry said in a statement, adding that any damage caused to a neutron reactor near Damascus would have disastrous consequences.
The IAEA told RIA Novosti that it would consider Russia’s risk-analysis initiative as soon as an official request arrives. On Thursday, a diplomatic source in Vienna told RIA that Moscow would soon send an official request to the agency.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Wednesday to give President Barack Obama the authority to use military force against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack last month.
A US intelligence report claims that the Assad regime was behind a chemical weapons attack near Damascus on August 21 that Washington says left more than a thousand civilians dead.
The UN Security Council has so far not authorized any military intervention in the Syrian crisis. Russia has urged all sides in the conflict to use diplomatic means to resolve it.
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Thu Sep 5, 2013 1:03 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.interfax
Interfax
September 5, 2013
BRICS countries believe outside interference in situation in Syria will negatively impact global economy - Peskov
STRELNA: The leaders of the BRICS countries said at a meeting before the G20 summit in St. Petersburg that outside interference in the situation in Syria is a factor negatively impacting the global economy.
"It was said during BRICS dialogue that the consequences of eventual outside interference in the Syrian affairs may undoubtedly be among the factors that may negatively impact global economy," Russian presidential press officer Dmitry Peskov told a briefing at the summit.
"Such consequences may have an extremely negative influence on global economy," he said.
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http://www.itar-
Itar-Tass
September 5, 2013
Russia says combat operations against sovereign state without UN sanction is aggression
MOSCOW: Combat operations against a sovereign state launched without a United Nations Security Council sanction will be considered as an act of aggression, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told journalists on Thursday.
“I would like to cite our president who said that the sole body authorized to take a decision to use force against a sovereign state is the United Nations Security Council,” he said. “Vladimir Putin put it absolutely straight that any other actions against a sovereign state sanctioned by any parliament or a congress should and will be considered as aggression.”
He said that meeting with US and Israeli defense attaches he had warned them against further fanning tensions in the Mediterranean Sea. “On behalf of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, I asked them to call on the US and Israeli defense officials to show restraint and prudence not to drive the situation to extremity,” Antonov noted. “Our common task is to preserve peace and stability in this region, to do our best not to let the situation become critical.”
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Interfax
September 5, 2013
BRICS countries believe outside interference in situation in Syria will negatively impact global economy - Peskov
STRELNA: The leaders of the BRICS countries said at a meeting before the G20 summit in St. Petersburg that outside interference in the situation in Syria is a factor negatively impacting the global economy.
"It was said during BRICS dialogue that the consequences of eventual outside interference in the Syrian affairs may undoubtedly be among the factors that may negatively impact global economy," Russian presidential press officer Dmitry Peskov told a briefing at the summit.
"Such consequences may have an extremely negative influence on global economy," he said.
------------
http://www.itar-
Itar-Tass
September 5, 2013
Russia says combat operations against sovereign state without UN sanction is aggression
MOSCOW: Combat operations against a sovereign state launched without a United Nations Security Council sanction will be considered as an act of aggression, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told journalists on Thursday.
“I would like to cite our president who said that the sole body authorized to take a decision to use force against a sovereign state is the United Nations Security Council,” he said. “Vladimir Putin put it absolutely straight that any other actions against a sovereign state sanctioned by any parliament or a congress should and will be considered as aggression.”
He said that meeting with US and Israeli defense attaches he had warned them against further fanning tensions in the Mediterranean Sea. “On behalf of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, I asked them to call on the US and Israeli defense officials to show restraint and prudence not to drive the situation to extremity,” Antonov noted. “Our common task is to preserve peace and stability in this region, to do our best not to let the situation become critical.”
============
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Thu Sep 5, 2013 2:50 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
September 4, 2013
Commentary: U.S. planned military action against Syria runs grave risks
BEIJING: The U.S. military action against Syria loomed larger as President Barack Obama on Tuesday secured the key backing of House leaders in his push for military action in Syria.
Though the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has, in a draft authorization for the use of military force in Syria, set a time limit and barred U.S. ground troops in the war-torn country, there seems to be every indication that the war, once breaking out, might well slip out of White House's control and put Washington again in hot water.
Destitute of support and concerted action from any allies, uncertainty, on the other hand, has been growing over Washington&#
The issue of chemical weapons could hardly be solved by military strikes against Syria, which will more likely present new threats. With the U.S. armed intervention, there will be chances that chemical weapons will fall into terrorists&#
To make things even worse, there is a strong presence of Islamic extremists and al-Qaida militants in Syria's opposition troops. A rise in extremist force is bound to lead Syria astray onto a more dangerous path and will, in turn, undermine the U.S. strategic interests.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that any military attack on Syria must have Security Council approval and and a U.S. attack could lead to further turmoil in the conflict-ravaged country.
Ban's remarks, which mirrored the common view of the international community, expressed disapproval of the U.S. endeavor to take unilateral action without the U.N. authorization.
Military intervention in Syria will have a major impact on the geopolitics of the region as well as exert a spillover effect on a number of countries in the Middle East and the rest of the world at large.
Given the painful lessons from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, whose repercussions are still being felt across the world, it is believed that a political solution will be a best and ultimate approach to end the Syrian crisis.
------------
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
September 5, 2013
Commentary: Derailment of G20 summit violates int'l community'
By Wu Liming
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia: The threatened U.S. military strike against Syria has increased the risk of derailing the upcoming G20 summit, which should be focused on the global economy.
It is apparent summit host Russia has set fostering economic growth and job creation as the primary objectives, but U.S. President Barack Obama is bound to make use of this chance to bring the Syria issue to the summit, seeking support for Washington&#
Firstly, Obama has to persuade his war-weary alliance to support his decision. And he is facing a tough job.
The British parliament decided not to join the United States in military moves against Syria, a big blow for Obama. French President Francois Hollande, who had supported military actions, changed his mind and said French lawmakers should be consulted before an attack.
As to Germany, its leaders remain prudent ahead of the upcoming Sept. 22 general election.
Secondly, Obama has to overcome embarrassment in order to talk with his Russian counterpart over Syria.
Obama had snubbed Putin by refusing a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit following Putin's decision to grant former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden temporary sanctuary.
The president has to make a "U-turn" at the summit and seek an opportunity to talk with the Russian leader.
Taking into account Putin's clear policy on Syria and strong opposition to U.S.-led military action, Obama will have a tough job explaining why Washington should take the action and risk jihadists taking control of Syria.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday: "Let'
Thirdly, Obama is bound to talk with other leaders from the international community at the summit.
U.S.-led unilateral military action could send a dangerous signal to the world, since it sidelines the UN Security Council.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has made it clear an authorization from UN Security Council is a must, announcing it will be several weeks before UN investigators can identify the perpetrators of the Damascus chemical weapons attack which prompted the current U.S. plans.
It is well established the G20 summit is a vital forum for leaders to seek more measures to boost the world economy, at a time when global economic growth lacks momentum and the deep-seated impact of the international financial crisis goes on unabated.
Therefore, it would be a pity if the United States tries to derail the summit to suit its own interests, when the international community is looking forward to a successful and effective economic response from major economies.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
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stopnato-subscribe@
============
Xinhua News Agency
September 4, 2013
Commentary: U.S. planned military action against Syria runs grave risks
BEIJING: The U.S. military action against Syria loomed larger as President Barack Obama on Tuesday secured the key backing of House leaders in his push for military action in Syria.
Though the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has, in a draft authorization for the use of military force in Syria, set a time limit and barred U.S. ground troops in the war-torn country, there seems to be every indication that the war, once breaking out, might well slip out of White House's control and put Washington again in hot water.
Destitute of support and concerted action from any allies, uncertainty, on the other hand, has been growing over Washington&#
The issue of chemical weapons could hardly be solved by military strikes against Syria, which will more likely present new threats. With the U.S. armed intervention, there will be chances that chemical weapons will fall into terrorists&#
To make things even worse, there is a strong presence of Islamic extremists and al-Qaida militants in Syria's opposition troops. A rise in extremist force is bound to lead Syria astray onto a more dangerous path and will, in turn, undermine the U.S. strategic interests.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that any military attack on Syria must have Security Council approval and and a U.S. attack could lead to further turmoil in the conflict-ravaged country.
Ban's remarks, which mirrored the common view of the international community, expressed disapproval of the U.S. endeavor to take unilateral action without the U.N. authorization.
Military intervention in Syria will have a major impact on the geopolitics of the region as well as exert a spillover effect on a number of countries in the Middle East and the rest of the world at large.
Given the painful lessons from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, whose repercussions are still being felt across the world, it is believed that a political solution will be a best and ultimate approach to end the Syrian crisis.
------------
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
September 5, 2013
Commentary: Derailment of G20 summit violates int'l community'
By Wu Liming
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia: The threatened U.S. military strike against Syria has increased the risk of derailing the upcoming G20 summit, which should be focused on the global economy.
It is apparent summit host Russia has set fostering economic growth and job creation as the primary objectives, but U.S. President Barack Obama is bound to make use of this chance to bring the Syria issue to the summit, seeking support for Washington&#
Firstly, Obama has to persuade his war-weary alliance to support his decision. And he is facing a tough job.
The British parliament decided not to join the United States in military moves against Syria, a big blow for Obama. French President Francois Hollande, who had supported military actions, changed his mind and said French lawmakers should be consulted before an attack.
As to Germany, its leaders remain prudent ahead of the upcoming Sept. 22 general election.
Secondly, Obama has to overcome embarrassment in order to talk with his Russian counterpart over Syria.
Obama had snubbed Putin by refusing a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit following Putin's decision to grant former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden temporary sanctuary.
The president has to make a "U-turn" at the summit and seek an opportunity to talk with the Russian leader.
Taking into account Putin's clear policy on Syria and strong opposition to U.S.-led military action, Obama will have a tough job explaining why Washington should take the action and risk jihadists taking control of Syria.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday: "Let'
Thirdly, Obama is bound to talk with other leaders from the international community at the summit.
U.S.-led unilateral military action could send a dangerous signal to the world, since it sidelines the UN Security Council.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has made it clear an authorization from UN Security Council is a must, announcing it will be several weeks before UN investigators can identify the perpetrators of the Damascus chemical weapons attack which prompted the current U.S. plans.
It is well established the G20 summit is a vital forum for leaders to seek more measures to boost the world economy, at a time when global economic growth lacks momentum and the deep-seated impact of the international financial crisis goes on unabated.
Therefore, it would be a pity if the United States tries to derail the summit to suit its own interests, when the international community is looking forward to a successful and effective economic response from major economies.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
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stopnato-subscribe@
============
Thu Sep 5, 2013 8:00 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://voiceofrussi
Voice of Russia
September 5, 2013
U.S. attack on Syria will be a historic crime – Rick Rozoff
Recorded on September 3, 2013
Audio at URL above
Statesmen, diplomats, leaders and countries worldwide are condemning the United States for their obtuse and entirely self-serving desire to launch military aggression against Syria, yet another small and almost defenseless nation that the U.S. wants to decimate with their unparalleled military might as they continue to aggressively bomb and attack every nation that attempts to pursue any king of independent foreign or other policy. Voice of Russia regular Rick Rozoff adds his voice to the growing chorus of people worldwide who are calling on the aggressors to stand down and stop their madness.
Hello, this is John Robles, I’m speaking with Rick Rozoff, he’s a regular contributor for The Voice of Russia and the manager and owner of the Stop NATO website and international mailing list.
Robles: Hello, Rick, how are you?
Rozoff: I am as concerned and as distressed as I’m sure you and most of the world is currently knowing that we are on the precipice of what could be a disastrous military action by the United States in the Middle East.
Robles: Is it possible that somebody may, at the last moment, talk some sense into those beating the war drums in Washington?
Rozoff: Certainly there have been efforts to do so. Even today such an unlikely person as the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, who was known to have been the United States’ choice for that position and who has generally gone out of his way not to offend Washington in any way, nevertheless reminded the world community and the US, in particular, that there are only two justifications to taking military action against another country.
The first is Article 51 of U.N. Charter that the country is in imminent danger of attack from the other country, that is, self-defense, and secondly, if there is authorization through the Security Council. Neither of those criteria, of course, applies in any manner to U.S. plans for military attacks against Syria. That’s number one.
Number two, and I think that is not insignificant: this past Sunday in his weekly address in St. Peter’s Square Pope Francis I, the head of the largest religious organization in the world, the Roman Catholic Church with 1.2 billion adherents, called for an international day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria. And making statements like, and this is from the press agencies, quotes of his talk, stated quote: “War, never again.” And also made the following statement: “Violence never leads to peace. War leads to war, violence leads to violence. This is an almost unprecedented statement by the religious leader of the largest religious faith in history, the Catholic Church.
And this Saturday he is going for an international day of prayer and fasting, not only for the world’s Catholics, his own flock, but other religious believers and even non-believers. That's number two.
Number three, a statement was quoted today by Interfax, the Russian press agency, quoting the chairman of the upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council’s Defense and Security Committee, Viktor Ozerov, and I am quoting him because it is worth getting these words out more broadly than I expect they have, and his quote says: "If we recognize the supremacy of international law and the sovereignty of UN member states, the start of a U.S. military actions against Syria bypassing the U.N. Security Council could only mean one thing, another American aggression against an Arab state." More or less paralleling or echoing the statements by Ban Ki-moon.
He further howover went on to list what this means in terms of escalation of a long-term pattern, and again this is Ozerov speaking: "The aftermath of the U.S. aggressive operations are still fresh in our memory. Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya...The list could be extended. No arguments can be accepted here in defense of democracy or human rights." As the alleged purpose of those wars; my comment.
And he goes on to say, "What is really happening is that Washington cannot agree that countries exist that do not dance to its tune or play by its rules." That’s the end of the quote by the Russian senator. And that, I think, hits the nail pretty squarely on the head and gets to the gist of the issue.
Syria's crime is not kowtowing to the United States, capitulating to it. And any other countries, and there aren’t many currently, that have the courage to maintain an independent foreign policy, that have close state-to-state, diplomatic, economic and military ties with nations like Russia and China are also targeted in this.
And in a way, how I envision it, John, is that you have the United States, as a wolf outside of a pen of sheep and it's selecting them one by one as to which it's going to devour. And as long as the sheep permit themselves to be picked off individually and sequentially then all of them eventually are going to be victims.
And what's needed at this point is what even the otherwise fairly timid Ban Ki-moon has reminded the world of, that at the most the use of military aggression by one state against another, and certainly not one which has military superiority that’s almost incalculable, like the United States vis-a-vis Syria, unless in immediate self-defense or with U.N. Security Council authorization, neither of which is in the offing. And that is the sentiment of Senator Ozerov from the Federation Council, who said exactly the same thing, that war outside the Security Council threatens the system of international law, the international global order.
So I think, given the gravity of the situation and the almost unprecedented comments which I just shared with you, by the head of the United Nations, the head of world's largest religious faith and by the chairman of a key committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, that we're looking at something quite serious right now and that the world needs to be able to marshal all the resources it has: information, organization, moral resources, in order to combat the threat of a war against Syria, which could quite entirely possibly expand into something not only a regional conflict or conflagration, but into something that could be a global showdown.
We've already talked about this, John, repeatedly, that the U.S. has exploited the Syrian crisis to create a new Cold War with Russia, which is now simply indisputable, on the heels of the cancelled meeting between Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Edward Snowden affair and a number of other things. But resting at the base of it is the U.S. exploiting the Syrian crisis to berate, denigrate and threaten Russia.
We’ve heard some of the worst rhetoric coming out of Washington vis-a-vis Russia since the Cold War and even worse in certain ways, as we've had ample opportunity to discuss in the past.
So my plea would be that people take to heart very seriously the statements by Ban Ki-Moon, the statement by Viktor Ozerov, the statement by Pope Francis I and realize that something is so severe, so grave, so historic at this point that all efforts have to be made between now and, say, the beginning of next week when there's likely to be a vote in both houses of the U.S. Congress, that world public opinion has to tell Washington, both the legislative and executive branch: No war! It's against the law internationally. It's a moral crime. And it's an historic crime that will be judged in that manner and its perpetrators will be held accountable.
Robles: Ok, thank you, Rick! We're out of time! I really appreciate it!
Rozoff: Thank you, John.
============
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Voice of Russia
September 5, 2013
U.S. attack on Syria will be a historic crime – Rick Rozoff
Recorded on September 3, 2013
Audio at URL above
Statesmen, diplomats, leaders and countries worldwide are condemning the United States for their obtuse and entirely self-serving desire to launch military aggression against Syria, yet another small and almost defenseless nation that the U.S. wants to decimate with their unparalleled military might as they continue to aggressively bomb and attack every nation that attempts to pursue any king of independent foreign or other policy. Voice of Russia regular Rick Rozoff adds his voice to the growing chorus of people worldwide who are calling on the aggressors to stand down and stop their madness.
Hello, this is John Robles, I’m speaking with Rick Rozoff, he’s a regular contributor for The Voice of Russia and the manager and owner of the Stop NATO website and international mailing list.
Robles: Hello, Rick, how are you?
Rozoff: I am as concerned and as distressed as I’m sure you and most of the world is currently knowing that we are on the precipice of what could be a disastrous military action by the United States in the Middle East.
Robles: Is it possible that somebody may, at the last moment, talk some sense into those beating the war drums in Washington?
Rozoff: Certainly there have been efforts to do so. Even today such an unlikely person as the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, who was known to have been the United States’ choice for that position and who has generally gone out of his way not to offend Washington in any way, nevertheless reminded the world community and the US, in particular, that there are only two justifications to taking military action against another country.
The first is Article 51 of U.N. Charter that the country is in imminent danger of attack from the other country, that is, self-defense, and secondly, if there is authorization through the Security Council. Neither of those criteria, of course, applies in any manner to U.S. plans for military attacks against Syria. That’s number one.
Number two, and I think that is not insignificant: this past Sunday in his weekly address in St. Peter’s Square Pope Francis I, the head of the largest religious organization in the world, the Roman Catholic Church with 1.2 billion adherents, called for an international day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria. And making statements like, and this is from the press agencies, quotes of his talk, stated quote: “War, never again.” And also made the following statement: “Violence never leads to peace. War leads to war, violence leads to violence. This is an almost unprecedented statement by the religious leader of the largest religious faith in history, the Catholic Church.
And this Saturday he is going for an international day of prayer and fasting, not only for the world’s Catholics, his own flock, but other religious believers and even non-believers. That's number two.
Number three, a statement was quoted today by Interfax, the Russian press agency, quoting the chairman of the upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council’s Defense and Security Committee, Viktor Ozerov, and I am quoting him because it is worth getting these words out more broadly than I expect they have, and his quote says: "If we recognize the supremacy of international law and the sovereignty of UN member states, the start of a U.S. military actions against Syria bypassing the U.N. Security Council could only mean one thing, another American aggression against an Arab state." More or less paralleling or echoing the statements by Ban Ki-moon.
He further howover went on to list what this means in terms of escalation of a long-term pattern, and again this is Ozerov speaking: "The aftermath of the U.S. aggressive operations are still fresh in our memory. Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya...The list could be extended. No arguments can be accepted here in defense of democracy or human rights." As the alleged purpose of those wars; my comment.
And he goes on to say, "What is really happening is that Washington cannot agree that countries exist that do not dance to its tune or play by its rules." That’s the end of the quote by the Russian senator. And that, I think, hits the nail pretty squarely on the head and gets to the gist of the issue.
Syria's crime is not kowtowing to the United States, capitulating to it. And any other countries, and there aren’t many currently, that have the courage to maintain an independent foreign policy, that have close state-to-state, diplomatic, economic and military ties with nations like Russia and China are also targeted in this.
And in a way, how I envision it, John, is that you have the United States, as a wolf outside of a pen of sheep and it's selecting them one by one as to which it's going to devour. And as long as the sheep permit themselves to be picked off individually and sequentially then all of them eventually are going to be victims.
And what's needed at this point is what even the otherwise fairly timid Ban Ki-moon has reminded the world of, that at the most the use of military aggression by one state against another, and certainly not one which has military superiority that’s almost incalculable, like the United States vis-a-vis Syria, unless in immediate self-defense or with U.N. Security Council authorization, neither of which is in the offing. And that is the sentiment of Senator Ozerov from the Federation Council, who said exactly the same thing, that war outside the Security Council threatens the system of international law, the international global order.
So I think, given the gravity of the situation and the almost unprecedented comments which I just shared with you, by the head of the United Nations, the head of world's largest religious faith and by the chairman of a key committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, that we're looking at something quite serious right now and that the world needs to be able to marshal all the resources it has: information, organization, moral resources, in order to combat the threat of a war against Syria, which could quite entirely possibly expand into something not only a regional conflict or conflagration, but into something that could be a global showdown.
We've already talked about this, John, repeatedly, that the U.S. has exploited the Syrian crisis to create a new Cold War with Russia, which is now simply indisputable, on the heels of the cancelled meeting between Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Edward Snowden affair and a number of other things. But resting at the base of it is the U.S. exploiting the Syrian crisis to berate, denigrate and threaten Russia.
We’ve heard some of the worst rhetoric coming out of Washington vis-a-vis Russia since the Cold War and even worse in certain ways, as we've had ample opportunity to discuss in the past.
So my plea would be that people take to heart very seriously the statements by Ban Ki-Moon, the statement by Viktor Ozerov, the statement by Pope Francis I and realize that something is so severe, so grave, so historic at this point that all efforts have to be made between now and, say, the beginning of next week when there's likely to be a vote in both houses of the U.S. Congress, that world public opinion has to tell Washington, both the legislative and executive branch: No war! It's against the law internationally. It's a moral crime. And it's an historic crime that will be judged in that manner and its perpetrators will be held accountable.
Robles: Ok, thank you, Rick! We're out of time! I really appreciate it!
Rozoff: Thank you, John.
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Thu Sep 5, 2013 8:01 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
New post on Stop NATO...Opposition to global militarism
U.S. Political System Drives Nation To Warpath
Global Times
September 4, 2013
US ignoring logic as it beats war drums
Once again, Washington has effortlessly beaten down Russian President Vladimir Putin in the arena of public opinion. In recent days, media from the US and Europe have chimed in with official accounts from the US and France, claiming that it was Syrian government troops who used chemical weapons. Some media even derided Putin for "acting crazy" over the Syria issue.
It is still unclear which side in Syria used chemical weapons. It should be noted that the so-called evidence presented by the US and France is too ambiguous and insufficient to convict Syria, an entire country, of crimes, and military strikes on Syria will very likely cause many casualties. As countries built on the rule of law, the US and France have made reckless decisions.
The problem is both Washington and Paris do not really care about international law. Every action they take on Syria stems from their own political judgment of Syria's national situation. Such a judgment is also based on their geopolitical interests in this area. It is irrational to say that someone who wants to stop a war is "crazier" than someone who wants to start one.
Washington has made its judgment - even if it turns out that chemical weapons were not used by Syrian government troops, the US knows it won't be held to account for launching such a misguided war, as it did in Iraq.
A journalist with the Associated Press has reportedly revealed the inside story, claiming that Syrian opposition forces mishandled chemical weapons. But this revelation has not been given enough attention since it was reported, either from the US government or Western media.
US President Barack Obama's decision to press the war button does not depend on sufficient proof, as requested by Russia. What he really cares about is how much risk it will cause to American domestic politics.
The US has fought two notorious wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where a startling number of American soldiers were killed. And Washington is still bogged down by the post-war situation there.
The Taliban has regained political influence in Afghanistan. In Iraq, though the Saddam regime has been toppled, the democracy that the US vowed to build has shown its ugly side.
To make matters worse, nobody is really being held responsible for the chaos left by these two wars.
President Bush has left office and doesn't need to concern himself with the consequences. Obama still has about three years left in the White House. As long as he manages his remaining time well, nobody will ask him to be responsible for Syria in a few years' time.
The two-party system in Washington is also to be blamed. Successive governments can shrug off responsibility for the mess in the Middle East. So striking the Assad regime, though potentially risky, means the stakes are much lower for the current US government.
The Assad regime, which has struggled for two years under intense pressure from Western countries, has already become a thorn in the side of the US. How much longer it can stand will test whether and to what extent the pattern of global powers has shifted.
richardrozoff | September 5, 2013 at 10:14 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/
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