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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Current Al-Jazeera (Arabic) Online Poll
Do you expect the violence in Syria to recede with the presence of international observers?
With over 600 responding, 86% said no.
With over 600 responding, 86% said no.
Egypt is creaking under the weight of revolution, but it will survive
Upcoming elections are blighted by paranoia and a national crisis of confidence. It doesn't mean revolution was a bad idea
Magdi Abdelhadi
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 April 2012
"In Egypt it's sometimes impossible to determine whether chaos is the work of sinister counter-revolutionary forces, or just normality. There's a big fire almost every week – the latest being in an oil depot in Suez. This immediately sparked fears that "enemies of the revolution" were again at it.
Chaos, people say, will convince the average Egyptian that the revolution was a bad idea – with the result that he/she will vote for "stability" in the coming presidential election, or even worse, call on the ruling military junta, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), to stay in power.....
Many blame the roadmap imposed by the military with the blessing of the Muslim Brotherhood. Instead of charting a new path with the drafting of a new constitution that laid down a vision for the future and new rules, according to which a parliament and a president should be elected, they both agreed to patch up the old system. But their motives in doing so were at odds.
While the military sought to salvage as much as possible of the old regime, the Brotherhood saw a historic opportunity to seize power quickly.
The Brotherhood, along with other Islamists, won the election and looked poised to rule the country. But when the military, fearing real change, refused to let them form a new government, they fell out. That's when their opportunistic love affair came to an abrupt end.
Both apparently also failed to agree on a compromise candidate for the presidency. That's when the Brotherhood reneged on an earlier promise and fielded its heavyweight deputy leader, multimillionaire businessman Kharait al-Shater. Suleiman, after months in the shadows, also entered the fray, prompting speculation that he was the military's candidate.....
Close up, Egypt looks a mess. An old elite mounting a rearguard action to fend off its imminent demise. An emerging elite, fragmented and with no experience of parliamentary democracy, let alone running a country blighted with all the economic and social woes you can think of: corruption, poverty, obscene inequality, rampant unemployment, illiteracy, with a hostile military and police force on top.
The scene appears set for a disaster whichever way it goes, but the long view offers an alternative reading.
One of the immediate benefits of the revolution has been the exposure of Islamists as politicians who lie and manipulate the public like all others – such as the Islamist MP who lied about his nose job – and thereby damaged their carefully cultivated image as God-fearing do-gooders....."
Magdi Abdelhadi
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 April 2012
"In Egypt it's sometimes impossible to determine whether chaos is the work of sinister counter-revolutionary forces, or just normality. There's a big fire almost every week – the latest being in an oil depot in Suez. This immediately sparked fears that "enemies of the revolution" were again at it.
Chaos, people say, will convince the average Egyptian that the revolution was a bad idea – with the result that he/she will vote for "stability" in the coming presidential election, or even worse, call on the ruling military junta, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), to stay in power.....
Many blame the roadmap imposed by the military with the blessing of the Muslim Brotherhood. Instead of charting a new path with the drafting of a new constitution that laid down a vision for the future and new rules, according to which a parliament and a president should be elected, they both agreed to patch up the old system. But their motives in doing so were at odds.
While the military sought to salvage as much as possible of the old regime, the Brotherhood saw a historic opportunity to seize power quickly.
The Brotherhood, along with other Islamists, won the election and looked poised to rule the country. But when the military, fearing real change, refused to let them form a new government, they fell out. That's when their opportunistic love affair came to an abrupt end.
Both apparently also failed to agree on a compromise candidate for the presidency. That's when the Brotherhood reneged on an earlier promise and fielded its heavyweight deputy leader, multimillionaire businessman Kharait al-Shater. Suleiman, after months in the shadows, also entered the fray, prompting speculation that he was the military's candidate.....
Close up, Egypt looks a mess. An old elite mounting a rearguard action to fend off its imminent demise. An emerging elite, fragmented and with no experience of parliamentary democracy, let alone running a country blighted with all the economic and social woes you can think of: corruption, poverty, obscene inequality, rampant unemployment, illiteracy, with a hostile military and police force on top.
The scene appears set for a disaster whichever way it goes, but the long view offers an alternative reading.
One of the immediate benefits of the revolution has been the exposure of Islamists as politicians who lie and manipulate the public like all others – such as the Islamist MP who lied about his nose job – and thereby damaged their carefully cultivated image as God-fearing do-gooders....."
Guardian Video: Bahrain F1 grand prix protests continue
Hundreds of protesters clash with police in Bahrain's capital Manama after a third day of mourning for 22-year-old citizen journalist Ahmed Ismail. Mourners chanted anti-government slogans and criticised Bahrain's hosting the Formula One grand prix this weekend. Demonstrations escalated as protesters threw petrol bombs and police fired teargas
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 April 2012
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 April 2012
EU Must Back Palestinians Cut Off from Farmlands by Israel
By preventing Palestinian farmers from reaching their land for most of the year, Israel is reducing many of them to poverty - claims campaign group.
April 16, 2012
"The farmers of the West Bank village of Beit Surik used to make their living selling oil from their olive trees. Now, says Abu Rami, the head of the village farmers' association, they cannot produce enough olive oil for their own families. The problem is the system Israel has set up for getting access to their land in the West Bank is on the other side of Israel's separation barrier. In effect, Israel treats all Palestinians living in or seeking to reach their own lands on the Israeli side of the barrier as though they were security threats....."
April 16, 2012
"The farmers of the West Bank village of Beit Surik used to make their living selling oil from their olive trees. Now, says Abu Rami, the head of the village farmers' association, they cannot produce enough olive oil for their own families. The problem is the system Israel has set up for getting access to their land in the West Bank is on the other side of Israel's separation barrier. In effect, Israel treats all Palestinians living in or seeking to reach their own lands on the Israeli side of the barrier as though they were security threats....."
Bahrain: Reforms risk appearing hollow as violations continue
Amnesty International
17 April 2012
"The Bahraini government's response to the findings of an international commission of inquiry has proved inadequate as human rights violations continue, Amnesty International said in a new report on Tuesday.
The 58-page Flawed Reforms: Bahrain fails to achieve justice for protesters reveals that piecemeal reforms have failed to provide justice for victims of human rights violations, despite the government's insistence that it will learn from the events of February and March 2011.
"With the world's eyes on Bahrain as it prepares to host the Grand Prix, no-one should be under any illusions that the country's human rights crisis is over," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director.
"The authorities are trying to portray the country as being on the road to reform, but we continue to receive reports of torture and use of unnecessary and excessive force against protests. Their reforms have only scratched the surface.....
Prisoners of conscience
Scores of prisoners, tried unfairly in military courts and sentenced to long-term prison sentences, have not been released, even though they were convicted solely for leading and participating in anti-government protests without using or advocating violence.
The cases achieving most prominence involve the 14 opposition members arrested in March and April 2011. The verdict in their appeal case is expected to be heard on 23 April. Several of the men have reported being tortured following their arrest......
Continuing violations by police in the midst of reforms
Following the BICI report, the government has introduced a new code of conduct for members of the security forces, established a new office in the Ministry of the Interior dedicated to investigating complaints against the police and embarked on human rights training for police officers.
But Amnesty International said that in practice, the security forces remain largely unaffected by these institutional changes. Although they have reduced the use of shotguns since late 2011, security forces continue to face protesters with unnecessary and excessive force - particularly tear gas, which has resulted in several deaths in recent months. At least 60 people have now been killed in connection with protests since February 2011......"
Download the Report (pdf)
17 April 2012
"The Bahraini government's response to the findings of an international commission of inquiry has proved inadequate as human rights violations continue, Amnesty International said in a new report on Tuesday.
The 58-page Flawed Reforms: Bahrain fails to achieve justice for protesters reveals that piecemeal reforms have failed to provide justice for victims of human rights violations, despite the government's insistence that it will learn from the events of February and March 2011.
"With the world's eyes on Bahrain as it prepares to host the Grand Prix, no-one should be under any illusions that the country's human rights crisis is over," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director.
"The authorities are trying to portray the country as being on the road to reform, but we continue to receive reports of torture and use of unnecessary and excessive force against protests. Their reforms have only scratched the surface.....
Prisoners of conscience
Scores of prisoners, tried unfairly in military courts and sentenced to long-term prison sentences, have not been released, even though they were convicted solely for leading and participating in anti-government protests without using or advocating violence.
The cases achieving most prominence involve the 14 opposition members arrested in March and April 2011. The verdict in their appeal case is expected to be heard on 23 April. Several of the men have reported being tortured following their arrest......
Continuing violations by police in the midst of reforms
Following the BICI report, the government has introduced a new code of conduct for members of the security forces, established a new office in the Ministry of the Interior dedicated to investigating complaints against the police and embarked on human rights training for police officers.
But Amnesty International said that in practice, the security forces remain largely unaffected by these institutional changes. Although they have reduced the use of shotguns since late 2011, security forces continue to face protesters with unnecessary and excessive force - particularly tear gas, which has resulted in several deaths in recent months. At least 60 people have now been killed in connection with protests since February 2011......"
Download the Report (pdf)
العرب ينتفضون والفلسطينيون يتفاوضون
العرب ينتفضون والفلسطينيون يتفاوضون
عبد الباري عطوان
"بشرنا الرئيس الفلسطيني محمود عباس امس بأن حل السلطة الفلسطينية 'غير وارد'، واضاف المزيد من الملح على جرح كرامتنا النازف عندما اكد في حديث ادلى به الى صحيفة 'الأيام' الصادرة في رام الله، بان التنسيق الامني مع اسرائيل مستمر، وان ما يقال من مطالب بوقف هذا التنسيق 'مزايدات رخيصة'.
كلام الرئيس عباس هذا جاء عشية قيام وفد فلسطيني برئاسة السيد سلام فياض رئيس الوزراء وعضوية كل من ياسر عبد ربه امين سر اللجنة التنفيذية للمنظمة، والدكتور صائب عريقات كبير المفاوضين بالالتقاء ببنيامين نتنياهو رئيس الوزراء الاسرائيلي وتسليمه رسالة تتضمن وجهة نظر السلطة بشأن التسوية السياسية.
كنا نتمنى لو ان الرئيس الفلسطيني اختار كلماته بعناية، فأحد ابرز المطالبين بإنهاء التنسيق الامني مع اسرائيل كرد على التغول الاستيطاني الذي تمارسه حكومتها في الارض المحتلة هو الاسير مروان البرغوثي، ولا نعتقد انه من الاشخاص الذين يجب ان توصف مواقفهم المبدئية هذه 'مزايدات رخيصة'.
' ' '
الاكثر من ذلك ان العديد من اعضاء اللجنة المركزية لحركة 'فتح' حزب السلطة، طالبوا بالشيء نفسه واكثر من مرة، حتى ان السيد نبيل ابو ردينة قال ان الرئيس عباس سيتخذ مواقف تغير خريطة الشرق الاوسط كرد على السياسات الاستيطانية الاسرائيلية وانهيار حل الدولتين.
التنسيق الامني لا يخدم السلطة مثلما يقول الرئيس عباس في المقابلة نفسها، وانما اسرائيل ومستوطنيها، وكان قد لوح اكثر من مرة بالاقدام على هذا الخيار، ونعرف انه جاء بهذا الطرح، اي الدفاع عن التنسيق الامني وتبريره، بعد المكالمة التي اجراها معه الرئيس الامريكي باراك اوباما وقال له فيها وبالحرف الواحد ان هذا التنسيق هو حماية لحياته ايضا، اي حياة الرئيس محمود عباس شخصيا.
السلطة الفلسطينية باتت بلا سلطة، ورسالة الرئيس عباس الى نتنياهو، وقبل ان تعدل خمس مرات تلبية لطلبات امريكية، نصت على ذلك حرفيا، بل ان الرئيس عباس نفسه اشتكى اكثر من مرة من الاهانات التي يتعرض لها في كل مرة يتقدم فيها مكتبه لتجديد تصريحه الامني، وبطاقة خروجه من رام الله، حتى انه اقدم بنفسه على نشر صورة عن هذا التجديد احتجاجا على هذه الاهانات.
الرئيس عباس هو مهندس اتفاقات اوسلو ويدرك جيدا انه جرى توقيع هذه الاتفاقات للتوصل الى دولة فلسطينية مستقلة، بعد خمس سنوات من قيام السلطة، والان وبعد عشرين عاما من التوقيع تضاعف الاستيطان الاسرائيلي في الضفة والقدس المحتلتين مرتين، وفاق عدد المستوطنين رقم النصف مليون.
لا نعرف لماذا يحتاج الامر الى وفد من ثلاثة اشخاص لتسليم رسالة الى نتنياهو لشرح رؤية السلطة الفلسطينية للسلام وحل الدولتين، فإذا كان نتنياهو وبعد عشرين عاما من المفاوضات المغلقة والمفتوحة، وآلاف المحاضر، لا يعرف هذه الرؤية الفلسطينية فهذا تفسيره احد امرين اما انه فاقد البصر، او ان المفاوضين الفلسطينيين عجزوا كليا عن توضيح هذه الرؤية.
نتنياهو ليس كفيفاً، وحتى لو كان فإن هناك من هم على استعداد لكي يقرأوا له محاضر المفاوضات الفلسطينية الاسرائيلية، ولا نعتقد ان السلطة ورئيسها وكبير مفاوضيها لا يعرفون كيف يقومون بشرح وايصال هذه الرؤية بكل تفاصيلها الى الطرف الاسرائيلي، المسألة بكل بساطة ان الرئيس عباس يريد العودة الى مائدة المفاوضـات مجددا، ويتحرش بالاسرائيليين في هذا الصدد. فقد ذهب الى العاصمة الاردنية عمان والتقى وفده الاسرائيليين في تخل مهين عن جميع شروط وقف الاستيطان، وقالوا للشعب الفلسطيني انها مفاوضات استكشافية فقط.
' ' '
حل الدولتين سقط، والعملية السلمية التي انبثقت من رحم كامب ديفيد ماتت وشبعت موتا، والسلطة الفلسطينية باتت هيئة خيرية وظيفتها التسول لدفع رواتب 160 الفاً من موظفيها، حيث تم استبدال وكالة غوث اللاجئين بالسلطة من حيث تقديم 'رشوة' للشعب الفلسطيني للبقاء على قيد الحياة، ونسيان قضيته وابجدياتها في الوقت نفسه.
الشعب الفلسطيني الذي كان طليعياً في ثوراته وانتفاضاته ضد الظلم ونهب حقوقه وسرقة اراضيه بات شعبا متسولا يعيش على فتات الصدقات من الدول المانحة ومتى؟ في زمن تنتفض فيه الشعوب العربية ضد الظلم والفساد والقمع.
الذين يطالبون بحل السلطة ووقف التنسيق الامني لا يمارسون مزايدات رخيصة مثلما يصفهم الرئيس عباس، وانما هم اناس يطالبون بعودة الكرامة الى الشعب الفلسطيني، ونفي صفة الخنوع عنه، والانتصار لشهدائه وعشرات الالاف من اسره القابعين في سجون الاحتلال
......"
عبد الباري عطوان
"بشرنا الرئيس الفلسطيني محمود عباس امس بأن حل السلطة الفلسطينية 'غير وارد'، واضاف المزيد من الملح على جرح كرامتنا النازف عندما اكد في حديث ادلى به الى صحيفة 'الأيام' الصادرة في رام الله، بان التنسيق الامني مع اسرائيل مستمر، وان ما يقال من مطالب بوقف هذا التنسيق 'مزايدات رخيصة'.
كلام الرئيس عباس هذا جاء عشية قيام وفد فلسطيني برئاسة السيد سلام فياض رئيس الوزراء وعضوية كل من ياسر عبد ربه امين سر اللجنة التنفيذية للمنظمة، والدكتور صائب عريقات كبير المفاوضين بالالتقاء ببنيامين نتنياهو رئيس الوزراء الاسرائيلي وتسليمه رسالة تتضمن وجهة نظر السلطة بشأن التسوية السياسية.
كنا نتمنى لو ان الرئيس الفلسطيني اختار كلماته بعناية، فأحد ابرز المطالبين بإنهاء التنسيق الامني مع اسرائيل كرد على التغول الاستيطاني الذي تمارسه حكومتها في الارض المحتلة هو الاسير مروان البرغوثي، ولا نعتقد انه من الاشخاص الذين يجب ان توصف مواقفهم المبدئية هذه 'مزايدات رخيصة'.
' ' '
الاكثر من ذلك ان العديد من اعضاء اللجنة المركزية لحركة 'فتح' حزب السلطة، طالبوا بالشيء نفسه واكثر من مرة، حتى ان السيد نبيل ابو ردينة قال ان الرئيس عباس سيتخذ مواقف تغير خريطة الشرق الاوسط كرد على السياسات الاستيطانية الاسرائيلية وانهيار حل الدولتين.
التنسيق الامني لا يخدم السلطة مثلما يقول الرئيس عباس في المقابلة نفسها، وانما اسرائيل ومستوطنيها، وكان قد لوح اكثر من مرة بالاقدام على هذا الخيار، ونعرف انه جاء بهذا الطرح، اي الدفاع عن التنسيق الامني وتبريره، بعد المكالمة التي اجراها معه الرئيس الامريكي باراك اوباما وقال له فيها وبالحرف الواحد ان هذا التنسيق هو حماية لحياته ايضا، اي حياة الرئيس محمود عباس شخصيا.
السلطة الفلسطينية باتت بلا سلطة، ورسالة الرئيس عباس الى نتنياهو، وقبل ان تعدل خمس مرات تلبية لطلبات امريكية، نصت على ذلك حرفيا، بل ان الرئيس عباس نفسه اشتكى اكثر من مرة من الاهانات التي يتعرض لها في كل مرة يتقدم فيها مكتبه لتجديد تصريحه الامني، وبطاقة خروجه من رام الله، حتى انه اقدم بنفسه على نشر صورة عن هذا التجديد احتجاجا على هذه الاهانات.
الرئيس عباس هو مهندس اتفاقات اوسلو ويدرك جيدا انه جرى توقيع هذه الاتفاقات للتوصل الى دولة فلسطينية مستقلة، بعد خمس سنوات من قيام السلطة، والان وبعد عشرين عاما من التوقيع تضاعف الاستيطان الاسرائيلي في الضفة والقدس المحتلتين مرتين، وفاق عدد المستوطنين رقم النصف مليون.
لا نعرف لماذا يحتاج الامر الى وفد من ثلاثة اشخاص لتسليم رسالة الى نتنياهو لشرح رؤية السلطة الفلسطينية للسلام وحل الدولتين، فإذا كان نتنياهو وبعد عشرين عاما من المفاوضات المغلقة والمفتوحة، وآلاف المحاضر، لا يعرف هذه الرؤية الفلسطينية فهذا تفسيره احد امرين اما انه فاقد البصر، او ان المفاوضين الفلسطينيين عجزوا كليا عن توضيح هذه الرؤية.
نتنياهو ليس كفيفاً، وحتى لو كان فإن هناك من هم على استعداد لكي يقرأوا له محاضر المفاوضات الفلسطينية الاسرائيلية، ولا نعتقد ان السلطة ورئيسها وكبير مفاوضيها لا يعرفون كيف يقومون بشرح وايصال هذه الرؤية بكل تفاصيلها الى الطرف الاسرائيلي، المسألة بكل بساطة ان الرئيس عباس يريد العودة الى مائدة المفاوضـات مجددا، ويتحرش بالاسرائيليين في هذا الصدد. فقد ذهب الى العاصمة الاردنية عمان والتقى وفده الاسرائيليين في تخل مهين عن جميع شروط وقف الاستيطان، وقالوا للشعب الفلسطيني انها مفاوضات استكشافية فقط.
' ' '
حل الدولتين سقط، والعملية السلمية التي انبثقت من رحم كامب ديفيد ماتت وشبعت موتا، والسلطة الفلسطينية باتت هيئة خيرية وظيفتها التسول لدفع رواتب 160 الفاً من موظفيها، حيث تم استبدال وكالة غوث اللاجئين بالسلطة من حيث تقديم 'رشوة' للشعب الفلسطيني للبقاء على قيد الحياة، ونسيان قضيته وابجدياتها في الوقت نفسه.
الشعب الفلسطيني الذي كان طليعياً في ثوراته وانتفاضاته ضد الظلم ونهب حقوقه وسرقة اراضيه بات شعبا متسولا يعيش على فتات الصدقات من الدول المانحة ومتى؟ في زمن تنتفض فيه الشعوب العربية ضد الظلم والفساد والقمع.
الذين يطالبون بحل السلطة ووقف التنسيق الامني لا يمارسون مزايدات رخيصة مثلما يصفهم الرئيس عباس، وانما هم اناس يطالبون بعودة الكرامة الى الشعب الفلسطيني، ونفي صفة الخنوع عنه، والانتصار لشهدائه وعشرات الالاف من اسره القابعين في سجون الاحتلال
......"
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Crackdown in Bahrain
First, Your Double Standards
By Patrick Cockburn
CounterPunch
"Double standards have notoriously marked Britain and America’s response to the Arab Spring. But nowhere is the hypocrisy more glaring than in their reactions to the uprisings in Bahrain and Syria, where both countries’ governments have used the full might of their security forces to crush peaceful protests and jail and torture their opponents.
When it comes to Syria, Barack Obama and David Cameron express shock at the government’s repression and are voluble in their demands for regime change. Until recently, military intervention was not being ruled out. Contrast this with the words of President Obama’s spokesman after clashes between protesters and security forces in Bahrain last week. The best he could do was a purportedly even-handed condemnation of violence “directed against police and government institutions” and “excessive force and indiscriminate use of tear gas against protesters” by the Bahrain security forces. Imagine what an uproar there would be if the White House had said the same about Libya or Syria..."
By Patrick Cockburn
CounterPunch
"Double standards have notoriously marked Britain and America’s response to the Arab Spring. But nowhere is the hypocrisy more glaring than in their reactions to the uprisings in Bahrain and Syria, where both countries’ governments have used the full might of their security forces to crush peaceful protests and jail and torture their opponents.
When it comes to Syria, Barack Obama and David Cameron express shock at the government’s repression and are voluble in their demands for regime change. Until recently, military intervention was not being ruled out. Contrast this with the words of President Obama’s spokesman after clashes between protesters and security forces in Bahrain last week. The best he could do was a purportedly even-handed condemnation of violence “directed against police and government institutions” and “excessive force and indiscriminate use of tear gas against protesters” by the Bahrain security forces. Imagine what an uproar there would be if the White House had said the same about Libya or Syria..."
Assad's End
by Shakeeb Al-Jabri
The revolution in Syria is now in its second year and questions are being raised about the likelihood of its success. Syrian activists attest that the persistence of the revolution against all odds is proof that it cannot be defeated. Their detractors argue Assad’s continued grasp on the country supports their argument that he is too strong to be removed. The international community is similarly divided with most Arab and Western countries saying Assad’s fall is only a matter of time. Meanwhile Russia, China and their allies insist Assad is here to stay.
The Syrian revolution has evolved over the past year from a singular protest in Damascus’ traditional Hamidiyye Market spreading to cover almost every square mile of Syria’s land. The rising number of defectors has also led to the creation of the Free Syrian Army whose self-proclaimed priority is to protect protesters from the regime’s violent oppression.
False Measures
The increase in defections is helping the FSA become an independent actor in the Syrian opposition. The media’s thirst for blood also helps the FSA grab more of the Syria headlines than the peaceful protests ever did. As a result many observers have taken to measuring the success of the revolution in terms of ground held by the FSA, or lost to Assad. This overshadows many of the accomplishments of the revolution.
What’s happening in Syria is a popular revolt and by no means a military conflict. The Syrian people are protesting because they desire to practice their right to self-determination. The Assad regime had imposed on its subjects a seemingly convenient formula, which can easily be summarized by “do whatever you want, just don’t threaten the regime.” Any dissenters were promptly silenced in a mysterious yet public manner that spelled out the consequences for speaking up. This culture of fear ruled Syria for five decades.
The Syrian Revolution is changing the psyche of most Syrian people, dissenters and supporters alike. In the few cafes that are still open in Aleppo and Damascus customers openly discuss the crisis in Syria, often omitting discreet terms. In March a group of youth, regime opponents and supporters, gathered in Damascus to participate in a convoy delivering aid to Homs in a sign of solidarity with those affected by the regime’s onslaught. The convoy was prevented from leaving Damascus and the youth responded by staging a sit-in. In June of last year Assad hosted a delegation from Jobar, a Damascus neighborhood that was among the first to revolt. One of the participants leaked his notes from the meeting. They revealed that the guests openly talked back to the president. The leak alone is an act of defiance unheard of before in Syria.
“The wall of fear has been broken” may sound to many as a hollow statement however it is the most significant realization of the past year. This small development is changing the very nature of the relationship between the Arab people and their governors.
Assad’s obsession with his military (the security solution) will be his demise. The army is behaving as a foreign occupation force rather than “Guardians of the Homeland” as they are called in Syria’s national anthem. It is being used as a tool to punish the people rather than protect them. Slowly but steadily Assad is losing his grasp over everything in the country. He is neglecting everything other than the military, leaving local governance to activists. Revolution councils are increasingly responsible for managing all aspects of civilian life.
Assad is on a path with only one logical end. His. The army, like civilians, require services to function properly. Soldiers are already being sent on missions without rations. As they become more dependent on the revolution councils they will defect in larger numbers. Assad will lose his only card.
First They Come For the Muslims
By Chris Hedges
TruthDig
"Tarek Mehanna, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced Thursday in Worcester, Mass., to 17½ years in prison. It was another of the tawdry show trials held against Muslim activists since 9/11 as a result of the government’s criminalization of what people say and believe. These trials, where secrecy rules permit federal lawyers to prosecute people on “evidence” the defendants are not allowed to examine, are the harbinger of a corporate totalitarian state in which any form of dissent can be declared illegal. What the government did to Mehanna, and what it has done to hundreds of other innocent Muslims in this country over the last decade, it will eventually do to the rest of us.
Mehanna, a teacher at Alhuda Academy in Worcester, was convicted after an eight-week jury trial of conspiring to kill U.S. soldiers in Iraq and providing material support to al-Qaida, as well as making false statements to officials investigating terrorism. His real “crime,” however, seems to be viewing and translating jihadi videos online, speaking out against U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and refusing to become a government informant....
“In your eyes, I’m a terrorist, and it’s perfectly reasonable that I be standing here in an orange jumpsuit,” he told the court at the end of his statement. “But one day, America will change and people will recognize this day for what it is. They will look at how hundreds of thousands of Muslims were killed and maimed by the U.S. military in foreign countries, yet somehow I’m the one going to prison for ‘conspiring to kill and maim’ in those countries—because I support the mujahedeen defending those people. They will look back on how the government spent millions of dollars to imprison me as a ‘terrorist,’ yet if we were to somehow bring Abeer al-Janabi back to life in the moment she was being gang-raped by your soldiers, to put her on that witness stand and ask her who the ‘terrorists’ are, she sure wouldn’t be pointing at me.” "
TruthDig
"Tarek Mehanna, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced Thursday in Worcester, Mass., to 17½ years in prison. It was another of the tawdry show trials held against Muslim activists since 9/11 as a result of the government’s criminalization of what people say and believe. These trials, where secrecy rules permit federal lawyers to prosecute people on “evidence” the defendants are not allowed to examine, are the harbinger of a corporate totalitarian state in which any form of dissent can be declared illegal. What the government did to Mehanna, and what it has done to hundreds of other innocent Muslims in this country over the last decade, it will eventually do to the rest of us.
Mehanna, a teacher at Alhuda Academy in Worcester, was convicted after an eight-week jury trial of conspiring to kill U.S. soldiers in Iraq and providing material support to al-Qaida, as well as making false statements to officials investigating terrorism. His real “crime,” however, seems to be viewing and translating jihadi videos online, speaking out against U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and refusing to become a government informant....
“In your eyes, I’m a terrorist, and it’s perfectly reasonable that I be standing here in an orange jumpsuit,” he told the court at the end of his statement. “But one day, America will change and people will recognize this day for what it is. They will look at how hundreds of thousands of Muslims were killed and maimed by the U.S. military in foreign countries, yet somehow I’m the one going to prison for ‘conspiring to kill and maim’ in those countries—because I support the mujahedeen defending those people. They will look back on how the government spent millions of dollars to imprison me as a ‘terrorist,’ yet if we were to somehow bring Abeer al-Janabi back to life in the moment she was being gang-raped by your soldiers, to put her on that witness stand and ask her who the ‘terrorists’ are, she sure wouldn’t be pointing at me.” "
A Chance for Peace With Iran
Will the Israel lobby scuttle it?
by Justin Raimondo, April 16, 2012
".....Another wild card is the nature and scope of Israel’s covert activities in Iran: assassinations, carried out by the Israeli-supported Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) terrorist outfit, have humiliated the Iranians and provoked an internal security crackdown. Also not to be ruled out is a widening of the scope of the attacks to include high officials as well as scientists. That Israel has tried to pass off its recruiting of Jundullah terrorists operating in Baluchistan as the work of the Americans is the kind of provocation that could not only torpedo the negotiations but actually get us involved in a shooting war with the Iranians – which is precisely the goal of the Israelis.
In the end, the battle for a diplomatic solution to this manufactured "crisis" must be won, not in Istanbul or Baghdad, but in Washington. D.C. Yet the Imperial city is the stronghold of the powerful Israel lobby, which has annexed Congress the way the IDF has effectively annexed the West Bank, and which exerts a decisive influence on the leadership of both parties when it comes to foreign policy.
No matter how much it hurts our real interests to go to war with Iran over Tehran’s nonexistent "weapons of mass destruction," that is precisely what will happen unless war opponents can manage to exercise some political clout on the home front. While polls show Americans overwhelmingly want to avoid such a war, and support the negotiations, that this translates easily into the realm of policy is a naïve assumption: alas, too many people think "democracy" means majority rule rather than "the squeaky wheel gets the worm." When it comes to securing Israel’s interests over and above those of the US, the Lobby has the resources, the will, and an unbroken record of success."
by Justin Raimondo, April 16, 2012
".....Another wild card is the nature and scope of Israel’s covert activities in Iran: assassinations, carried out by the Israeli-supported Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) terrorist outfit, have humiliated the Iranians and provoked an internal security crackdown. Also not to be ruled out is a widening of the scope of the attacks to include high officials as well as scientists. That Israel has tried to pass off its recruiting of Jundullah terrorists operating in Baluchistan as the work of the Americans is the kind of provocation that could not only torpedo the negotiations but actually get us involved in a shooting war with the Iranians – which is precisely the goal of the Israelis.
In the end, the battle for a diplomatic solution to this manufactured "crisis" must be won, not in Istanbul or Baghdad, but in Washington. D.C. Yet the Imperial city is the stronghold of the powerful Israel lobby, which has annexed Congress the way the IDF has effectively annexed the West Bank, and which exerts a decisive influence on the leadership of both parties when it comes to foreign policy.
No matter how much it hurts our real interests to go to war with Iran over Tehran’s nonexistent "weapons of mass destruction," that is precisely what will happen unless war opponents can manage to exercise some political clout on the home front. While polls show Americans overwhelmingly want to avoid such a war, and support the negotiations, that this translates easily into the realm of policy is a naïve assumption: alas, too many people think "democracy" means majority rule rather than "the squeaky wheel gets the worm." When it comes to securing Israel’s interests over and above those of the US, the Lobby has the resources, the will, and an unbroken record of success."
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Video: Israeli soldiers brutally attack Palestinians and ISM activists on bike ride
"On the 14th of april a group of palestinians and international activists joined in a bike ride in the Jordan Valley. The IOF (Israeli occupation forces) systematically keep palestinians from using the road "Route 90" which is why the peaceful protest was held. After 20 minutes, when the group reached the intersection to Route 90 they were stopped by the Israeli military. They sang and chanted for half an hour, after which they tried to peacefully go farther to the road. This is when the IDF brutaly attacked several protestors and hit them in the face with rifles. Three of the demonstrators were taken to hospital after the event. "
Israeli soldiers brutally attack palestinians and ISM activists.
Al-Jazeera Video: Pro-Palestinian activists detained in Israel
"More than 40 Welcome to Palestine activists taking part in "fly-in" blocked entry at Tel Aviv's international airport. Al Jazeera's Cal Perry reports from Tel Aviv."
Al-Jazeera Video: Hundreds stopped from leaving Europe for Israel
"Major airlines including Air France, Lufthansa, and Swiss Air are being criticised for refusing to let pro-Palestinian activists board flights to Israel. Al Jazeera's Simon McGregor-Wood reports."
Al-Jazeera Video: Listening Post - Ali Ferzat: Breaking the barrier of fear
"The Syrian cartoonist paid the price of mocking the government with satirical drawings, but he has not given up hope. Listening Post's Richard Gizbert sat down with Ali Ferzat to discuss the power of political satire and the Syrian uprising."
Real News Video : Bahrain Protestors Clash with Police at Citizen Journalist's Funeral
Reem Khalifa: Brutal repression of democracy movement continues as F1 race will go ahead in Bahrain
A VERY GOOD VIDEO
A VERY GOOD VIDEO
Real News Video (with Transcript): Doha Debates on Women's Rights After Arab Revolutions
This House believes women will be worse off after the Arab revolutions
74% voted against the motion, meaning that they disagree that Arab women will be worse off after the revolutions.
74% voted against the motion, meaning that they disagree that Arab women will be worse off after the revolutions.
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