Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh: The CIA carried out the Nord Stream bombing

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh: The CIA carried out the Nord Stream bombing

    Thursday, February 09, 2023   No comments

Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh blamed the US administration for the bombing of the Russian Nord Stream gas pipeline, which took place last September.

According to a report by the veteran journalist, the bombing of an underwater gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea was a covert operation ordered by the White House and carried out by the CIA.

In a 5,000-word lengthy report, Hirsch wrote that the operation was disguised "under the guise of a widely publicized NATO mid-summer exercise known as Operation Baltic-22" that took place this past June. .

In the report, Hersh says that the American divers in the deep sea used NATO military exercises as a cover, and planted mines along the pipelines, which were later remotely detonated.

The famous American journalist added that the "black operation" was ordered by President Biden, and the attack was carried out by the CIA in cooperation with Norway.

He added that Biden's decision to sabotage the pipelines came after more than 9 months of top-secret planning within the US national security community.

Speaking about his source, Hirsch said: "At the time, the issue was not whether the task should be done, but how to get it done without a clear clue as to who was responsible."

In his report, Hersh included statements and information that he considered as indications of the US administration's responsibility for the attack, describing its behavior as a result of complete insistence.

The journalist mentioned that Biden met in his office, in the White House, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, less than 3 weeks before the Russian military operation that began at that time in Ukraine, and he had defiantly said in the press conference that followed the meeting: “If Russia invaded Ukraine, There will be no Nord Stream 2, and we will put an end to it."

Hersh continued in this context, recalling that the US Undersecretary of State, Victoria Nuland, had delivered the same message in a press briefing at the Ministry, with little press coverage. In response to a question at the time, she said: "I want to be very clear with you today, if Russia invades Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 will somehow not move forward."

The American journalist Hersh, known for his investigative reports on American crimes in Vietnam and the Middle East wars, was able to obtain information about the operation from an unnamed source, but he stated that he was directly involved in its preparation, as he put it.

It is noteworthy that Hersh was the one who revealed the torture scandal in the Iraqi Abu Ghraib prison, which sparked a global outcry and widespread condemnation of the US administration.

For its part, the Pentagon responded to Hersh's report and said that the United States had nothing to do with the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

Today, Department Spokesperson Jaron Gorn stated that the United States was not involved in the Nord Stream explosion, as he referred to the speech of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper, who claimed on October 4 that "the United States was not involved in any Anyway" in this matter.

On the other hand, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that all the facts cited by the American journalist in his investigation, about the role of the United States in the sabotage of "Nord Stream", must be commented on by the White House.

Zakharova added that Moscow has repeatedly expressed Russia's position on the involvement of the United States and NATO in this incident.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stressed that the West did not hide this, adding, "The West was bragging to the whole world about its intention to destroy the civilian infrastructure through which Europe obtained Russian energy resources."

Last Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a joint interview on the "Russia 24" channel and the "Novosti" agency, accused the United States of being directly involved in the bombing of the "Nord Stream" gas pipeline.

Last September, a series of powerful explosions destroyed the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which pass through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany and provide cheap gas to Europe, and it was soon revealed that the attack was an act of deliberate sabotage. The perpetrator has not yet been identified.

Media Review: Washington, with its sanctions, is responsible for increasing the suffering of the afflicted Syrians

Media Review: Washington, with its sanctions, is responsible for increasing the suffering of the afflicted Syrians

    Wednesday, February 08, 2023   No comments

Western media have increasingly talked about the responsibility of the harsh US sanctions on Syria for increasing the suffering of the Syrian people as a result of the devastating earthquake that struck large areas in the north of the country at dawn last Monday.

The American "Responsible State Craft" website considered that "activating the humanitarian situation will require Washington to recognize the bankruptcy of the US comprehensive sanctions," stressing that Washington "opposes any step that might appear as normalization with Damascus."

In its report, the site asked whether the current humanitarian situation in Washington's view opens up any room for exceptions, in addition to the site's skepticism about the necessity of continuing the imposed sanctions, which have now mainly affected the Syrian people and exacerbated their suffering even before the earthquake disaster.

He stated that "following the devastating earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, the United States and dozens of countries rushed to provide assistance to Ankara, including the deployment of teams to help rescue survivors who are still trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings," noting that these teams will not be able to help from Syria.

The report added, "The United States can make important and constructive changes in its own policies, especially since, before the earthquake, sanctions on Syria were hampering reconstruction efforts and exacerbating the suffering of civilians."

He explained that now, "these same sanctions have become a serious obstacle to providing Syrians with disaster relief and reconstruction," and stressed that "the United States must move quickly to lift as many of its broad sanctions as possible so that aid agencies and other governments in the region can operate." more effectively in addressing the plight of the Syrian people.

The site pointed out that "the Biden administration has not yet shown any inclination to ease sanctions, or to communicate with the Syrian government to coordinate humanitarian assistance in areas controlled by the government," stressing that "its position is not surprising, but it is unfortunate, because it deprives ordinary people of relief when it is necessary." possible.”

He also indicated that "Washington is reluctant to do anything that might hint at normalizing relations with the Syrian government, after more than a decade of hostility," stressing that "Washington must be ready to make exceptions in exceptional circumstances, when humanitarian needs are very severe, and it is important The very bad thing is for the Biden administration to continue to strangle innocent people just to act against the Damascus government.”

"Responsible State Craft" explained that "sanctions relief in itself is not a panacea, and it will not alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, but it will remove one major obstacle to relief, recovery and reconstruction in the coming months and years," considering that "activating the humanitarian situation for such relief will require It is imperative for the administration to acknowledge the bankruptcy of US comprehensive sanctions.”

The New York Times retracts its admission of responsibility for US sanctions

In turn, the American New York Times retracted a report two hours after it was published, to amend a statement in which it acknowledged that "sanctions are what prevent international assistance to Syria."

The New York Times published a report, earlier today, on the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border, in which it talked about the earthquake aid file in Syria, and acknowledged in its introduction that sanctions are what prevents international aid from reaching Syria.

The report's original introduction said, "Syria is unable to receive direct aid from many countries because of the sanctions, so the border crossing has become a lifeline."

However, two hours later, The New York Times amended the report and deleted its introduction, and amended the content of the report with new information commensurate with the new introduction, in which it says that "with the Syrian government tightly controlling the aid that allows it to enter opposition-held areas, the border crossings with Turkey have become It's a lifeline."

The Atlantic: Delivering aid to northern Syria is complicated by sanctions

Likewise, a report in the American newspaper "The Atlantic" stated that "Monday's disaster is a reminder of how desperate Syria is for international help, even if it is difficult to provide."

She pointed to the irony that occurred through "the flow of aid to Turkey and its deprivation of the afflicted in Syria," stressing that "despite the flow of aid to Turkey, the logistics and politics to help Syria, especially the vulnerable areas in the northwest of the country, are more complex due to the conflict." and international sanctions against the Syrian government.

"People Dispatch": Western sanctions impede relief and rescue work in Syria

A report in the "People Dispatch" website also indicated that "although many countries, including the United States and its allies, have extended their support to Turkey in relief and rescue work, they have refused to provide similar assistance to Syria."

The site quoted the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) as saying that “the current US sanctions severely restrict aid provided to millions of Syrians,” and that it “asked the US government on Monday to lift the sanctions imposed on it,” stressing that “lifting the sanctions will open the doors to additional and complementary aid.” It will provide immediate relief to those in need."

The US Congress has been adopting the "Caesar" law since 2020, according to which any group or company that deals with the Syrian government faces comprehensive and harsh penalties. The law, which experts confirm, its purely political background, expands the scope of the previously existing sanctions on Syria, which were imposed by the United States and its European allies since the beginning of the war in the country in 2011.

In the context, the New York Times reported today, on a senior EU official coordinating the aid file to Turkey, that "European sanctions should not impede the delivery of humanitarian and emergency aid to the Syrian people."

The United Nations has criticized on several occasions in the past the impact of sanctions on the Syrian health and other social sectors and its general economic recovery, and has also called on the United Nations to lift all unilateral punitive measures against Syria.

In the meantime, countries such as China, Iran, Russia, Cuba, Algeria, the Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Venezuela, and others have begun to provide the necessary support to Syria to help in relief and rescue operations, treat the injured, and shelter the afflicted, and have already sent relief materials, which began to land in the airports of Aleppo, Damascus, and Latakia since dawn on Tuesday.

Algerian Chief of Staff to an American official: We adhere to the principle of non-alignment and the independence of our sovereign decision in our dealings with our international partners

Algerian Chief of Staff to an American official: We adhere to the principle of non-alignment and the independence of our sovereign decision in our dealings with our international partners

    Wednesday, February 08, 2023   No comments

Algerian Chief of Staff Said Chenegriha stressed, on Wednesday, his country's adherence to the "principle of non-alignment" and the independence of its sovereign decision in its dealings with its international partners.

This came during a meeting between Chanegriha and the commander of the US military command in Africa, AFRICOM, General Michael Langley, who is visiting the country, according to a statement by the Algerian Ministry of Defense.

Chanegriha said, "I would like to emphasize on this occasion that Algeria clings to the principle of non-alignment, and is jealous of its history full of glories and championships, and is also jealous of its independence and sovereign political decision."

Regarding relations with Washington, he continued that his country “deals, within the framework of serving its interests, with many friendly countries with which it has military and economic relations, similar to the United States of America.”

He expressed Algeria's readiness "to establish cooperation that meets the aspirations of both parties, given that our two countries are engaged in the path of improving the security situation on the African continent."

Without details about the nature of the talks between them, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received General Langley on Wednesday evening, according to a statement by the presidency.

It seems that the Algerian Chief of Staff’s assertion of “non-alignment” and “independence of the political decision” carries some messages. While Algeria and Washington remain silent, there are media reports of muffled tensions between the two countries due to the intensity of defense cooperation between Algeria and Russia.

A few days ago, President Tebboune announced that he would visit Russia next May, and stressed that his country has good relations with all countries, including the United States and China.

It is expected during the visit, according to observers, to announce the signing of projects to enhance joint cooperation in sectors, including defense.

War narratives and justifications: the case of war in Ukraine

War narratives and justifications: the case of war in Ukraine

    Tuesday, February 07, 2023   No comments

War is never a simple "bad versus good", "right versus wrong"; every war has its competing narratives and justifications; the 2022 war in Ukraine is no different. The same applies to the wars in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and all the wars whose justifications were reduced to bad-versus-good.

Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs presents this narrative, in an interview on “Winter of Our Discontent” forum - Belgrade, Serbia.

“I'm deeply unimpressed with the analysis that the war in Ukraine began on 24 February, by an unprovoked attack by President Putin - it's just not true.”

 

French media outlet: There is not even the need to send tanks to kill and destroy Turkish and Syrian homes

French media outlet: There is not even the need to send tanks to kill and destroy Turkish and Syrian homes

    Tuesday, February 07, 2023   No comments

French media, once again, show that racism is the driving force behind their "art" when it is directed towards Muslims. Here, the media outlet defended by the French government when it published offensive cartoons attacking the Prophet Muhammad, publishes another cartoon, seemingly celebrating the death and destruction in Turkey and Syria because all that happened without even sending tanks to do the job.

Charlie Hebdo newspaper published, on its Twitter account, a caricature entitled "Today's Drawing", which showed a number of buildings destroyed by the earthquake in Turkey, and commented on the drawing, "There is not even the need to send tanks."

Turkey, Syria earthquake: initial death toll, cracks in Gaziantep Citadel, and oil and gas pumping stopped

Turkey, Syria earthquake: initial death toll, cracks in Gaziantep Citadel, and oil and gas pumping stopped

    Monday, February 06, 2023   No comments

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed today, Monday, that the death toll from the earthquake has risen to 912, and 5,383 people have been injured. Turkish Vice President Fuad Oktay also confirmed the collapse of more than "1,700 buildings as a result of the earthquake."

Oktay said in a statement to reporters that schools and university dormitories were not damaged, while schools were suspended in 10 states for a week due to the earthquake.

The Turkish representative added that 102 mobile broadcasting stations for mobile phones were sent and operated to the areas affected by the earthquake, adding that Hatay Airport was closed and civil aviation traffic was stopped in the states of Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep, and Adana Airport was closed to flights until further notice.

Oktay indicated that the concerned authorities had "stopped the supply of natural gas to many areas" because of the earthquake, pointing out that "the aid will be coordinated under the supervision of the Turkish Emergency and Natural Disasters Administration and distributed to those affected by the earthquake."

Oktay stated that the earthquake affected large areas in Turkey and abroad, indicating that the specialized teams began search and rescue work from the first moments.

He stated that many Turkish ministers had moved to the areas affected by the earthquake to continue the search and rescue work.

Oktay called on citizens not to use their cars and roam the streets in order to keep the roads passable for the movement of cadres supervising rescue operations and ambulances.

Regarding the details of deaths and injuries as a preliminary outcome, Oktay said: "We have 70 deaths and 200 injuries in Kahramanmaraş, 4 deaths and 7 injuries in Hatay, and 20 deaths and 200 injuries in Osmaniye."

He continued: "13 deaths and 22 injuries in Adiyaman, 14 deaths and 226 injuries in Diyarbakir, 18 deaths and 200 injuries in Sanliurfa, 80 deaths and 600 injuries in Gaziantep, 10 deaths and 118 injuries in Adana, and 47 deaths and 550 injuries in Malatya."

__________

Syria was affected by the devastating earthquake that shook several provinces in southern Turkey today, Monday, with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale.

Al-Mayadeen correspondent reported that the total number of earthquake victims rose to more than 592 people in various Syrian governorates, while Sarmada was classified as a disaster area.

According to the latest toll announced by the Syrian Ministry of Health, the death toll from the earthquake rose to 371 deaths and 1,089 injuries, most of them in Latakia, Aleppo, Hama and Tartous, stressing that this outcome is not final.

According to the Ministry, readiness has been raised in hospital ambulance departments in all governorates, and response teams that transfer injuries to hospitals have been mobilized, pointing out that the general emergency plan and the supply plan for supplies and medicines have been implemented to supply the affected places with them.

27 ambulances and 7 mobile clinics were sent from Damascus, Rif Dimashq, Quneitra, Homs and Tartous as support to Aleppo and Lattakia, while 4 truckloads of medicines and surgical and first aid supplies were sent to Aleppo, Lattakia and Hama.

According to the Director General of the National Center for Seismology, Raed Ahmed, the most affected areas are those near the epicenter of the earthquake in Idlib, Latakia, and Aleppo, stressing that the earthquake is the strongest during the investment lifetime of the national seismic network in Syria, that is, since 1995.

According to Ahmed, aftershocks have occurred and will occur successively, but they are much weaker than the strength of the earthquake that occurred, explaining that the state of seismic instability will continue, but with tremors that are weaker in impact and within the limits of 5 degrees.

The Director General of the National Center for Seismology confirmed that the buildings will be damaged and affected by the earthquakes, according to the response of their building structure and its resistance to earthquakes.

150 deaths in Aleppo and its countryside

Al-Mayadeen correspondent reported that there were more than 50 victims in Aleppo as a preliminary outcome of the devastating earthquake, explaining that the number of rescue teams in Aleppo is very few, and the capabilities are weak as a result of the war and the siege on Syria.

Al-Mayadeen correspondent indicated that more than 50 buildings were destroyed in Aleppo as a result of the earthquake.

The collapse of more than 60 buildings in Lattakia

Likewise, Al-Mayadeen correspondent in Lattakia reported that at least 80 people died, and 300 others were injured in a preliminary outcome as a result of the earthquake that struck the province, which led to the collapse of more than 60 buildings completely and partially, and cracks in hundreds of homes, with the continuation of the work of removing rubble in areas many in the province.

The earthquake, which measured 7.8 degrees on the "Richter" scale, caused the complete collapse of 21 buildings in the streets of Rumaila, Ghazalat and Rumaila in the city of Jableh, which led to the death of more than 30 people and about 200 injuries, as the mechanisms of civil defense, firefighting and the rest of the government sectors work to remove the rubble. Under difficult weather conditions, to get out the trapped under it.

A number of buildings collapsed on Damsarkho Highway, Al-Raml Al-Janoubi, and some floors in Al-Azhari and Al-Awaina roundabouts in Lattakia. Significant damage and cracks occurred in dozens of homes in the city, which led to the death of a number of its residents and the injury of others.

Likewise, the collapse of a number of houses over the heads of their occupants was recorded in the villages of Video, Bustan Al-Basha, Satamo and Al-Haffah, and a number of deaths and injuries were recorded, in addition to the removal of a number of survivors from under the rubble, while continuing the work of removing the rubble and evacuating some buildings from their residents after cracks occurred in them. by the earthquake.

The Lattakia governorate has urgently secured shelters for residents whose homes were damaged by the earthquake, and provided urgent relief and food assistance to those affected.

Tens of thousands of residents rushed to evacuate their homes after the earthquake occurred in Lattakia Governorate, as streets, squares, and public roads were crowded with people from Monday night until the morning hours, for fear of aftershocks that had followed after the severe earthquake, with all medical staff on alert to transport the dead and wounded to hospitals.

The collapse of an entire neighborhood in the Syrian countryside of Idlib as a result of the earthquake

Video footage captured by a drone showed the extent of the destruction in an area belonging to the Syrian governorate of Idlib, as a result of a strong earthquake that struck at dawn today, Monday, the regions of southern Turkey and northern Syria, leaving hundreds dead and injured, and was felt by a number of countries in the region.

A distress call from the Red Crescent

The Secretary-General of the Syrian Red Crescent, Khaled Ircsous, confirmed that there is a severe shortage of medicines and fuel needed to operate hospitals in light of the catastrophe of the earthquake that hit the country.

Ircouss indicated that the Red Crescent teams are still working to recover bodies from under the rubble, stressing that "we see injured people under the rubble, but we cannot reach them due to the lack of equipment."

Earthquake damage affects Syrian archaeological sites

The Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums stated that initial reports received from some governorates indicated that damage had occurred to some archaeological sites as a result of the earthquake at dawn on Monday.

And the Directorate stated, in a statement, that "Aleppo Citadel suffered minor and moderate damages, including the fall of parts of the Ottoman mill, and the occurrence of cracks and cracks and the fall of parts of the northeastern defensive walls, and large parts of the dome of the Ayyubid mosque minaret fell, and the entrances to the castle were damaged, and parts fell of stones, including the entrance to the Mamluk defensive tower, and the facade of the Ottoman hospice was damaged.

The statement stated that some of the museum artifacts inside the display storage were damaged, and cracks and cracks appeared on the facade of the National Museum in Aleppo.

According to the statement, the historic neighborhood of Aqaba, adjacent to the city's western wall, was damaged and collapsed, and it is not far from Bab Antioch. The same applies to the historic Al-Jalloum neighborhood, where severe damage occurred, including the fall of dip ceilings, walls, and parts of facades.

Arab and international solidarity with the victims of Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed to his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, his country's readiness to provide the necessary assistance to overcome the effects of the earthquake that struck Syria at dawn today.

In his telegram, Putin offered his sincere condolences to the victims of the earthquake, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

In turn, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during a phone call with President Assad, confirmed his country's stand with Syria and its solidarity with it as a result of the devastating earthquake, and offered sincere condolences for the hundreds of victims who fell, stressing that his country is fully prepared to help the Syrian people overcome the effects of this disaster.

Likewise, the Sultanate of Oman expressed, in an official statement, its solidarity with both Turkey and Syria, and extended its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake that occurred in southern Turkey, and to the Turkish and Syrian peoples, and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

Algeria extended its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and the governments and peoples of Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquake that struck the two countries, and left heavy losses in lives, property and infrastructure, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the national community abroad.

Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamiyah, announced in a statement: "We made quick and successive contacts with the Syrian Ministers of Transport and Health, conveying to them our condolences on behalf of the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Council of Ministers, and stressing that Lebanon is a state and people fully prepared to provide all possible assistance." And within the available capabilities, in everything that the Syrian state requires to face the repercussions of the earthquake that struck last night in the north of it, and other regions and countries as well.

In the strongest threat.. Medvedev: If “Crimea” is targeted, the rest of the Ukrainian lands that are still under Kyiv’s control will turn to ashes, and there will be no restrictions, and our response will be with all kinds of weapons

In the strongest threat.. Medvedev: If “Crimea” is targeted, the rest of the Ukrainian lands that are still under Kyiv’s control will turn to ashes, and there will be no restrictions, and our response will be with all kinds of weapons

    Saturday, February 04, 2023   No comments

The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, announced that his country has not set restrictions for itself when responding to any attacks against its territory from Kyiv, and there will be a willingness to use all kinds of weapons to respond to that.

Medvedev added, during press statements, by saying: “Our response can be anything, and the Russian president confirmed that. We do not set ourselves any restrictions and, depending on the nature of the threats, are ready to use all kinds of weapons.”

"If Ukraine launches any attack on Crimea, there will be counter-attacks, and the rest of the Ukrainian lands that are still under Kyiv's control will turn to ashes," the deputy head of the Russian Security Council stressed.

In a related context, the adviser to the President of the Russian Republic of Crimea for media policy, Oleg Kryuchkov, described the threat of the Kyiv authorities to launch a missile attack on the peninsula as “barking” from under the sofa, according to “Sputnik”.

Earlier, the adviser to Vladimir Zelensky's office, Mikhail Podolyak, said that after agreeing with the West on the supply of tanks, Kyiv is negotiating the supply of long-range missiles and aircraft to launch strikes in Crimea.

Fighting in Crimea could impact Tatar Muslims there. Tatars are indigenous inhabitants of Crimea, Eastern European Turkic people historically formed in the Crimean Peninsula, which is on the northern coast of the Black Sea. It is estimated that 500,000 Tatar Muslims inhabied the region. Crimean Tatars are, genrally, Sunni Muslims, and they make up 15% of the Crimea population. The majority of the Crimean population adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Crimean Tatars are ethnically connected to the people who live in the Republic of Tatarstan. Founded in 1005 on the banks of the Volga River, about 500 miles east of Moscow, Kazan, the capital of the republic, was a main stop along the Silk Road, the historic trade route for the exchange of not only of goods and services, but also of habits and cultures. Today, about 53% of Tatarstan's population are Muslims, the rest are mostly Russian Orthodox Christians.

Based on previous actions, and based on the use of the Chechen armed forces in conflict zones, Russian fedeation leadership is likely to rely on Chechen Republic armed forces to manage the conflict in Crimea, to make sure that contact between the Russian armed forces with local Muslims is done through other Russian Muslim officials. 

The Aftershocks of France’s Colonial Supremacy is Empowered by its Current Hubris

The Aftershocks of France’s Colonial Supremacy is Empowered by its Current Hubris

    Friday, February 03, 2023   No comments

 France continues to refuse to accept responsibility over its crimes of colonialism in Algeria, refuse to pay reparations for the harm it caused to Algerian families, and refuse to pay for the cleanup of its nuclear waste in the Algerian Sahara that is still causing harm to people and the environment. Yet, French leaders continue to lecture Muslim-majority countries about human rights and insist that they do not have access to nuclear technology, be it peaceful or otherwise. Historical records, however, show how France’s actions have created many of the most perennial problems that it now wants other countries to solve. Among these actions taken by French leaders is how their determination to hold on to Algeria allowed them to help other colonizers develop weapons of mass destruction and shield them from any criticism and safety measures, such as the monitoring of nuclear facilities by UN institutions, while they continue to accuse Muslim-majority countries of being irresponsible with their developing of nuclear programs.

 Here is a good place to start reading about this and related topics:

Specifically, during the mid-1950s France’s control over Algeria—which it considered part of France and not just another colony—was increasingly contested by a domestic insurgency that was receiving substantial support from the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser. Paris responded by eliciting Israel’s help in providing intelligence on the Algerian situation in return for French conventional weaponry. The opportunity to transform this into nuclear cooperation presented itself in 1956 when Paris asked Israel to provide France and Britain with a pretext to intervene militarily in what became the Suez Canal crisis.   

-- From The Story of How American Jews and France Built Israel’s Nuclear Weapons

 

Media Review: The National Interest says Washington is obstructing a political solution in Yemen

Media Review: The National Interest says Washington is obstructing a political solution in Yemen

    Friday, February 03, 2023   No comments

Chad Kunkle wrote an article in the American magazine "The National Interest" in which he said that during the past month, the "War Powers Resolution in Yemen" was withdrawn from voting in the US Senate, and that if the resolution had been approved, it would have ended the direct US military intervention in the Saudi war in Yemen. The bill was withdrawn by its sponsor, Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.

According to the article, "This step came after President Joe Biden and his administration promised to veto the resolution if it passed, and urged other senators to vote against the bill." This is what the magazine considered "another major setback in efforts to end US involvement in a conflict that has resulted in one of the most devastating and least discussed humanitarian crises of our time."

This war has caused enormous suffering to the Yemeni people, as it has caused civilian casualties, diseases, internal displacement and famine in the population.

Ending US involvement in this conflict has garnered bipartisan support in Congress over the years despite many failed attempts to pass forms of the Yemen War Powers Resolution (YWPR). The move hit many roadblocks, such as a veto of legislation by President Donald Trump, but it also saw some recent successes, as Biden reversed some of the policies pursued by his predecessors, vowing to stop supporting offensive Saudi military operations and remove the Houthis from the terrorist designation list.

However, these transitions have largely failed to address the key issues that have kept this conflict and all the atrocities associated with it running. The United States has remained the main supplier of weapons to Saudi Arabia, and many US-made aircraft and weapons used in offensive operations by the (Saudi) coalition receive maintenance and support from the US military and US contractors long after Biden pledged to end this support. The Biden administration justified its decision to press against the current iteration of the draft "Yemen war power resolution" by claiming that the situation on the ground had changed, with a UN truce managing to reduce violence for most of 2022 and keeping Saudi airstrikes at bay — even after the truce. The armistice ended in October. The US administration fears that passing the draft resolution will harm the peace process by weakening Saudi Arabia's position at the negotiating table, while critics of the move argue that this leaves the door open for Saudi Arabia to launch a new bombing campaign with the help of the United States.

This decision also appears to be a dangerous reversal on the part of Biden and many key foreign policy officials. Senior Biden associates, such as US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, have signed letters to Trump (perhaps he means Biden) supporting past iterations of the "Yemen War Powers Resolution," and Biden's promise to make Saudi Arabia a pariah in his presidential campaign. The move to block the Yemen War Powers Resolution appears to be the latest example of a major shift in the administration's attitude toward the Saudis, which has garnered considerable attention since Biden's visit to the kingdom last July, which was marked by Biden's failure to secure increased oil production by the Saudis. And the rest of OPEC Plus.

Thus, it seems that the US administration is blocking the decision in another attempt to appease the Saudis, preceded by a recommendation from the administration to grant Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman immunity in a lawsuit filed against him by Jamal Khashoggi's fiancée, in addition to continuing arms sales to the kingdom. Meanwhile, Mohammed bin Salman recently hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and signed several investment deals with Beijing. This was the final step to increase ties between Saudi Arabia and China. It is clear that this evolving relationship, compared to the marked deterioration in US-Saudi relations, is causing concern in Washington.

The author of the article added that while such developments may cause major changes in US policy in the Middle East, the potential results do not justify a worrisome response that includes appeasement, facilitating disasters such as the war in Yemen. The United States has the ability to invest in alternative energy sources, including domestic oil production. A Saudi shift toward China would also incentivize the United States to define its relationship more clearly with Saudi Arabia, disengaging itself from the frustrating and often contradictory status of quasi-alliance that constrains the flexibility of US policy in the region.

He continued: Attempts to distance countries from their natural interests rarely lead to success, and it is reasonable to assert that the world's largest oil exporter seeks closer relations with its largest buyer is a natural development, especially since the Saudi economy is almost entirely dependent on oil exports. In addition, China's emerging interest in Saudi Arabia will be complicated by Beijing's long-standing attachment to Iran.

The writer concludes by saying that the war in Yemen has been a disaster, and the desperate and unnecessary attempts to prevent Saudi Arabia from pursuing alternative relations to America are no reason for the United States to continue aiding destruction by providing direct military assistance. The decision to seek to rein in that potential is worth the potential disruption of long-term policy, especially when that policy is not feasible to US interests and more beneficial alternatives exist.

It is noteworthy that the Saudi Foreign Minister discussed the Yemeni file in Switzerland with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and stated that the war in Yemen must end through negotiation.

It is noteworthy that, last October, Sanaa announced that negotiations to extend the UN armistice in Yemen had reached a dead end, after Saudi Arabia refused to pay the salaries of public servants from the revenues of oil and gas produced from the Yemeni governorates, to stop the war and lift the blockade on the country.

A human rights report was issued late last month and documented "the crimes of the US-Saudi aggression during the year 2022", and indicated that the number of victims reached 3,083 deaths and wounded civilians (643 deaths and 2,440 wounded).

It is noteworthy that Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed the Yemeni file in Switzerland with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and stated that the war in Yemen must end through negotiation.

It is noteworthy that, last October, Sanaa announced that negotiations to extend the UN armistice in Yemen had reached a dead end, after Saudi Arabia refused to pay the salaries of public servants from the revenues of oil and gas produced from the Yemeni governorates, to stop the war and lift the blockade on the country.

A human rights report was issued late last month and documented "the crimes of the US-Saudi aggression during the year 2022", and indicated that the number of victims reached 3,083 martyrs and wounded civilians (643 martyrs and 2,440 wounded).

Only three Muslims-majority countries, Turkey, Pakistan and Morocco provide some form of military aid to Ukraine

Only three Muslims-majority countries, Turkey, Pakistan and Morocco provide some form of military aid to Ukraine

    Thursday, February 02, 2023   No comments

When will the war in Ukraine be declared a world war?

With almost all NATO member states and EU countries now openly providing weapons to Ukraine, pressure will be buidling on the rest of the world to take clear position on this conflict--though Russia has not openly asked for any military assistance from what it calls "friendly nationa states."

It should be noted also that only three Muslim-majority countries, Turkey, Pakistan and Morocco, provide some form of military aid to Ukraine.

From Europe, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Moldova still observe conditional neutrality.