Hot War with Russia – The Saker

What’s the likelihood of a shooting war with Russia over Ukraine?  What are the military realities that the United States and it’s NATO collaborators see when they consider a real war in behalf of their proxy government in Ukraine?  Leading edge blogger, The Saker, provides an extended analysis that answers these questions convincingly.   Along with George Eliason’s superb analysis, The Saker is taking citizen journalism to new heights. (Image: Thomas Williams)

A short time before The Saker’s post, we got a bit of good news.  The official propaganda organ of corporate America, Associated Press,  ran this headline at 12:38 PM PDT – AP:  Ignoring Putin, Ukraine Insurgents to Hold Vote. It doesn’t take much to read these tea leaves. Putin is being let off the hook as the evil genius behind the people of Eastern Ukraine. After a little bit of corporate media rehab, Obama will be able to accept Putins ongoing offer to negotiate a reasonable ending to the mess that they created (unless the neocons sabatoge it).

Remembering the important lessons of the Cold War
The Saker at The Vineyard of the Saker

War crimes in Libya and the March shift

By Michael Collins

Foreign Policy just published a roundup of weapons contributed to the Libyan rebels in the regime change effort. The e-Journal is a publication of the Washington Post. Colum Lynch’s April 4 article relies on the March 20 UN report to the UN Security Council by a panel of experts appointed to track the UN resolutions and responses from the start of the conflict.

These two paragraphs, noncontroversial in establishment world, outline clear violations of Principle VI (a), (b), and (c), of the Nuremburg Principles, affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly.

“As the late Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi’s forces prepared to crush the Libyan uprising last summer in Benghazi, Britain, France, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and other allies moved quickly to reinforce the beleaguered rebel forces.

“With military supplies, training, advice — and of course the backing of NATO war planes — this coalition of governments provided critical support to change the course of the conflict, ultimately leading to Qaddafi’s downfall. ” Colum Lynch, Foreign Policy, March 4

It’s right there. The rebels were getting their clock cleaned by the legal government of Libya. The UN Security Council approved a humanitarian mission run by NATO to protect Libyan civilians based almost exclusively on evidence from one questionable source, an activist who was part of the Libyan rebels group.

United National Antiwar Coalition National Conference March 23-25

Say No to the NATO/G8 Wars & Poverty Agenda; A Conference to Challenge the Wars of the 1% Against the 99% at Home and Abroad

For $130 you can attend a three-day conference set for March 23-25, 2012 at the Stamford Hilton in Stamford, Connecticut, hosted by the National Peace Conference.

‘Human Rights’ Groups and the Pretext for War in Syria

By James Corbett

The Arab League has announced it’s reached a deal with Syria on easing the country’s long-running political crisis. The agreement urges Damascus to immediately withdraw security forces from the streets, release jailed demonstrators, and start dialogue with the opposition. Syria also agreed to allow rights groups and Arab League watchdogs into the country. But the U.S. still says it wants to see President Assad resign.

War Crimes in Libya – The Smoking Guns

By Michael Collins

“The UN said in its resolution that they wanted to protect civilians. I am a civilian. I’m asking the United Nations and the National Transition Council for help for the citizens of Sirte.” ~ Ali Salah Arzaga, Sirte, Libya. (His home and business were destroyed in the final assault on his city.)

There are very public smoking guns that inculpate the rulers of the United States, the United Kingdom, France and others in war crimes in Libya.

The rationale for NATO’s entry into the Libyan conflict was based on humanitarian principles, correctly noted by Mr. Arzaga. (left, text and image: VOA video). The United Nations Security Council passed resolution 1973 on March 17 and NATO followed up with actions that the alliance and its partner Qatar claimed conformed to the resolution. The sole purpose of NATO’s involvement was to “protect the Libyan population,” we were told.

The outcome has been anything but humanitarian. Tens of thousands of Libyans are injured or dead. The nation’s infrastructure is in tatters. One city, Sirte, was destroyed during the final push while another city, the non-Arab Black Libyan town of Tawergha, is absent its entire population, 25,000 residents. They were there just a few weeks ago.

Humiliation and Death as a Tool of National Policy

By Michael Collins

“It’s not acceptable to kill a person without trying him,” said Louay Hussein, a Syrian opposition figure in Damascus. “I prefer to see the tyrant behind bars.” New York Times, October 20

The New York Times reported that a NATO jet and drones disabled vehicles in a convoy carrying Muammar Gaddafi near the besieged town of Sirte on October 20. Loyalists in the remaining vehicles scattered becoming easy prey for the emboldened fighters of the new Libyan state.

Reuters expanded the narrative on the 21st by reporting that Gaddafi fled from his jeep, hid in a drainage pipe, and emerged with an automatic weapon and side arm. He was manhandled and slapped by the soldiers of the new Libya. He allegedly asked the crowd, “Don’t you know right from wrong?” They took exception to the question and shot him twice in the head. He was transported to Misurata, scene of one of the few decisive victories by the former rebels. Gaddafi’s corpse was placed on a bare mattress and put on display for the public on the 22nd. It remains there today, although it is now reportedly covered by a blanket (Reuters, October 23).

There’s a new sheriff in town, NATO.

The modern history of Iran and WW3

The US, Israel and NATO are gearing up for war on Iran. Here is the modern history of the NWO thugs that have taken over America. In the second video, Prof. Michel Chossudovsky points out the hypocrisy of going after Iran, which signed the Nuclear Treaty, and five European nations which do have nuclear weapons but which are considered non-nuclear states: Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy and Turkey.

NATO uses Mustard Gas in Bani Walid (confirmed)

By Ozyism

Reports that NATO has used Mustard Gas in Bani Walid have been coming from eye witnesses from within the beseiged town.  A gruesome image of a victim of such terrorism has come out in social networks.

Most argue that this terrorism is implemented to force Libyans into submission. They have refused to surrender and give the country to NATO, so NATO has resorted to terrorism and a slow genocide.

Libyan Rebel Army Led by Rehabilitated al Qaeda Linked Terrorists

By Michael Collins

Monday was the day we heard that the “US believes al-Qa’ida is on the verge of defeat after deputy leader’s death” as The Independent headlined the story. It stood out as a sequel to the recent United States action in Pakistan, which brought us the news (but not the body) of a dead Osama bin Laden. It appears that a US operated drone killed Al Qaeda’s top deputy, one Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, a Libyan citizen. After decades as a jihadist, Rahman is no more. But is that the end of al Qaeda?

On Tuesday, foreign affairs columnist for the Asia Times, Pepe Escobar, published a remarkable column outlining the command structure of the victorious NATO backed military leaders. Abdelhakim Belhaj, the lead commander of the rebels, and the two top regional commanders were once affiliated with the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LGIF). In fact, commander Belhaj was once the subject of a US led extraordinary rendition (aka torture) in Thailand. About the time the US planned to send Belhaj to Guantanamo Bay, the Gaddafi’s government requested his return to Libya.

Terrorist Rehab, Libyan Style

Sarkozy honors French Foreign Legion with Order of Merit of Al-Qaeda medal

Satire by InfoWars Ireland

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has bestowed a new Honor upon the famed parachute regiment 2^eme Rep of the French Foreign Legion.

Legionnaires from the elite outfit have been busy lately helping Al Qaeda in the western mountains of Libya, and more recently involved in the NATO special forces storming of Tripoli, where NATO warplane bombardment, along with special forces from the US Military, British SAS and a few other puppet Arab States like Qatar stormed into the capital Tripoli and terrified the inhabitants.

Libyan Forces Liberate Misratah

Clearing up the latest media rubbish on Libya

By Lizzie Phelan
Information Clearing House

While the journalists suffering from cabin fever in Tripoli’s Rixos hotel publish their dreams that imperialism’s lackies (the “rebel rats”) have taken Zawiya, Ghuriyan and Sorman, they are ignoring a decisive moment in the crisis.

That is the liberation of the hitherto rebel-held area of Misratah. Last night the Libyan army moved into the centre of the city and now the rebels are trapped between Misratah and Tawergha. 75 per cent of the city has been secured including the port, which was a lifeline for the rebels to receive shipments of arms and other supplies, as well as being a key transport route for them.

Two more eye-witness videos from Libya

By Black Agenda Report

Although US drones are flying in, and US bombs are falling from Libyan skies, the president insists that the US is not waging war in Libya. The facts however, say otherwise. This week’s Black Agenda Video update includes two members of US citizen fact finding delegations, the Bay Area’s Dedon Kamathi and Atlanta’s Lucy Grider Bradley.

Eyewitness Libya: Askia Muhammad Interviews Dedon Kamathi.
Kamanthi traveled to Libya in May, and among much else, recounts how a NATO bomb hit the building that the Dignity delegation had visited the day before, and which it had intended to return the following day, and details of his overland journey into Libya from Tunisia. He was interviewed in early June by veteran journalist Askia Muhammad.

An Anonymous Message to NATO

Good evening, NATO.

We are Anonymous.

It has come to our attention that a NATO draft report has classified Anonymous a potential „threat to member states’ security”, and that you seek retaliation against us.

It is true that Anonymous has committed what you would call ‘cyber-attacks’ in protest against several military contractors, companies, lawmakers, and governments, and has continuously sought to fight against threats to our freedoms on the Internet. And since you consider state control of the Internet to be in the best interest of the various nations of your military alliance, you therefore consider us a potential threat to international security.

So we would like to make it clear that we, in reality, pose no threat to the people of your nations. Anonymous is not a reckless swarm attacking the websites of governments and companies out of hatred or spite. We fight for freedom. For ourselves, and the people of the world, we seek to preserve the liberty granted to the millions of people who have found it on the Internet.

EU used Libya’s frozen funds to finance NATO invasion

By The Voice of the Cape
31 August 2010 (last modified 20 June 2011)

Europe’s foreign ministers Monday urged the use of frozen funds to finance Libya’s opposition, which has complained of a cash shortfall after failing to receive aid pledged by international donors. In a statement on Libya, the 27 European Union ministers said the bloc “acknowledges the urgent financial needs of the (opposition) Transitional National Council”. They also welcomed specific cash contributions by Italy and France, which is releasing frozen funds to the rebels.

Extra global aid to the Benghazi-based opposition “where possible” could include “the use of frozen Libyan funds”, the ministers said. “Measures in this regard will respect the rule of law,” the statement added. Libyan rebel forces said Sunday they were running out of money and had not yet received any of the roughly one billion dollars promised by international donors earlier this month.

The Ugly Truth: Video of Libyan Rebel Beheading Gadhaffi Soldier and Other NATO War Crimes

Beheaded Libyan soldier

By Susan Lindauer
Former CIA Asset covering Libya

NATO has been pumping propaganda out of Libya to justify its “humanitarian war” against the government of Moammar Gadhaffi. Until now, NATO has succeeded in large part because ordinary citizens around the world have no access to direct intelligence on which to base their own opinions. As the former CIA Asset who covered Libya at the United Nations from 1995 to 2003 during negotiations for the Lockerbie Trial, I am compelled to break past that propaganda to examine actual evidence.

Responding to numerous requests, I am sharing primary evidence that I receive daily from sources inside Tripoli.  Video documentation comes from Libyan refugees, collected by a fact finding commission called “Global Civilians for Peace in Libya.”

NATO Bombs Libya’s Al Fateh University as part of its ‘Humanitarian’ Aid

More NATO “Humanitarian Intervention”: The Bombing of Al Fateh University, Campus B

By Cynthia McKinney
Black Agenda Report

Since coming to Tripoli to see first hand the consequences of the NATO military operations, it has become clear to me that despite the ongoing silence of the international press on the ground here in Libya, there is clear evidence that civilian targets have been hit and Libyan civilians injured and killed.

This Tuesday morning I was taken from my hotel across the city through its bustling traffic to the Al Fateh University.

On 9 June, Dean Ali Mansur was outside in the parking lot. The sky was blue like Carolina blue. The clouds were white–no chemtrails in sight. Puffy and white.

On the ground in Libya: ‘NATO is destroying our country’

NATO bombs Benghazi, Libya

COTO BREAKING NEWS: Eyewitness account describes the evidence that NATO’s invasion of Libya constitutes multiple war crimes. This is a military coup which the Libyans will resist for as long as they live.  For more info, see Lindauer’s recent piece, Going Rogue: NATO War Crimes in Libya.

By Joanna Moriarty

TRIPOLI:  We have so much documentation that it make your head spin. We spoke with 250 rebels who were released by the Tribal Leaders with the blessings of Ghadafi, the stories they tell of the atrocities that they did are horrifying we have them on tape. We also have many rebels that are documented admitting all the atrocities that they themselves committed. But, here is one truth that is irrefutable – the 2000 tribes of Libya are the actual government here, if anyone does not know this then they do not know Libya.

These tribal leaders released 150 rebel prisoners 3 weeks ago, 10 days later another 250 were released. There were about 20 foreigners that witnessed this magnificent show of forgiveness, we have this on tape. There is another release of 200 prisoners in these coming days.

Libyan Tribes speak out against NATO war crimes

UPDATE: Eyewitness account describes the evidence that NATO’s invasion of Libya constitutes multiple war crimes. This is an email sent to Susan Lindauer.

Going Rogue: NATO War Crimes in Libya

By Susan Lindauer, former US Asset covering Libya at the United Nations

It’s a story CNN won’t report. Late at night there’s a pounding on the door in Misurata. Armed soldiers force young Libyan women out of their beds at gun-point. Hustling the women and teenagers into trucks, the soldiers rush the women to gang bang parties for NATO rebels—or else rape them in front of their husbands or fathers. When NATO rebels finish their rape sport, the soldiers cut the women’s throats.

Rapes are now ongoing acts of war in rebel-held cities, like an organized military strategy, according to refugees. Joanna Moriarty, who’s part of a global fact-finding delegation visiting Tripoli this week, also reports that NATO rebels have gone house to house through Misurata, asking families if they support NATO. If the families say no, they are killed on the spot.  If families say they want to stay out of the fighting, NATO rebels take a different approach to scare other families. The doors of “neutral homes” are welded shut, Moriarty says, trapping families inside. In Libyan homes, windows are typically barred. So when the doors to a family compound get welded shut, Libyans are entombed in their own houses, where NATO forces can be sure large families will slowly starve to death.

Putting out Fire with Gasoline in Libya; while Libya accepts African Union Plan for resolution

Llibya accepts African Union Plan, April 10

By Susan Lindauer
Former U.S. Intelligence Asset covering Libya and Iraq at the United Nations

War doesn’t work, does it? Best case scenario, NATO’s war against Libya will run 18 to 24 months unless decisive action is taken right now—this day—to end the military confrontation.

Moussa Koussa, Libya’s Foreign Minister who defected to Britain on March 30, warns Libya is in danger of becoming the “New Somalia.”

Violence is erupting from both sides. The ugly truth is that with every missile strike, NATO kills more and more Libyan people.

NATO cares nothing for the Saudi invasion of Bahrain, which has resulted in wide-scale disappearances of democracy activists. NATO cares nothing for the uprisings in Yemen, peppered with government snipers. Only Libya has been singled out for violent retribution. Of course, this is an oil grab. Gadhaffi challenged U.S. (and probably British) oil companies to reimburse Libya for the economic damage caused by U.N. sanctions tied to the Lockerbie bombing, which Libya had nothing to do with. The U.N. Security Council forced Libya to submit to the Lockerbie Trial and pay $2.7 billion in damages to the families of Pan Am 103, only for the U.S. to bribe witnesses with $4 million payments to testify against Libya’s men at trial.

‘Our Man in Tripoli’ – Islamic Terrorists Join Libya’s Pro-Democracy Opposition

By Prof. Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research

Concepts are Turned Upside Down: The US-NATO military alliance is supporting a rebellion integrated by Islamic terrorists, in the name of the “War on Terrorism”…

There are various factions within the Libyan opposition: Royalists, defectors from the Qadhafi regime including the Minister of Justice and more recently the Foreign Minister, Moussa Koussa, members of the Libyan Armed Forces, the National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL) and the National Conference for the Libyan Opposition (NCLO) which acts as an umbrella organization.

Rarely acknowledged by the Western media, Al-Jamaa al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi Libya, the Libya Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), is an integral part of the Libyan Opposition.