Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Tuesday 27 January 2015

Killing Ragheads for Jesus

By Chris Hedges

The movie "American Sniper" lionizes the most despicable aspects of U.S. society-including the belief that Christians are called upon to exterminate "lesser breeds."


WATCH: Chomsky Blasts 'American Sniper' and the Media that Glorifies It

By Janet Allon

The famed professor draws a disturbing parallel between "Sniper" and our "global assassination program."


Why Do Critics Love American Sniper?

By Jonathan Cook

The only reason audiences could be raving about American Sniper, is that it closely aligns with the mood of self-pity that currently dominates in the US.


The Persians Are Coming!

By Patrick J. Buchanan

The issue is whether Iran represents a threat to our security worth risking a war. For that is where many, including Bibi, want us to go.


It Is Time For Iran To Tell The West 'Goodbye'

By Paul Craig Roberts

It is pointless for Iran to negotiate with the West in hopes of gaining acceptance. Iran is on the same list as Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi, and Assad.


Syria's President Speaks
A Conversation With Bashar al-Assad

By Jonathan Tepperman

Israel is supporting the rebels in Syria. It's very clear. Because whenever we make advances in some place, they make an attack in order to undermine the army. It's very clear.


Russia In The Cross Hairs

By Paul Craig Roberts

In my opinion, Russia is in grave danger.


French President's Holocaust Day Speech Presages Crackdown On Palestine Supporters

By Ali Abunimah

French President François Hollande used an International Holocaust Memorial Day speech to confirm that his government plans to tighten its control over what people are allowed to say online.


White House Threatened By Drones

By Chris Floyd

A small, private drone crashed on the lawn near the president's home. This episode, though minor, has alerted the White House to a wider problem, the official said.


Torture If You Must, But Do Not Under Any Circumstances Call the New York Times

By Dan Froomkin

Monday's guilty verdict in the trial of former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling on espionage charges - for talking to a newspaper reporter - is the latest milepost on the dark and dismal path Barack Obama has traveled since his inaugural promises to usher in a "new era of openness."


Barrett Brown's Sentence Is Unjust, But It May Become The Norm For Journalists

By Trevor Timm

Jailed, in part, because he shared a link to a stolen document that he did not steal, and despite the fact that this is not a crime.
 

      
      

Hard News
    



Iraq's Shiite militias killed 70 civilians after IS rollback: Sunni leaders: Report:
Sunni politicians and tribal chiefs from Iraq's eastern Diyala province accused Shiite militias on Monday of killing more than 70 unarmed civilians who had fled clashes with Islamic State militants.


At least 14 killed in violence across Iraq:
At least 14 people have been killed and several others injured in bomb attacks and acts of violence in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and in Mosul, sources said Monday.


Canada's troops keep getting into firefights in Iraq, and reaction is mixed:
 Canadian Special Operations troops have engaged Islamic State militants in Iraq in firefights at least three times in recent days while training Kurdish troops, a turn of events that has raised questions about how the military advising mission in Iraq may be evolving.


Iraq invasion 2003: The bloody warnings six wise men gave to Tony Blair as he prepared to launch poorly planned campaign:
This was a meeting that could have changed the course of history and, with better planning for the aftermath, saved countless lives - if only the Prime Minister and his advisers had listened and acted on the bloody warnings on that day in November 2002.


Kurds push Islamic State out of Kobani after four-month battle:
Kurdish forces took control of the Syrian town of Kobani on Monday after driving out Islamic State fighters, a monitoring group and Syrian state media said, although Washington said the four-month battle was not yet over.


ISIS threatens to kill 2nd Japanese hostage, Jordan pilot in 24 hours:
The Islamic State has released a video with a threat to kill a second Japanese hostage and a Jordanian pilot in the next 24 hours if the Japanese authorities fail to persuade Jordan to release failed suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi from prison.


Assad seeks agreement over U.S. air strikes in Syria:
President Bashar al-Assad has said U.S.-led air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria should be subject to an agreement with Damascus and Syrian troops should be involved on the ground.


Assad rejects Syria opposition 'puppets' as Moscow talks begin:
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has dismissed the country's Western-backed opposition as "puppets", as a new round of peace talks begins in Moscow.


US kills 3 people in Yemen:
Yemeni tribal and security officials in the central province of Marib said a missile hit a vehicle carrying three men near the boundary with neighboring Shabwa province, an Al-Qaeda stronghold.


Attack kills 2 Al Qaeda militants, Yemeni soldier :
Al Qaeda militants attacked a military checkpoint in southern Yemen on Monday, killing a soldier and wounding two others, a local official told Reuters. Two of the gunmen were also killed.


Houthis free top aide to Yemen president:
Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak was relased on Tuesday, and handed over to local tribes in the southern province of Shabwa.


US closes embassy in Yemen amid political turmoil:
The decision to close the US outpost in Yemen to the public was made "out of abundance of caution and care for our employees and others who may be visiting the embassy," US officials said in a statement published on Monday.


Three more beheaded under new Saudi king:
According to an AFP tally, their executions bring to 16 the number of Saudis and foreigners put to death this year under the kingdom's strict version of Islamic sharia law.


Iran sends warning to Israel via US officials:
The Tuesday report quotes Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as saying, "We told the Americans that the leaders of the Zionist regime should await the consequences of their act."


Israel 'systematically mistreats' Palestinian children in custody:
"Arrested children are commonly taken into custody by heavily armed soldiers, blindfolded with their wrists tied behind their backs before being transported to an interrogation centre," the CRIN report said.


UN halts Gaza house repairs saying donors failed to pay up:
"$5.4 billion was pledged at the Cairo (aid) conference last October and virtually none of it has reached Gaza. This is distressing and unacceptable.


Pakistan says 53 alleged 'terrorists' killed in airstrikes near Afghanistan:
"In precise aerial strikes, 53 terrorists including some foreigners were killed," the Pakistani military said in a statement on Tuesday.


Afghanistan: At least 30 Taliban killed in Kundoz operation:
Afghan forcesSecurity officials in northern Kundoz province say Taliban have suffered heavy casualties in the ongoing operation in Imam Sahib District.


Boko Haram Attacks Leave at Least 30 Dead in Nigeria's Northeast:
"They attacked our people in Madagali, Michika and surrounding villages" yesterday, Adamu Kamale, a member of the Adamawa state legislature representing the area, said by phone Tuesday from Yola, the state capital. "They destroyed houses and shops and killed a lot of people."


13 killed in South Sudan convoy ambush:
At least 13 people, including four journalists, were killed in South Sudan's western region, when gunmen attacked their convoy in the country's west, a military spokesman said.


Hostage Crisis Hits Libya, 8 Dead in Luxury Hotel:
Heavily armed men stormed a luxury hotel overlooking the Meditarranean. They fired indiscriminately at staff and patrons, while detonating a car bomb.


UN Troops in Mali Kill at Least 3 Protesters:
United Nations peacekeepers in the northern Malian town of Gao killed at least three people on Tuesday when they used live rounds to disperse protesters there, witnesses said, but a U.N. spokesman said only warning shots were fired.


Putin: Ukraine army is NATO legion aimed at restraining Russia:
According to Putin, the Ukrainian army "is not an army, but a foreign legion, in this case a foreign NATO legion, which, of course, doesn't pursue the national interests of Ukraine."


EU leaders likely to decide on new Russia sanctions:
European Union leaders asked their foreign ministers on Tuesday to consider possible new sanctions on Russia in response to a rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine, but a final decision to impose them is likely to be left to a summit next month.


FBI arrests alleged Russian spy in New York: -
Federal agents on Monday arrested an alleged Russian spy in New York accused of trying to recruit sources and collect economic intelligence while working as a Manhattan banker, officials said.


Alleged Russian 'spy' was the son of top KGB officer :
The father of one of the three alleged Russian spies in America was a high ranking FSB intelligence service officer, it emerged today.


Russia, Iran to Create Joint Bank for Transactions in National Currencies:
Relations between Moscow and Tehran are actively developing, according to Iranian ambassador, so the two countries are planning to trade in national currencies.


Tear gas at Kosovo rally demanding minister resign over war victims comment:
Police have deployed tear gas to disperse some 2,000 protesters, who rallied in Kosovo's capital, Pristina. The demonstration called for the dismissal of a Serb minister accused of insulting Albanian war victims.


Greece debt repayment in full is 'unrealistic', says Syriza:
"I haven't met an economist in their heart of hearts that will tell you that Greece will pay back all of that debt. It can't be done," Mr Tsakalotos said.


Jury Convicts Sterling on All Nine Counts:
There's much more that raises questions about the legitimacy (though not necessarily the outcome) of the trial, such as the things CIA managed to keep secret, including that the CIA had declared state secrets over some of the evidence submitted at trial to deprive Sterling of the ability to sue for discrimination.


WikiLeaks Slams Google Capitulation to US Government:
WikiLeaks strongly criticized Google at a press conference in Geneva Monday for taking two and a half years to divulge that it had handed over staff emails from the open information journalistic group to the U.S. government.


Secret 'BADASS' Intelligence Program Spied on Smartphones:
British and Canadian spy agencies accumulated sensitive data on smartphone users, including location, app preferences, and unique device identifiers, by piggybacking on ubiquitous software from advertising and analytics companies, according to a document obtained by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.


DEA Using License-Plate Readers To Build Database Of Millions Of Drivers:
Under the authority of the Justice Department, the DEA has been building a national database to track in real time the movement of millions of vehicles around the country, current and newly released government documents show.


"I don't trust the policy of the United States.":
Fidel Castro Expresses Cautious Support of Cuba/US Talks: Fidel Castro conceded, "I don't trust the policy of the United States nor have I had an exchange with them." "But, this does not mean ... a rejection of a peaceful solution to conflicts or the dangers of war," he explained.


Bolivian President Denounces Neoliberal Attacks Against Venezuela:
The economic war and political destabilization plan against Venezuela is rooted in the last 15 years of opposition attempts to unconstitutionally take over state power. Morales applauded the Venezuelan people for "defeating political conspiracies with maturity."


Argentina to dissolve intelligence body after prosecutor death:
The move comes after the mysterious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman - hours before he had been due to testify against senior government officials.


Mexico missing: Thousands march to demand full investigation:
Thousands of people have taken part in demonstrations in Mexico City to demand a full investigation into the disappearance of 43 students four months ago.