Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Op-Ed Articles
   
U.S. Arms Kiev By Laundering Weapons Through Abu Dhabi

By Moon Of Alabama

If the Europeans do not succeed in pushing back against Washington the Ukraine with burn and Europe with it.


Washington Has Resurrected The Threat Of Nuclear War

By Paul Craig Roberts

As Putin himself said some months ago, if the Russian military enters Ukraine, the news will not be the fate of Donetsk or Mauriupol, but the fall of Kiev and Lviv.


A (not so) Brief History of Crimea

By Peter Hitchens

I have assembled this account because I had not seen a proper explanation of the history of the Crimean independence issue.


The Destabilization Doctrine: ISIS, Proxies and Patsies

By Brandon Martinez

Israel has essentially used the United States as a cat's paw in the Middle East, manipulating America's Leviathan military to smash up her enemies.


How the US Can Really Combat Radicalism

By As'ad AbuKhalil

When the US government speaks about radicalism, it ignores the radicalism that prevails in the US Congress or in the US churches. It has only one radicalism and one form of violence in mind. C


Israel Has Gone Berserk : Norman Finkelstein
The Martyrdom of Gaza and the Future of Palestine

Video

Dr Finklestein discusses the recent conflicts in the occupied territories and possible ways to resolve the conflict.


The Real American Exceptionalism

By Alfred W. McCoy

From Torture to Drone Assassination, How Washington Gave Itself a Global Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card.


The Greek Tragedy:

By William Blum

The fact that Syriza leaders, for some time, have made no secret of their affinity for Russia is reason enough to seal their fate. They should have known how the Cold War works.


No, Syriza Has Not Surrendered

By Tom Walker

Tom Walker looks at what Greece's government has agreed - and argues that buying time is not the same thing as breaking promises.


The Disappeared
Chicago Police Detain Americans At Abuse-laden 'Black Site'

By Spencer Ackerman

The Chicago police department operates an off-the-books interrogation compound, rendering Americans unable to be found by family or attorneys while locked inside what lawyers say is the domestic equivalent of a CIA black site.




Hard News
    



Bombs in Iraq, Including Twin Blasts in Busy Street, Kill 40:
The deadliest of the day's attacks came shortly before sunset, when a bomb exploded in Baghdad's southeastern suburb of Jisr Diyala. Minutes later, a car bomb went off near the site of the first blast as people started gathering to help the victims of the initial explosion.


52 IS militants killed in clashes, airstrikes in Iraq:
A total of 52 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Monday in separate clashes and U.S.-led coalition air strikes in Iraq, security sources said.


Iraqi Army Downs 2 UK Planes Carrying Weapons for ISIL? ;
 "The Iraqi Parliament's National Security and Defense Committee has access to the photos of both planes that are British and have crashed while they were carrying weapons for the ISIL," Head of the committee Hakem al-Zameli said, according to a Monday report of the Arabic-language information center of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.


New Zealand PM John Key announces troops bound for Iraq:
Up to 143 New Zealand military personnel will be sent to Iraq to help train local forces as part of the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group, Prime Minister John Key says.


'Get some guts and join the right side' - John Key lashes out as he sends NZ troops to Iraq for Isis fight:
Prime Minister John Key has launched an angry counter-attack over Labour leader Andrew Little's opposition to the deployment of troops to Iraq, saying Mr Little needs to "get some guts" and questioning whether he would make the right decisions for New Zealand.


Jordan: Border guards kill two infiltrators on Syria borders:
Border guards, on Tuesday, killed two persons while they were trying to illegally cross into the Kingdom from Syria, a Jordan Armed Forces official said.


Islamic State in Syria abducts at least 150 Christians:
A Syrian Christian group representing several NGO's inside and outside the country said it had verified at least 150 people missing, including women and elderly, who had been kidnapped by the militants.


ISIS preparing to declare Islamic emirate in Lebanon: sources:
ISIS is preparing military plans to declare an Islamic emirate in Lebanon very soon to serve as a geographical extension of the so-called "Islamic State" announced by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Iraq last year, security sources said.


Abbas and Israel ally against 2009 UN probe: Analysis:
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas colluded with Israel to prevent war crimes charges, according to new leaks.


Occupied West Bank: 40% rise in illegal settlement homes in 2014: NGO:
"All these figures prove that Benjamin Netanyahu is doing everything to increase faits accomplis on the ground and make a two-state solution impossible," Peace Now's Hagit Ofran said.


US jury finds Palestinian groups liable for terror attacks:
Palestinian Authority Deputy Minister of Information Dr. Mahmoud Khalifa called the verdict "a tragic disservice" to Palestinians and to the international community in working toward a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "The charges that were made against us are baseless," he said.


It was another difficult week for Israel.:
In Britain, 700 artists, including many household names, pledged a cultural boycott of Israel, and a leader of the Board of Deputies, the representative body of UK Jews, quit, saying he could no longer abide by its ban on criticising Israel.


Netanyahu's Iran bomb claim contradicted by Mossad, leaked spy cables show :
In September 2012, the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, told the UN general assembly that an Iranian nuclear bomb was imminent. But leaked intelligence documents obtained by al-Jazeera and the Guardian reveal that Israeli intelligence thought differently at the time


Spy Cables expose 'desperate' US approach to Hamas:
Leaked documents also show Mossad lobbying South Africa against Goldstone Report, claiming Abbas shared their stance.


Israeli cable reveals S Africa missile theft cover-up:
Leaked Mossad cable shows Israel obtained stolen missile plans, and South Africa asked for their return.


Houthis say Yemen's Hadi has lost legitimacy, after president flees south:
"The higher revolutionary committee is following the suspicious moves by Hadi, who lost his legitimacy to act as president of the Republic of Yemen, and whose reckless acts harmed the Yemeni people," the Houthis said in a statement.


Chadian Soldiers Killed 207 Boko Haram Fighters in Nigeria: Army:
Soldiers from Chad killed 207 Boko Haram militants in fighting on Tuesday near a Nigerian town close to the border with Cameroon, Chad's army announced in a statement.


Teenage girl bomber kills 15 at northeast Nigeria bus station:
A teenage girl blew herself up at a crowded bus station in a northeastern Nigerian town on Tuesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 53 in the second such attack there this week.


7 killed in Egyptian air strikes on Libyan city:
 Seven civilians were killed when Egyptian jets attacked suspected Islamist militant targets in the eastern Libyan city of Derna last week, Amnesty International said on Monday, citing eyewitnesses.


15,000 Egyptians flee from Libya:
Almost 15,000 Egyptians have flocked home from war-torn Libya via the border crossing at Sallum, state media reported Monday, after the IS group murdered 21 Coptic Christians.


Egypt minister 'recorded discussing protest crackdown':
Leaked audio appears to show interior minister advising in 2014 on how to shoot protesters without creating "martyrs".


Afghanistan: 24 insurgents killed in raids:
At least 24 armed Taliban were killed and 40 others wounded in different crackdowns within past 24 hours, said Ministry of Interior.


Afghanistan kidnapping: Gunmen seize 30 Hazara men, officials say:
Gunmen in southern Afghanistan kidnapped 30 members of the Hazara ethnic community, authorities said Tuesday, in what appeared to be the latest in a series of attacks on Shiites in the predominantly Sunni country.


Pakistanis face a deadline: Surrender fingerprints or give up cellphone:
Pakistan has ordered cellphone users to verify their identities through fingerprints for a national database being compiled to curb terrorism. If they don't, their service will be shut off, an unthinkable option for many after a dozen years of explosive growth in cellphone usage here.


Putin says Russia-Ukraine war unlikely:
Asked in an interview with Russian state television if he thought the current situation could lead to war, Putin said on Monday: "I think that such an apocalyptic scenario is unlikely and I hope that it will never happen".


Ukraine rebels show withdrawal of weapons; Kiev doubtful:
Pro-Russia separatists brought reporters on Tuesday to witness the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line in east Ukraine under a ceasefire deal, but Ukraine said the rebels were using the cover of the truce to reinforce for another advance


"Ukraine will go to war in late March"--Zakharchenko;
The head of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic Aleksandr Zakharchenko announced that Ukraine is bringing up heavy equipment to the conflict zone and, in his opinion, might resume combat operations in late March or early April.


Poroshenko buys UAE weapons:
While the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine were meeting in Paris to talk about the Eastern Ukraine peace settlement, it was revealed that the Ukrainian president has struck a deal on arms supplies from the UAE.


Ukraine reaches arms deal with UAE - official:
Ukraine, which has repeatedly pleaded for the west to supply advanced weaponry to help it defend against Russian-backed separatists in breakaway eastern regions, claims to have reached an arms sale agreement with the United Arab Emirates.


US arming Kiev would 'explode' situation in E. Ukraine - Russian Foreign Ministry:
If the US were to supply Ukraine with ammunition and weapons, it would "explode the whole situation" in eastern Ukraine and Russia would be forced to respond "appropriately," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.


Britain to send military advisers to Ukraine, announces Cameron:
Prime minister says service personnel to provide infantry training as well as advice on logistics, medical care and tactical intelligence.


Vladimir Putin : NATO legions are already fighting in Ukraine: Video - Vladimir Putin :
Meeting with students at the Mining University - January 26, 2015, - St Petersburg - (English subtitles)


Ukraine preparing for 'full-scale war,' says former envoy to Canada:
Ukraine's deputy foreign minister says he is preparing for "full-scale war" against Russia and wants Canada to help by supplying lethal weapons and the training to use them


Abbott says 'there was talk' of sending Australian troops into Ukraine:
The prime minister has confirmed there were talks about sending troops into Ukraine to protect the bodies of victims of the MH17 disaster. The Australian newspaper at the weekend reported Mr Abbott raised the idea of sending 3500 troops to Iraq to fight Islamic State at a meeting in November.


Lithuania to reintroduce conscription over security concerns:
Lithuania is to reintroduce conscription over concerns about "the current geopolitical environment" in the Baltic states, President Dalia Grybauskaite said. Ms Grybauskaite did not specifically refer to the situation in Ukraine, but neighbouring states have expressed worries about Russian aggression.


NATO-Russia jet scrambling hysteria: Who is the real threat?: Op-Ed:
It is difficult to avoid the impression of NATO persistently increasing its military capabilities in its eastern member states. Allegations of a "Russian threat" are a convenient pretext for these activities.


20% of Germans want revolution, majority say democracy 'isn't real' - study:
Twenty percent of Germans believe that their current living conditions won't be improved by reforms and only a revolution can reshape society. That's according to a study released by the Free University of Berlin.


Eurozone backs Greece bailout extension:
Eurozone finance ministers announced Tuesday they have approved a list of reforms submitted by Greece in exchange for a four-month extension to its international bailout.


Unidentified drones seen flying over Paris landmarks:
At least five unidentified drones have flown over the Eiffel Tower, the US Embassy and other Paris landmarks overnight, authorities have said.


Smoking marijuana is 114 times safer than drinking alcohol - study:
In fact, alcohol was found to be the deadliest drug on an individual level, at least when it comes to the likelihood of a person dying due to consuming a lethal dose. Heroin and cocaine were the next most deadly substances, followed by tobacco, ecstasy, and meth. Trailing up the rear was marijuana.