The US Special Envoy for Iran: "Iran is perhaps weeks away from enriching the fissile material needed to develop a nuclear weapon"

The US Special Envoy for Iran: "Iran is perhaps weeks away from enriching the fissile material needed to develop a nuclear weapon"

    Wednesday, November 30, 2022   No comments

 The US Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, said on Wednesday that "Iran is perhaps weeks away from enriching the fissile material needed to develop a nuclear weapon."

Malley claimed, during a webinar hosted by the "Foreign Policy" daily related to Iran, that "with regard to the nuclear agreement, the closer the parties are to agreeing on a formula to revive the agreement, Iran puts forward new demands at the last minute."

Malley explained that on September 1, "Iran put forward a new condition, which is that the agreement must be accompanied by an end to the sanctions imposed on it."

He added, "The suspension of sanctions comes within the framework of the agreement, and the latter is not up for discussion now, so the sanctions will continue in the same context."

This comes as Iran affirms that it is serious about reaching a nuclear agreement, and that it will not hesitate to reach a "good, strong and sustainable" agreement, but it is calling for guarantees that the United States will not withdraw from the agreement again, and it is also calling for the closure of the International Atomic Energy Agency's allegations.

It is noteworthy that the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, said, "The Americans are sending us through some foreign ministers that they are in a hurry to revive the nuclear agreement, while the US envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, says, "The nuclear agreement is not among Washington's priorities."

Since the beginning of reviving the nuclear agreement, Tehran has been stressing on 4 basic issues: guarantees after the United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement, lifting sanctions on Iran, verifying the occurrence of these matters, in addition to closing the file of political allegations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Malley: The diplomatic option is the most appropriate

The US envoy for Iran claimed during the symposium that, "As soon as US President Joe Biden took office, we immediately declared to our European allies our intention to revive the nuclear deal, provided Iran complies."

He added, "The diplomatic option is the most appropriate to stop Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons," noting that "we are working in close and coordinated steps with France and Britain to achieve this."

Malley quoted Biden as saying, "The time may come to activate the military option against Iran, but conditions are not yet ripe," noting that "our consultations with the leaders of both parties are continuing on Iran, and we are aware of the size of the opposition of some in Congress."

Earlier, Malley himself spoke about the possibility of the next US president leaving the nuclear agreement, noting that "there are no guarantees that this will not happen."

And at the end of last October, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, said: "We believe that the American political will can help sign the agreement," stressing that his country will not wait for an agreement to secure its interests, nor will it link its relationship and foreign policy to the nuclear agreement.

Malley: A new system of sanctions against Iran has been activated

During the symposium, the US Special Envoy for Iran pointed out that the US Treasury Department took into account all the circumstances accompanying the activation of sanctions with the lowest rate of consequences, i.e. diplomacy backed by sanctions.

It is noteworthy that the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, last month, that the madness of sanctions against Iran has turned into a "virus" that is transmitted to countries allied to Washington, stressing that imposing sanctions on the media and journalists is a violation of part of the main rights of the Iranian people to make their voice heard in the world.

According to Malley, "a new system of sanctions has been activated against Iranian officials for their dealings with the protests," announcing that "Washington is devoting its technical capabilities to the demonstrators in order to communicate via virtual space."

Malley announced "his strong support for the demonstrators in Iran," adding that "the demonstrations come at a sensitive historical period that is reshaping Iranian history," as he put it.

Malley added that "Washington's behavior in the 2009 demonstrations in Iran should have been better, and we must deal with wisdom," saying: "We intend with our other allies to hold Iranian officials accountable for what is going on."

The spokesman for the Iranian Shura Council's presidential body, Nizamuddin Mousavi, stated that "about 45,000 people and foreign intelligence agencies are causing riots." Iran also condemned the US interference in its affairs, represented by supporting the riots that took place in Iranian cities.

Report: Half of the world's democracies are in decline, and Washington is in peril

Report: Half of the world's democracies are in decline, and Washington is in peril

    Wednesday, November 30, 2022   No comments

A report published by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance revealed today, Wednesday, that half of the democracies in the world are witnessing a decline in their political system.

"We are now seeing factors that are very unfavorable to democracy, exacerbated by the consequences of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic and the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine," Kevin Casas-Zamora, secretary general of the Sweden-based institute, told AFP.

He explained that this regression could appear through a review of the credibility of elections, violations of the rule of law, or the imposition of restrictions in civic space.

The number of democracies facing serious undermining, which the report classified as countries "in decline" increased from 6 to 7 in 2022, with El Salvador added to it along with the United States since last year, and Brazil, Hungary, Poland, India and the island of Mauritius.

Kevin Casas-Zamora saw the US situation as "particularly dangerous". The report warned that this country suffers from problems of political polarization, disruption in the work of institutions, and threats to civil liberties.

"It is now clear that this fever has not subsided with the election of a new administration," said the Secretary-General.

This appears especially in the levels of polarization out of control, and attempts to "undermine the credibility of election results without any evidence of fraud," according to Casas-Zamora.

The rise of authoritarianism

Of the 173 countries included in the report, 52 of the democracies included in it are in decline.

On the other hand, 27 countries moved to an authoritarian regime, which is more than double the countries that moved to democracy.

Likewise, almost half of the authoritarian regimes tightened their repression during 2022, while Afghanistan, Belarus, Cambodia, the Comoros and Nicaragua recorded a "regression", according to the report.

In Asia, where only 54% of the population lives in a democracy, authoritarianism intensifies, while the African continent remains "resilient" in the face of instability despite the many challenges it faces.

In Europe, about half of the democracies, or 17 countries, have suffered a decline over the past five years.

The report stressed that "democracies are striving to find an effective balance in an environment of instability and anxiety, and populism continues to spread in the world, while innovation and growth are stagnant or regressing."

He noted "worrying trends" even in countries with medium or high democratic standards.

Casas-Zamora explained that "democratic regimes have recorded a real deterioration in the last two decades, and this raises a hot issue," but on the other hand, there are "signs of progress."

_________

Sources: 

https://www.idea.int/news-media/news/global-democracy-weakens-2022

Qatari Minister to the West: LGBT people can visit our country but don't try to change our beliefs

Qatari Minister to the West: LGBT people can visit our country but don't try to change our beliefs

    Wednesday, November 30, 2022   No comments

The Minister of State for Energy Affairs in Qatar, Saad Al-Kaabi, told the German newspaper “Bild” that members of the LGBT community can go to Qatar to watch the World Cup soccer matches, but the West cannot “dictate” to Qataris what they should believe.

Relations between Qatar and Germany have been troubled recently.

The German Minister of the Interior, Nancy Weser, put the “One Love” badge that supports gays in the match that her country played against Japan last week, and criticized the human rights record in Qatar, but this week Germany concluded a deal to import liquefied natural gas from

In his statements, which were published by the German newspaper "Bild" today, the Qatari minister said about the LGBT community: "If they want to visit Qatar, we have no problem with that."

But he said the West wants to "dictate what it wants" to Qatar, which considers same-sex relations illegal.

He added, "If you want to change me so that I say that I believe in the LGBT community and that my family should be gay and that I accept homosexuality in my country and change my laws and Islamic teachings in order to please the West, then this is unacceptable."

Wealth and Power: Sexual slavery pursues Ukrainian women and contempt for Africans

Wealth and Power: Sexual slavery pursues Ukrainian women and contempt for Africans

    Monday, November 28, 2022   No comments

"The tendency to enslavement represented, in ancient times, a basis for prestige (the prestige of the master and the prestige of the tribe), and a kind of financial investment, which could be exploited in a period of crisis." A phrase mentioned in a book, published last year, entitled “History of Slaves in the Arabian Gulf." --a researcher and professor of history at the American University in Kuwait, Hisham Al-Awadi. 

Despite the difference in history, and the Gulf countries taking a trend keeping pace with modernity and development, the tendency towards establishing slavery still exists, albeit through disguised methods. Perhaps what the UAE is witnessing today is the best evidence of this, with the spread of “modern slavery” practices towards migrant workers, who are looking for a living outside the borders of their countries.

Human trafficking and illegal practices

Behind the towering building, which touches the clouds in the Emirates, and behind the amazing lights that catch the eye, there is a world of another kind; A world in which many of what can be considered “modern slavery” affect migrant workers, especially Africans, who are subjected to multiple types of exploitation and racial discrimination, from being forced to pay illegal recruitment fees, along with withholding their salaries, to confiscating their passports. Perhaps what is hidden is greater, in light of the documenting by multiple organizations of cases of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

The Emirati black record on human trafficking was also documented by Western media in the aftermath of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, highlighting the process of bringing girls from war and conflict zones to work in prostitution. This was revealed by the British newspaper "Daily Mail", last August, regarding the smuggling of Ukrainian women and children to the Emirates, with the aim of "trafficking in human beings and exploiting them in domestic sexual slavery in Abu Dhabi," according to the newspaper's expression.

However, in front of this scene, the voice of African workers remains the dominant one, as the most vulnerable group and subject to systematic human rights violations, and the most prominent victims in the long list of modern slavery practices in this country.

Mass deportation on racial grounds

Only because their skin is black, African migrant workers in the UAE suffer. For these people, most of whom hail from Nigeria, Cameroon and Uganda, their search for a living has turned into a bad memory that may not leave them as long as they are alive.

"They told us we were dirty. They stripped us of our clothes, confiscated our belongings, insulted us and made racist slurs against black Africans." Great suffering faced the Ugandan teacher, Kenneth Rubangakin, in the Emirates, who tried to shorten it, through limited words, after he was arrested for more than a month, and forcibly deported from there without any positive reasons. He is one of about 800 other people who were subjected to the same insults last year, and hundreds of them and others still continue to this day, according to what human rights organizations have documented, despite the UAE government's repeated denials.

This suffering was previously highlighted by Amnesty International in a report, in which it confirmed that "the UAE authorities brutally treated hundreds of people, based on the color of their skin, ill-treated them in places of detention, and stripped them of their personal property and dignity, before deporting them en masse." At the time, the organization quoted one of the victims, Kabirat Olukand, who is from Nigeria, and worked as an assistant in an international school before being deported, that she asked the police officers: “Why am I here? I am not a criminal, and I have residency documents.” It gives, and the UAE takes.” She reported being harassed by the officers there.

Dave Kenny, a researcher at Amnesty International, confirmed that the organization documented a case of grave violations against African workers in the UAE in the summer of 2021, through mass deportation that took place on racial grounds, in an organized operation that targeted this segment because of their African nationality and skin color, and the number of its victims reached hundreds. Kenny pointed out that "the 18 people interviewed by the organization were legally residing in the UAE, and this was confirmed by reviewing official documents and data for 17 out of 18 cases," stressing that "all they were subjected to, from arrest and deportation, was without a legal right,” in light of “the inability of any of them to contact a lawyer, or enter the courtroom,” and as a result of their suffering from very difficult detention conditions for months before they were later deported, saying that the “Cameroonians” were deported to a country that passes in a civil war.

Hence, the researcher at the international organization calls on the UAE government to "compensate the victims as a result of what they suffered at the hands of the authorities, especially in light of their deportation without handing over their personal belongings, and the loss of many of them all their savings, electronic devices, and personal clothes, in addition to licenses, certificates, and medical records." Even personal identities, the government has taken everything from them, and it must return everything that it took from them.”

An incubating environment for companies that violate the rights of migrant workers

Although migrant workers to the UAE make up about 90% of the workforce, the majority of them suffer hardships during their journey into the labor market, as a result of the poor conditions they are exposed to, at a time when this country is a safe haven for companies that violate the rights of migrant workers, forcing them to They have to live under harsh conditions, as documented by the International Trade Union Confederation, "ITUC", which has previously launched an international campaign against "modern slavery" to which this large segment of workers is exposed there.

In this context, the director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights, Khaled Ibrahim, sees that the Emirati authorities are primarily responsible for all the violations that African workers are exposed to, and that they are concerned with ensuring the application of human rights standards in the fields of work, while the responsibility also rests with employers, who must be held accountable for those violations that occur against workers They have, and who should be offered protection at all times.

As for the role of international human rights organizations regarding these violations, Ibrahim says, "We have no armies or weapons, we do not have political parties, and we do not promote hidden agendas. Rather, we work completely independently in defending human rights," stressing that these organizations "have The word, and its supernatural power is represented by its sincerity. As a result, we are documenting these violations and working with the international community to stop them."

Nations from the Garden of Prosperity Do not Like Losing to countries of the Jungle

Nations from the Garden of Prosperity Do not Like Losing to countries of the Jungle

    Monday, November 28, 2022   No comments

Continuing the trend of politicizing the first FIFA World Cup ever hosted by an Arab country, which unveiled the prejudice and bigotry of many Western nation-states’ leaders and their media platforms, riots broke Brussels following Belgium’s World Cup loss to Morocco.

This event shows that peoples of the Global North grew accustomed to the sense of entitlement—a deserved abundance of wealth, health, and triumphs. As such, they do not react well to losing and cannot handle not being able to gratify their “wants”. They often refer to protests and riots that may take in countries of the Global South as being symptoms of cultural deficiencies or even biological underdevelopment in "those peoples". Yet, with the first test of loss or unmet want—not need—they find themselves exhibiting even more violent tendencies that they claimed to be part of the DNA of "other cultures"--not theirs.

This event follows other incidents that showed the West’s desire to dictate the conversation on issues that help them sidestep their record poor human rights record and focus on issues that are specific to their societies.

Just days before kickoff, FIFA’s president had to make a long speech defending Qatar’s human rights record and reminding his European friends of their double standard. By the second day of the tournament, he sat next to a German minister who wore the advocacy armband, OneLove, under her jacket and unveiled it once in the stadium, to protest Qatar’s ban on political activities inside the stadiums.

Two days before the match between Iran and the United States, the official US soccer authority scrubbed the word “Allah” from the Iranian flag, claiming that it was an act of solidarity with Iranian protesters. 

This comes after Josep Borell, EU Foreign Affairs And Security Policy Chief gave a speech in which he declaraed that "Europe Is A Garden... The Rest Of The World Is A Jungle". 

U.S. soccer scrubs the word for "God" from Iran flag

U.S. soccer scrubs the word for "God" from Iran flag

    Sunday, November 27, 2022   No comments

In a move that is interpreted to mean that the US has a problem with the Islamic governing system more than with just the leaders of Iran, US soccer officials removed the word "God" from the Iranian flag ahead of FIFA's US-Iran match on Tuesday.

The action was reported by Politico, quoted below:

The U.S. soccer federation briefly displayed Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, saying the move supports protesters in Iran ahead of the two nations’ World Cup match Tuesday.

Iran’s government reacted by accusing America of removing the name of God from their national flag.

The decision by the U.S. Soccer Federation adds yet-another political firestorm to the Middle East’s first World Cup, one which organizers had hoped would be spared of off-the-field controversies.

It also comes as the U.S. faces Iran in a decisive World Cup match, which was already freighted by the decades of enmity between the two countries and the nationwide protests now challenging Tehran’s theocratic government.

The U.S. Soccer Federation said in a statement Sunday morning that it decided to forego the official flag on social media accounts to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights.”

The Twitter account of the U.S. men’s team displayed a banner with the squad’s matches in the group stage, with the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colors. The same could be seen in a post on its Facebook and Instagram accounts laying out the point totals so far in its group.

Is Pakistan on a path to profound changes that can no longer be controlled by outdated systems and outside players?

Is Pakistan on a path to profound changes that can no longer be controlled by outdated systems and outside players?

    Saturday, November 26, 2022   No comments

Streets of Rawalpindi in Pakistan now. Supporters of Imran Khan gathered as part of a massive anti-government march in Islamabad.

At the moment, the former Prime Minister of the Republic Imran Khan speaks to a crowd of protesters. After his speech, the general column is expected to move to the capital.

Germany: The first cause of Europe's crisis is the rise of Asia, not the Ukraine war

Germany: The first cause of Europe's crisis is the rise of Asia, not the Ukraine war

    Tuesday, November 22, 2022   No comments

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that "the past 30 years of low inflation and stable economic growth in Europe were exceptional," stressing that "the conflict in Ukraine is not the main reason for the end of this era, but it has accelerated it."

Today, Tuesday, during an economic forum that brought together representatives of economic companies in Berlin, Scholz said: "Today we are in a new stage of globalization, and over the past 30 years, here in Europe and North America, we have witnessed stable growth, low inflation and high employment rates." And the conflict in Ukraine It hastened the end of this era, but it's not the main reason."

"The real reason is the growth of Asian economies, which compete with Europe in energy, raw materials and technology," Scholz said, warning "once again of a decline in globalization" and calling for "economic diversification."

"The real reason is the growth of Asian economies." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

He stressed that "Germany will not make the mistake of entering into an energy dependency, such as the one that has arisen in recent years with Russia with regard to natural gas supplies for the second time," and added, "What I understood after holding a number of talks with representatives of the German economy is that this mistake It won't happen to us again."

During the forum organized by the Bavarian daily "Süddeutsche Zeitung" newspaper, Scholz explained the types of challenges facing the German economy, and his ambition to diversify its sources of energy supply in multiple regions, from now on. He promised the Germans that he would "work so that the German economy and Germany can regain its place as a place for business, and get through the hard times."

Germany: We agree with America to shift focus with Iran from the nuclear file to issues of rights and to exert pressure on Tehran to stop repression

Germany: We agree with America to shift focus with Iran from the nuclear file to issues of rights and to exert pressure on Tehran to stop repression

    Monday, November 21, 2022   No comments

Germany agrees with the United States in shifting its focus away from reviving the nuclear deal with Iran to supporting the Iranian people in the face of the country's violent crackdown on mass protests, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"We are indeed moving along the same tracks," the spokesman said at a routine government briefing.

"Currently, our focus is on supporting the Iranian people and putting pressure on the Iranian ruling regime to stop suppressing the rights of its people," he added.

This coordianted action seems to be in line with the US shift from reviving the nuclear deal it abondoned in 2018 to freeing Iran.

Germany, the state whose policy during the first half of the 20th century was the full extermination of the German Jews is now concerned for human rights in Muslim-majority countries.

Medvedev is in a direct undiplomatic response to Ukraine: Kyiv is a Russian city and it will be restored

Medvedev is in a direct undiplomatic response to Ukraine: Kyiv is a Russian city and it will be restored

    Sunday, November 20, 2022   No comments

In an strong statement posted on Telegram, the former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev responded to claims by Ukrainian leaders to Crimea saying that Kyiv is a Russian city and it will be restored.

Medvedev said that what he wrote “comes in the context of responding to Ukrainian threats to regain Crimea.”

Full statement:

Sometimes the statements of the enemy need to be answered not only diplomatically or somehow allegorically.

I answer.

Here, various cockroaches that have bred in the Kiev insectarium constantly threaten to "return the Crimea." Well, the goals are clear: to cheer up the tame insects around and show the owner of the insectarium that they are still very capable of running cockroaches for a piece of food. Almost like a cockroach-favorite Janissaries in the play of the famous Kyivian Mikhail Bulgakov "Running".

Therefore, I want to remind them of the indisputable facts:

1. Kyiv is the capital of Ancient Rus'.

2. Kyiv is a large Little Russian city within the Russian Empire.

3. Kyiv is the republican capital of the USSR.

And finally, Kyiv is just a Russian city where people always thought and spoke Russian.

To make everything very clear what and how to return ...

Mahathir Mohamad loses his seat in the Malaysian parliament

Mahathir Mohamad loses his seat in the Malaysian parliament

    Saturday, November 19, 2022   No comments

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 97, lost his seat in parliament following the legislative elections that took place on Saturday, which threatens to put an end to the long career of this veteran politician who was hoping to return to the political scene.

Mahathir, who served as Malaysia's prime minister for more than two decades in two terms, failed to retain his parliamentary seat and came fourth in a competition contested by five candidates in the Langkawi island constituency.

The seat was won by a candidate from the National Alliance, which is led by another former prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin.

Mahathir leads a coalition that pledged to overthrow the current National Front coalition government on the grounds of accusations of corruption, but his alliance is not a major competitor, as the Front faces two other major coalitions, the Muhyiddin bloc and another led by Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir's arch-rival for a long time.

Mahathir said in an interview with Reuters this month that he would retire from politics if he lost.

Millions of voters went to the polls to participate in the national elections, which were called early, in an attempt to end the political instability.

The election is the first since the historic vote in 2018, when the party, which has ruled the Southeast Asian country since its independence in 1957, was defeated in the wake of a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.

A single party is unlikely to win an outright majority in the 222-seat House of Representatives, and the majority of the major parties have campaigned under one banner, in a race between three major alliances.

Three successive prime ministers in the country within 3 years, including Mahathir Mohamad, 97, who ruled Malaysia for more than two decades during two terms in power.

The economic issue emerges as a priority for parties and voters alike. According to a survey prepared by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, it was found that 74% of respondents consider the economy a priority, followed by political stability and corruption.

Russia loading a strategic missile In the Orenburg region

Russia loading a strategic missile In the Orenburg region

    Saturday, November 19, 2022   No comments

Russia's armed forces just loaded a strategic missile and released the following explanatory note:

In the Orenburg region, work continues on the re-equipment of the Yasnensky formation of the Strategic Missile Forces with the Avangard silo-based missile system

▫️ The infrastructure of the positional area for putting the next missile regiment on combat duty, which includes, in addition to the facilities of the combat launch complex itself, places for preparing duty shifts, carrying out combat duty and resting personnel, has been prepared.

▫️ The rocket is currently being loaded into the silo launcher.

The implementation of the measures planned for 2022 for the rearmament of the Strategic Missile Forces will increase the combat capabilities of the ground component of the strategic nuclear forces in fulfilling the tasks of strategic deterrence.

 

"Just Hypocrisy": FIFA President Gianni Infantino On World Cup Critics

"Just Hypocrisy": FIFA President Gianni Infantino On World Cup Critics

    Saturday, November 19, 2022   No comments

 FIFA president Gianni Infantino hit back at criticism of Qatar's human rights record on Saturday, blasting the "hypocrisy" of Western critics on the eve of the World Cup kick-off.

“What we Europeans have been doing for the last 3000 years, we should be apologizing for the next 3000 years before starting to give moral lessons.”

Infantino also addressed questions around the last-minute decision to ban alcohol from being sold at the eight stadiums which will host the tournament’s 64 matches. In a FIFA statement issued on Friday, the governing body said alcohol would be sold at fan zones and licensed venues.

The Muslim country is considered to be very conservative and tightly regulates alcohol sales and usage.

“Let me first assure you that every decision that is taken in this World Cup is a joint decision between Qatar and FIFA,” he said. “Every decision is discussed, debated and taken jointly.”

“There will be […] over 200 places where you can buy alcohol in Qatar and over 10 fan zones, where over 100,000 people can simultaneously drink alcohol.

“I think personally, if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive.”

“Especially because actually the same rules apply in France or in Spain or in Portugal or in Scotland, where no beer is allowed in stadiums now,” he added.

“It seems to become a big thing because it’s a Muslim country, or I don’t know why.”

Burning of the American flag during rallies commemorating the "Polytechnic" uprising in Athens; a reminder of US history of siding with dictators and removing democratically elected leaders

Burning of the American flag during rallies commemorating the "Polytechnic" uprising in Athens; a reminder of US history of siding with dictators and removing democratically elected leaders

    Friday, November 18, 2022   No comments

The Greeks burned the American flag, yesterday, Thursday, during rallies that roamed the streets of the capital, Athens, to commemorate the forty-ninth anniversary of the student uprising against the US-backed military government in 1973.

The protesters, who burned the American flag, marched to the US embassy in Athens, which they accused of supporting military rule. They also chanted slogans calling for NATO to leave Ukraine. 

The marches were led by a group of demonstrators carrying blood-stained Greek flags, while about five thousand police officers were deployed in the streets of the capital, after confrontations with the protesters.

 These marches are held in commemoration of the 1973 Polytechnic uprising that was brutally crushed by the military junta ruling Greece at the time, and the anniversary is celebrated each year with marches to the US Embassy in Athens.

 Twenty-four people were killed during the army's suppression of a student uprising in Athens, which was launched by the Polytechnic University.

This uprising is seen as breaking the army's hold on power and contributing to the restoration of democracy the following year.

 In recent years, protesters have used the anniversary to protest the harsh austerity measures imposed on Greece by its international creditors, after the global financial crisis.

This year, the commemoration began with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Athens Polytechnic University, the site of the bloody incident of November 17, 1973, when tanks stormed the gates to crush a student uprising that heralded the end of the military junta.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou laid a wreath at the memorial and said the anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising was "a reminder that the struggle for democracy continues and is exhausting."

In 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup of Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, in order to consolidate power with Iran’s shah (or king), Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Reza Pahlavi established a brutal regime that was overthrown by the Iranian people in 1979. Since then, the US and the Iranian government have been in crisis mode, with the US maintaining a strategy designed to lead to the overthrow of the current government, as stated most recently by Biden when he said, "We Will Free Iran".

 

In 1954, the CIA orchestrated another coup of a democratically elected leader: Guatemalan President Jacobo Árbenz. The CIA coup, code-named Operation PBSuccess, replaced the president with military dictator Carlos Castillo Armas

 

In 1960, the Republic of the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) declared its independence from Belgium and democratically elected its first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba. The CIA helped facilitate Lumumba’s capture in 1960 and assassination in 1961.

 

CIA had funded and encouraged the 1963 coup against, and assassination of, the president of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem.

 

On September 11, 1973, a military coup overthrew the Chilean President Salvador Allende Gossens, who was a democratically elected Socialist. The CIA worked hard to undermine Allende at the request of President Richard Nixon.

 

The United States has a long history of meddling in Nicaragua. Between 1912 and 1933, the U.S. military occupied the country. Between 1981 and 1986, President Ronald Reagan’s administration secretly and illegally sold arms to Iran in order to fund Contras, a group the CIA had recruited and organized to fight the socialist Sandinista government led by Daniel Ortega.

Most recently, in 2003, the United States invaded Iraq and overthrew Saddam Hussein’s government. And NATO, led by the US of course, assisted the rebels overthrow the Libyan leader, Mu`ammar Qaddafi in 2011. 

 

Zelensky for the Group of Twenty: Poland hit a "message" from Moscow to you; Biden: The explosion in Poland was caused by a Ukrainian missile

Zelensky for the Group of Twenty: Poland hit a "message" from Moscow to you; Biden: The explosion in Poland was caused by a Ukrainian missile

    Wednesday, November 16, 2022   No comments

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy considered today, in a speech broadcast via video to the leaders of the Group of Twenty meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali, that the missile strike in Poland “is nothing but a message from Russia to the G20 summit.”

Zelensky also warned them of the existence of "a terrorist state among you, against which we have to defend ourselves," as he put it, referring to Russia.

 This comes while the Polish army is still on high alert today, after a missile landed in a village in the southeast of the country near the border with Ukraine. While statements and meetings rush to understand the details of the incident, it seems that there is a strong possibility that Russia is not the source of the launch of this missile, which is most likely “Russian-made.”

Biden contradicts Zelenskiy

 Today, a source in NATO told Reuters that US President Joe Biden informed the Group of Seven and NATO partners that the explosion in Poland was caused by a missile fired by Ukrainian air defense.

In turn, the Belgian Minister of Defense, Ludivine Dedondre, said today that the explosion that killed two people in eastern Poland was "the result of Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense systems used to intercept Russian missiles."

 And the minister added, in a statement, that “the investigations are continuing, and there is currently no indication that it was a deliberate attack,” noting that Ukraine had previously accused Russia of targeting Polish territory with a missile strike.

 Immediately after the attack, Poland discussed the need to activate Article 4 of the NATO Charter. The call was resisted by NATO members and Russia saw it as a premeditated provocation intended to justify an attack on Russia.

France called for caution when making accusations about the source of the Poland missile.

France called for "extreme caution" about the source of the missile that fell in Poland, especially since "several countries" in the region possess the same type of weapon, warning of a "great risk of escalation."

And the French presidency said: "Given the stakes, it is logical that we deal with the issue with the utmost caution," noting that there are "great risks of escalation in the region."

One of the French president's advisors pointed out that "a lot of equipment and weapons" are concentrated in and around Ukraine, adding that "a large number of countries possess the same type of weapons, and therefore determining the type of missile does not necessarily mean determining who launched it."

Erdogan: I am sure Russia did not fire a missile at Poland

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed today, Wednesday, that he trusts Russian statements regarding its denial of involvement in the Poland incident.

On Tuesday evening, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied the news that a Russian missile had fallen on Poland, stressing that it aims to provoke a "deliberate provocation with the aim of escalation."

 Erdogan called, during a press conference on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, for "a detailed investigation into the fall of missiles on a village in Poland," adding that "the insistence that the missiles fired at Poland are Russian-made is nothing but a provocation."

 Medvedev: The West is approaching a world war

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said today, Wednesday, that the alleged missile attack on Polish soil shows that the West is approaching another world war.

 Medvedev wrote on Twitter, "The incident of the missile strike on a Polish farm proves only one thing: waging war by all means against Russia, and the West is approaching a world war."

 Yesterday, Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that it had not directed strikes against targets near the Ukrainian-Polish border, noting that "talk about Russian missiles falling in Poland is a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating the conflict."

 Zelenskiy's rush to push for the invocation of NATO's Art. 4 and 5, if proven to be planned would anger NATO members and undercut his credibility. Worse, for him, should that be the case, and should an actual attack by Russia on other NATO members, world leaders would be more cautious and perhaps suspect Ukraine before they accuse Russia. Call it the boy who cried wolf effect.

Immediately after two people were killed by a missile in Polish territory, heading pressure from Zelenskiy whose country is not a NATO member, the Polish government announced that it would consider whether it would need to activate Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which calls for emergency consultations in the event of a threat to a member state.

And in the event that it is decided that Moscow is responsible for the explosion, this may lead to the launch of the principle of collective defense of NATO known as “Article 5”, as an attack on a member of the Western alliance is considered an attack on everyone.

NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, said that the alliance is closely evaluating the situation in Poland and is awaiting clarity of data and data.

 What are Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO Charter... and what are they related to the Poland explosion?

The NATO Charter, "Article 4" differs from "Article 5", as the latter specifies military assistance by the entire alliance in the event of an attack on one of the member states.

 Article 4 of the NATO Treaty gives the right to any member state of the alliance that feels threatened by another country or a terrorist organization, to submit a request for the thirty member states to start formal consultations to decide whether the threat exists and how to confront it, while reaching unanimous decisions.

 Under this article, the parties are to consult together, at the request of any of the member states, about the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the allied states.

 Article 5 is the cornerstone of the founding treaty of NATO, created in 1949 with the US military as its mainstay of strength primarily to counter the Soviet Union and its satellites in the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.

 The Charter states that NATO members agree that an armed attack against one or more of them "shall be regarded as an attack against all of them."

 In the event of such an attack, each NATO member would assist the attacked country in whatever action it "deems necessary". This could include the use of armed force with the aim of restoring and maintaining security in the North Atlantic region.

 

The Sunni-Shia Cold War: The Origins and Evolution of the Saudi Hegomony

The Sunni-Shia Cold War: The Origins and Evolution of the Saudi Hegomony

    Tuesday, November 15, 2022   No comments

There has been a Sunni-Shia cold war going on since 1979, but hardly anyone talked about it in those terms. That is because, in part, the rulers of Saudi Arabia chose to conduct this cold war through proxies or from the shadows. Then, Wikileaks ended the Saudi rulers' abilities to project power and influence, especially as a Sunni moderate power, in secret and the rise of the young, ambitious prince, MBS as he is known, to power while his father is still the nominal figurehead allowed them to deflect blame for any and all missteps. However, during a long tv interview in 2017, MBS revealed all the cards: He described his clash with Iran as an existential one because he sees Iranian leaders and Shia, in general, as irrational actors who hold on to messianic belief about the coming of a savior--which makes them unworthy of dialogue and diplomacy.

Wikileaks' documents described the Saudi war on Iran from behind the scene succinctly and clearly. The Saudi leaders, according to the diplomatic cables, while publicly expressing dialogue with Iran, pushed US and European leaders to go after the "head of the snake", instead of fighting Iran's proxies. The framed it as a need to liberate Iran, as Biden said recently, they wanted the West to unleash a direct war on Iran, not rely just on sanctions. Those revelations forced Saudi and Emariti leaders to emerge from the shadows and attack Iran directly--but not militarily of course. They focused instead on a strategy that aims to unravel the entire political system of Iran from within. 

The new "leak" of documents from UAE shows how the strategy was developed and executed. The Lebanese newspaper, Alakhbar, produced a dossier about these developments. Other researchers and observers have compiled more evidence about the Saudi investment in media assets to realize their goals: the paralysis and destruction of the Iranian system of governance through internal Iranian actors.

_______________

From Alakhbar Dossier about Saudi-UAE Leaks: When Mohammed bin Salman stated the above sentence, in answer to Dawood Al-Sheryan's question about dialogue with Iran, he was announcing what was not usual in Saudi foreign policy, in what was termed "transferring the battle to the Iranian interior." Many at the time, when interpreting what Ibn Salman said, said that Riyadh would resort to what it used to do in terms of employing ISIS cells and the operations that separatist movements in Sistan-Baluchestan had long carried out in the Iranian depths. However, in the documents obtained by Al-Akhbar, it becomes clear that Ibn Salman meant targeting the Iranian interior, through a plan to influence the Iranian youth group, in parallel with the intensification of the discourse of demonizing Iran, directed at the Arab and Islamic audiences.

“We will not wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia, but rather we will work so that the battle for them is in Iran and not in Saudi Arabia.”

Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

Mohammed bin Salman

3 May 2017

On the morning of January 2, 2016, the world woke up to the news of the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr and a group of al-Qatifi youth, along with a group of Saudi officials and cadres of al-Qaeda. Angry reactions continued inside and outside Salman’s kingdom, and the night of that day closed. On the scene of the burning of the buildings of the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran by angry Iranian youths.

Four days later, on January 6, the Emirati National Media Council was presenting to representatives of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain a proposed plan that he called the “media strategy for dealing with the Iranian file”, which developed in subsequent years, in coordination with the Americans, to become the “plan to undermine Iran.” From the inside.”

The proposal for the media strategy put forward by the Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Media Council in the UAE, Sultan Al Jaber, stated that the goal behind it is to “build a public opinion hostile to Iranian policies from the internal and external public,” and that the strategy “centers on the political dimension and away from the sectarian discourse that It may weaken the public media discourse if it is relied upon. And most importantly, “the results of the strategy should be achieved after years.” In the initial proposal, as document No. 1 shows, the target audience is regional public opinion, Gulf public opinion, domestic public opinion inside Iran (the Iranian people and non-Persian Iranian minorities in particular), and the Iranian opposition abroad and at home. It is noteworthy in the “implementation partners” paragraph that the Emiratis mentioned the “Organization of Islamic Cooperation” as a partner in implementing the strategy, along with the official Gulf entities, the League of Arab States, and Iranian think tanks and opposition, noting that the Islamic Republic of Iran is an original member of the aforementioned organization whose decision-making is dominated by Saudi Arabia and harnessed. interests since its inception.

Read full dossier (Ar)...

 

The Turkish Minister of Interior accuses Kurdish Units of masterminding the Istanbul bombing and criticizes the United States

The Turkish Minister of Interior accuses Kurdish Units of masterminding the Istanbul bombing and criticizes the United States

    Monday, November 14, 2022   No comments

The Turkish authorities continued to reveal the latest details and pictures as part of their investigations into the Istiklal Street bombing in Istanbul. Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu accused the PKK and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units of being responsible for the bombing, but they denied it.

And the Turkish Security Directorate in Istanbul announced today, Monday, that the suspect - who was arrested at dawn with more than 40 others - holds Syrian nationality and is called Ahlam Al-Bashir (23 years old).

Soylu accused the PKK and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) of being responsible for the bombing, and said that the order to carry it out was issued in the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) in northern Syria, where Turkish forces have carried out operations against those units in recent years.

The Turkish minister criticized the support provided by the United States to these units, and said that his country does not accept the condolences offered by the American embassy.

Soylu likened the American position to "a murderer who is among the first to arrive at the crime scene."

"We do not accept condolences from the US embassy, ​​we know who supports terrorism in northern Syria, and we know the message they wanted to deliver to Turkey through this attack," he said.

He stressed that "those who support terrorist organizations in northern Syria carried out the attack against us."

For its part, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) denied responsibility for the bombing of Istiklal Street, and said in a statement posted on its website today, Monday, "It is not possible for us to target civilians in any way."

The so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the Kurdish units are the main component, also denied any connection to the Istanbul bombing.

The Kremlin: Russian-American talks took place in Ankara at the request of Washington

The Kremlin: Russian-American talks took place in Ankara at the request of Washington

    Monday, November 14, 2022   No comments

Today, Monday, the official spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Russian-American negotiations were taking place in Ankara today, at the initiative of the American side, stressing that their content had not been revealed.

And Turkish media indicated that the director of Russian foreign intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, held a meeting with the director of the CIA, William Burns, in Ankara regarding the use of nuclear weapons.

Burns told the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service a message about "the consequences of Russia's use of nuclear weapons, and the risk of escalation for strategic stability," according to the White House National Security Council.

The same source stated that Burns "does not conduct any kind of negotiations, nor does he discuss a settlement for the war in Ukraine," indicating that the Ukrainians were informed in advance of the meeting.

The meeting between Burns and Naryshkin is one of the rare meetings at this level between the two countries since the start of the Russian military operation. Washington and Moscow maintained "communication channels" between them, especially through the US embassy in the Russian capital, to discuss bilateral issues and exchange messages about developments in Ukraine, despite the escalating tension between them.

A few days ago, the American Wall Street Journal reported that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held secret talks with senior aides to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko denied, earlier, that his country had previously held negotiations with the United States regarding Ukraine, commenting that "Kyiv has adopted a law that prevents it from conducting peaceful negotiations with Moscow."

UN Report Blasts "Outrageous" US Sanctions Harming Syrian Civilians

UN Report Blasts "Outrageous" US Sanctions Harming Syrian Civilians

    Saturday, November 12, 2022   No comments

A UN special rapporteur called for the removal of Western sanctions on Syria as they are having a devastating impact on the civilian population and preventing the country from rebuilding after 11 years of war.

Alena Douhan, made the comments after a 12-day visit to Syria. There she found that sanctions are harming civilians in many ways, including by causing a shortage of medicine and medical equipment.

“In the current dramatic and still-deteriorating humanitarian situation, as 12MM Syrians grapple with food insecurity…the “catastrophic effects of unilateral sanctions” are impacting people “across all walks of life in the country.” She said that 90% of Syria’s civilian population is living in poverty and have limited access to food, water, electricity, shelter, fuel, healthcare, and transportation.” Douhan told the UN.

“I urge the immediate lifting of all unilateral sanctions that severely harm human rights and prevent any efforts for early recovery, rebuilding and reconstruction,” Douhan said, adding that 12 million Syrians grapple with food insecurity.

Douhan said that 90% of Syria’s population currently lives in poverty, with limited access to food, water, electricity, shelter, cooking and heating and fuel.

Why did Russian leaders Order Troops Withdrawal from Kherson City?

Why did Russian leaders Order Troops Withdrawal from Kherson City?

    Thursday, November 10, 2022   No comments

 Although the recent announcement that Russian forces will be pulling out of parts of Kherson region, mainly parts of the Oblast on the right-side banks of the Dnipro River, the move could signal a strategic adjustment. The justifications and explanations by military generals who developed the plan and those involved indirectly may shed some light about their thinking that could determine the military map of Ukraine for months or perhaps years to come.

 

1. Surovikin reports to Shoigu:

 ▪️ The situation in the area of   the special operation has been generally stabilized, the combat capabilities of the joint group and forces have increased significantly, the combat strength has been increased at the expense of the mobilized, reserves have been created;

▪️ Russian troops have resumed offensive operations in certain areas;

▪️ Street fighting is underway on the eastern outskirts of Artemovsk;

▪️ And the situation in the Kherson direction: we successfully resist all enemy offensive attempts;

▪️ Our losses are 7-8 times less than those of the enemy;

▪️ In the area of the Vremevsky ledge, the units pushed the enemy back and occupied the dominant heights in the depths of his defense;

▪️ The city of Kherson and adjacent settlements cannot be supplied and function; and

▪️ Everyone in the Kherson region, and this is more than 115 thousand people, left the area of   hostilities.

 

2. Reactions from Russia:

2.1. Kadyrov, presdient of the Muslim-majority Chechen Republic, who is a strong supporter of the operation and whose troops are active in the war front put out this statement:

Kherson is a very difficult area without the possibility of a stable regular supply of ammunition and the formation of a strong, reliable rear. In this difficult situation, the general acted wisely and farsightedly - he evacuated the civilian population and ordered a regrouping.

there is no need to talk about the "surrender" of Kherson. "Surrender" together with the fighters.  Surovikin protects the soldier and takes a more advantageous strategic position - convenient, safe. Everyone knew from the very first days of the special operation that Kherson was a difficult combat territory. The soldiers of my units also reported that it was very difficult to fight in this area. Yes, it can be kept, it is possible to organize at least some supply of ammunition, but the cost will be numerous human lives.

I believe that Surovikin acted like a real military general, not afraid of criticism. Thank you, Vladimirovich, for taking care of the guys! And we will not stop hitting the enemy and we will not get tired.

 

2.2. The owner of PMC "Wagner", Prigozhin, who previously criticized the command of the Russian army for retreating from Liman, today supported the decision to leave Kherson. He said:

The decision to withdraw troops from the right bank of the Dnieper is not an easy one, but it speaks of the readiness of the command to take responsibility for the lives of soldiers. The withdrawal of troops with minimal losses is Surovikin’s achievement, which does not do honor to Russian weapons, but emphasizes the personal qualities of the commander, who acted like a man who is not afraid of responsibility.

3. Analysis:

The more likely strategic goals that motivated this move:

Russian leaders seem to now realize that Ukrainian military will not stop fighting and that the conflict is now hardened. It is a situation similar to the one in Syrian, which Russian military is very familiar: The two sides are determined to fight to the end, given the support of regional and world powers to opposing side, here Ukraine. Therefore, Russian leaders are building the infrastructure for a war that could last for 10 to 15 years. This means, they must use the geography to set long-term defensive positions, which will allow them to continue to degrade the capability of the other side using long distance weapons.

By moving troops across the Dnipro River, Russia may appear to have given up some territories. However, the move will free some troops and resources to regain territories on the left side of Iskil River in the northeast. The use of rivers and lakes as natural defensive lines, the Russian military will position itself for long conflict in which they must reduce the losses of human assets. The territory they lost in the south (1) will be replaced by territory in the east (2), mostly likely during  a spring offensive that will establish the two major rivers as a more defensible border in the long run.

The increased production of precision weapons and versatile drones fits in this long-term strategy, one which will cause more economic and military damage to the Ukrainian side, especially if the supply of weapons from the US and EU slows down or stops altogether.