BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem launched a campaign entitled “Sorry Commander, I cannot shoot,” on Thursday urging Israeli soldiers to refuse orders to shoot unarmed Palestinian protesters in Gaza.The organization is taking the unusual step of calling directly on Israeli soldiers to refuse orders in the wake of last Friday’s deadly protests […]
Archives for April 2018
The Dolls of Militarism: Will Trump’s Chickenhawk Cabinet lie us into another Conflict?
By Danny Sjursen | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – Sometimes I get sick of saying it, but just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse… Donald Trump’s continual cabinet reshuffling — otherwise the stuff of reality-TV drama — has become genuinely frightening. Like so many Russian matryoshki or nesting dolls, the president has been […]
Trump wants out of Syria within 6 months, Seeks Saudi Aid: AP
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – AP’s Josh Lederman reports that on Tuesday, Trump told national security aides meeting in the White House that his patience is running out with the Syria operation. “I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home. I want to start rebuilding our […]
Danger: Sinclair is advancing its agenda using the public broadcast spectrum
By Amanda Lotz | (The Conversation) | – – On March 31, Deadspin produced a video showing a chorus of local news anchors delivering the exact same scripted speech to viewers. The message – denouncing media bias and fake news, calling it a problem that is “neither politically ‘left nor right’” – might seem innocuous […]
#MeToo? Ahed Tamimi’s lawyer accuses Israeli interrogators of sexual harassment
Middle East Monitor | – – Israeli lawyer Gaby Lasky who is defending Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi has accused investigators of sexual harassment, Arab48.com reported yesterday. Lasky has filed several complaints against interrogators for verbal and physical sexual harassment but said that no investigations were opened into any of her complaints. She has described this […]
Russian, Iranian, Turkish Presidents Meet to Discuss Syria, isolate Trump
TeleSur | – – The meeting signals a shift towards dialogue between what have previously been opposing camps throughout most of Syria’s war. The presidents of Russia, Iran and Turkey – Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan – have met in Ankara, Turkey to discuss their nations’ respective roles in Syria. The meeting […]
Top 5 Ways Iran is not very much like Hitler’s Germany
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In that interview with Jeffrey Goldberg, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman violated Godwin’s law and compared Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s clerical leader, to Hitler. The comparison is monstrous. Here are a few reasons why. 1. Iran has not invaded Poland. In fact, Iran hasn’t invaded […]
Egypt fines Press for alleging Sisi vote-buying
Breaking News added by Informed Comment: Egyptian Security Police have raided the website of the offices of Masr al-Arabia and arrested its editor, apparently over the newspaper’s reporting of Sisi vote-buying. – JC By Brian Whitaker | (Al-Bab.com | – – Not content with securing 97% of the votes in Egypt’s presidential “election”, the Sisi […]
How Trump’s Gutting of Tailpipe Standards will make China Auto Leader Worldwide
By Greg Dotson | (The Conversation) | – – The Trump administration on Monday, April 2, took steps to ease pollution and efficiency rules for new passenger cars and trucks, giving automakers a reprieve from more stringent Obama-era standards. But in the process, the move could yield global leadership in the auto sector to the […]