Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Friday 1 May 2015

Op-Ed Articles
  
Is Merkel a CIA Asset?

By Finian Cunningham

Merkel's take on Ukraine and Russia is so completely at odds with reality and against the national interests of her own people, the question of just who is she serving comes to the fore.


The Pentagon's 'Long War' Pits NATO Against China, Russia and Iran

By Pepe Escobar

Washington will never "secure" the Middle East with Iran as a vassal state.


How U.S. Backed Rebel Groups in Syria are Fighting Alongside 'Al Qaeda'.

By Interventions Watch

Anyone remember when 'Al Qaeda' were the most evil and depraved 'terrorist' group ever to walk the face of the Earth?


Why is the US Trying to Replace the Assad Government With al-Qaeda in Syria?

By Paul Larudee

We are apparently promoting the defeat of a government that is not our enemy in order to replace it with one that is. Continue


US Should Support The Secular Regime of Bashar al-Assad

By Lawrence Davidson

Washington should also support the military effort of Iran, Hezbollah, and the Kurds to fight al-Nusra and ISIS. After all we are already aiding the Iraqi government in the exact same endeavor.


Sham and Shame
Saudi-US Slaughter in Yemen Shows Truth of Terror War

By Chris Floyd

Can we at last give up the pretense that the "War on Terror" has anything at all to do with "fighting terrorism?" It is solely about power and profit, and has been from the beginning.


American Responsibility For Global Refugee Crises

By Margaret Kimberley

The truth is that the United States and its allies lied to the world when they claimed a dubious responsibility to protect Libyans. They were interested in nothing of the sort.


Making More Enemies than We Kill?

By Taylor Owen and Ben Kiernan

"DEAR OBAMA, when a U.S. drone missile kills a child in Yemen, the father will go to war with you, guaranteed. Nothing to do with Al Qaeda."


This Is Insanity.

By Joe Clifford

We continue to make the same mistakes of killing innocents and thinking we can "kill our way to victory"


The Greatest Danger in the World Today

By Dana Visalli

We committed genocide against the 3.5 million of the Vietnamese people that we slaughtered in the American War.


Cowardly Firing of Australian State-Funded TV Journalist Highlights the West's Real Religion

By Glenn Greenwald

The central dogma of this religion is tribal superiority: Our Side is more civilized, more peaceful, superior to Their Side.


Obama's "No Growth, No Jobs, No Recovery" Economy Gives Up The Ghost

By Mike Whitney

Obama not only shot himself in the foot, he might have blown off his whole leg.


Invest in Activism, Not Bernie Sanders

By David Swanson

Please do not give him or Hillary or the wonderful Jill Stein or any other candidate a dime or a moment of your life.

          

Hard News
    



UN warns on Yemen aid as 47 killed in Aden:
The United Nations warned fuel shortages threaten to halt all relief operations in Yemen "within days" as Saudi-led airstrikes and ground fighting killed 47 people in second city Aden.


Yemen: Saudi-led Airstrike Kills 20 Civilians:
At least 20 civilians were killed on Friday in airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition in the Yemeni capital Sana'a, medical officials said, amid growing international concern about civilian casualties in the country's ongoing violence.


ISIS releases video of Yemeni soldiers execution - report:
A branch of the Islamic State in Yemen has released footage allegedly showing the beheadings of four Yemeni soldiers and the shooting of 11 others, an observer said. It comes a week after the group declared its official presence in the war-torn country.


Fierce fighting grips Yemen's Aden as residents flee:
Houthi fighters clash with Popular Resistance Committees for control of Aden's main airport as families flee the city.


Yemen rebels attack Saudi border, dozens killed:
Saudi Arabia said its forces killed dozens of Iran-backed rebels from Yemen who launched their first major attack on the kingdom since Saudi-led air strikes began last month.


Islamist fighters seize southern Syria crossing: monitor:
The hardline Ahrar al-Sham group in Syria and other insurgents seized a crossing in the southwest frontier area near Israel on Thursday from a small group of rival Islamist fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.


Six Hezbollah fighters killed by Nusra Front on Syria-Lebanon border:
"Activists reported a huge explosion against a Hezbollah supply convoy in Qalamun and the loud blast was heard across the region," the TV network said.


Rebels fight Syrian army near Assad hometown:
Islamist rebels and the Syrian army fought fierce battles in Latakia province overnight close to President Bashar Assad's ancestral home, the army and rebels said, after weeks of insurgent gains in the country's northwest.


150 Syrian government troops besieged in Jisr al-Shughur:
The city fell to rebel forces last week prompting fears of a takeover of the province


Islamist rebels battle Syrian army near Assad heartland:
 Islamist rebels and the Syrian army fought fierce battles in Latakia province overnight close to President Bashar al-Assad's ancestral home, the army and rebels said, after weeks of insurgent gains in the country's northwest.


Shared battlefield goals trump ideology among Syria rebels - for now: -
Hardline Islamists fighting side-by-side with groups backed by the United States have made gains in northern Syria in recent weeks while showing rare unity, which some fear may be short-lived.


Car bombs kill 21 people in Iraq; EU warns of donor fatigue:
The head of the European Union's humanitarian aid department warned on Thursday that the situation in Iraq is deteriorating rapidly while the world is preoccupied with crises elsewhere.


Iraq poised to deploy Iran-backed Shi'ite militia in offensive in West:
Iraq is poised to deploy Shi'ite paramilitaries backed by Iran to Sunni tribal areas west of Baghdad, a move supporters say is needed to defeat Islamic State militants but opponents say could inflame more sectarian violence.


Iran says warships at the entrance to key Yemen strait:
US officials said the Iranian naval convoy had left the Bab el-Mandab, but Iranian navy officials say they never left


Senate rejects tying terrorism support to Iran sanctions relief:
The U.S. Senate an effort on Wednesday to tie sanctions relief for Iran under an international nuclear agreement to a requirement that President Barack Obama certify that Tehran is not supporting acts of terrorism against Americans


UN finds Israel killed dozens at Gaza schools but ducks call for accountability:
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a published summary of the report to the Security Council on Monday. But notably lacking in his letter conveying the report was any call for Israel to be held accountable for the atrocities it details.


Oppose the Canadian Government's Threat to Criminalize Criticism of Israel:
Another attempt to suppress criticism of Israel, the Canadian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel which makes the claim that "the selective targeting of Israel is the new face of anti-Semitism" and declares that Canada will oppose those who support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.


Clashes between Mali army, rebels kills 19: defense ministry:
Ten militants and nine soldiers have died in clashes between the Malian army and a Tuareg rebel alliance, the defence ministry said Thursday, raising fears for the country's fragile peace process.


Three men were executed by IS militants for homosexuality in Derna, Libya:
The Libya Herald reports that three men, accused of being homosexual, are reported to have been executed by the Islamic State (IS) in Derna yesterday. The men were reportedly shot in the head at the town's main Ateeq Mosque following afternoon (Asr) prayers, after being seized some months go.


Nigeria: More women and children freed from Boko Haram:
Military says at least 160 children and women rescued from the Sambisa Forest, days after 293 others were freed.


Boko Haram renames itself Islamic State's West Africa Province (Iswap) :
Militants launch new offensive against government forces


French soldiers accused of raping CAR children:
France is investigating allegations that its peacekeepers sexually abused children in the Central African Republic after a leaked UN report said victims as young as eight were raped in exchange for food and money.


UN aid worker suspended for leaking report on child abuse by French troops:
A senior United Nations aid worker has been suspended for disclosing to prosecutors an internal report on the sexual abuse of children by French peacekeeping troops in the Central African Republic.


CIA's torture experts now use their skills in secret drones program:
There are many similarities between CIA's use of drones and torture: Secrecy, lack of oversight and yes, even some of the people overseeing the programs


27 militants, 5 security men killed in Pakistan:
At least 27 militants and five security personnel were killed on Thursday during a military operation in Khyber Agency, a tribal area in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas region of Pakistan, media reported.


25 Militants Killed by Afghan Army in Khost:
25 militants were killed during coordinated attacks at a number of border security forces' check posts in Alisher District of Khost province, local officials said.


Vietnam PM attacks 'barbarous US crimes' on war anniversary:
Vietnam's premier on Thursday hit out at the "barbarous crimes" of its wartime American foe as the nation marked four decades since the fall of Saigon, an event that delivered a communist victory and a painful blow to U.S. moral and military prestige.


Melbourne city centre blocked by protests over closure of Indigenous communities - as it happened:
Thousands of people joined rallies in towns and cities around Australia and overseas to protest against threatened withdrawal of funding from remote communities


Two fighters, two civilians killed in Ukraine clashes:
A Ukrainian soldier, a pro-Russian rebel and two civilians have been killed in fighting in the country's east over the past 24 hours, despite a shaky ceasefire, officials said Thursday.


House committee approves $200 million for arming Ukraine:
Citing an anti-Russia policy brief, US lawmakers approved $200 million for providing "lethal weapons of a defensive nature" to the Ukrainian government as part of the $600 billion Pentagon budget proposal for the fiscal year 2016.


Moscow denies agreeing deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine:
Russian President Putin did not agree to a possible deployment of peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine, his spokesman said in response to Kiev's claims to the contrary. Moscow insists that all points of the Minsk agreement are fulfilled first.


China, Russia to hold first-ever Mediterranean naval exercise:
The Russian and Chinese Navies are to hold a joint exercise in the Mediterranean Sea in mid-May, a first in that part of the world. A total of nine warships from the two countries are to participate, Beijing said.


Coverup claims over revelation that Germany spied on EU partners for US:
Germany has been spying and eavesdropping on its closest partners in the EU and passing the information to the US for more than a decade, a parliamentary inquiry in Berlin has found, triggering allegations of lying and coverups reaching to the very top of Angela Merkel's administration.


Greek pensioners start bank runs after payments delayed:
Panic descended in Athens on Thursday as Greece's 2 million pensioners were hit with delays to their monthly state stipend. Pensioners raided their accounts and broke into a board meeting, according to reports.


British voters show how to give politicians a roasting:
This was the kind of encounter that is almost never seen in U.S. politics. American politicians would be stunned by the style of voters in Britain.


Climate change threatens one in six species with extinction, study finds:
 After reviewing more than one hundred scientific papers, the study finds as many as 16% of plant and animal species on land and in the oceans would be under threat with four degrees of warming.


American Psychological Association played critical role in CIA torture program:
A report by health professionals and human rights activists has exposed the role of the American Psychological Association (APA) in collaborating with the Bush White House and the CIA in developing and defending torture and abuse of detainees in the so-called "war on terror."


Emails Reveal Close Relationship Between Psychology Group and CIA:
Newly released emails show a close relationship between the American Psychological Association and the psychologists who helped create the architecture of the CIA's torture program.


Prosecutor: Gray's death a homicide; 6 Baltimore officers charged:
Six Baltimore police officers have been charged, including one with murder, in the death of a black man who was arrested and suffered a fatal neck injury while riding in a moving police van, the city's chief prosecutor said on Friday.


Freddie Gray 'died from head injury in police van':
Freddie Gray's fatal injuries were the result of slamming into the back of a Baltimore police van, a Washington TV station reported. Citing police sources, WJLA reported that a medical examiner determined Gray's neck was broken when his head struck the back of the van.


Man who Recorded Freddie Gray Video Arrested After Voicing Fears That Police Were Trying to Intimidate Him:
The man who recorded one of two videos showing Baltimore cops dragging a screaming Freddie Gray into the back of a police van was arrested Thursday night, two days after voicing concerns that police were trying to intimidate him by plastering his photo all over the news, saying they wanted to interview him.