Germany pulls out of NATO operations
Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:42PM
A file photo of German troops
Germany has pulled out of NATO operations in the Mediterranean due to the disagreement over the forces' mission in Libya.
The German defense ministry said on Tuesday that Berlin pulled out of any military operations in the Mediterranean following the Western military alliance's involvement in the Libya conflict, DPA reported.
A ministry spokesman said two frigates and two other ships with a crew of 550 would be reverted to German command.
Some 60 to 70 German troops participating in NATO-operated AWACS surveillance operations in the Mediterranean would also be withdrawn, according to the ministry.
Following the disputes among NATO members over the military intervention in Libya, they met in Brussels to mend differences over what role the alliance should play in Libya.
France says the takeover of the operations by NATO will alienate Arab states, however, Italy believes that NATO should take control of the military campaign in Libya.
Meanwhile, the head of the Italian Senate's defense affairs committee, Gianpiero Cantoni, said the French policy is motivated by a desire to secure oil contracts with a future Libyan government.
US President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron have agreed NATO should play an important role in the command structure of the Libya mission, the White House said.
"They reviewed the substantial progress that's been made in terms of halting the advance of Gaddafi's forces on Benghazi as well as the establishment of a no-fly zone," said White House spokesman Ben Rhodes. _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
French plans to topple Gaddafi on track since last November
by Franco Bechis
Quote:
According to right-wing Italian journalist Franco Bechis, plans to spark the Benghazi rebellion were initiated by French intelligence services in November 2010. As Miguel Martinez from the progressive ComeDonChisciotte website observes, these revelations which have the blessing of the Italian secret services should be interpreted as the sign of existing rivalries within the European capitalist camp.
Voltaire Network wishes to point out that Paris promptly paired up with London in its scheme to overthrow Colonel Khadafi (Franco-British expeditionary force). This plan was recalibrated in the context of the Arab revolutions and taken over by Washington, which imposed its own objectives (counter-revolution in the Arab world and landing AfriCom on the Black continent). Therefore, the current coalition arises from a diversity of ambitions, which accounts for its internal contradictions. The timeline of events which set the stage for the military intervention against Libya is presented below.
25 MARCH 2011
Timeline of events
October 6, 2010
Nouri Mesmari turned himself over to the French secret service and, according to the Italians, he masterminded the revolution against Gaddafi. The document was leaked to Italian newspaper Libero.
In the documents, the French secret services refer to Mesmari as ‘The Libyan Wikileak’ because he gave them all the inside information about the regime as well as account of who’s who in Libya and who they should or should not contact.
With all the inside information, the Italians claim that by mid-January the French had paved the way for the beginning of the revolution against Gaddafi.
October 20, 2010
Former Gaddafi cohort, Nouri Massoud El-Mesmari, broke ranks on 20 October 2010. He now lives under the protection of French secret services.
Nouri Masmari boarded a Libyan Arab plane headed for Tunis accompanied by all his family. The day after, they were en route to France, claiming that he travelled to Paris due to health reasons. He stayed at the Concorde Lafayette Hotel.
In Paris he never met any doctors. In the following days he had several top secret meetings with high secret service French agents and other top government functionaries close to Nicolas Sarkozy.
November 16, 2010
A long caravan of official cars is parked in front of the hotel Concorde Lafayette whilst in the Mesmari suite an important meeting is taking place. It is a long meeting.
November 18, 2010
A French ‘commercial’ delegation leaves for Benghazi. In the delegation there are officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and representitives from Cam Cereals, France Export Cereals, Cargill, Glencore, France Agrimer, Soufflet, Louis Dreyfous, and Comagra. Among the delegation, posing as government officials, there are French secret service agents and military staff. Their ‘business’ was meeting army officers fingered by Mesmari as being willing to defect from the Libyan army.
While in Benghazi, contact is made with Libyan air defence colonel Abdallah Gehani, who was designated by Nouri Mesmari as an army officer who is ready to collaborate in toppling Muammar Gaddafi. Gehani had good contacts in Tunisia too.
It is a secret operation but the Libyan regime suspects that a double game was being played and that something was about to happen.
November 28, 2010
An international warrant of arrest is issued by the Libyan government for Nouri Mesrami. Foreign Minister Musa Koussa is held responsible for the defection of Mesrami and his passport is withdrawn by the authorities.
December 2, 2010
French authorities announce that they have arrested a collaborator of Gaddafi. Word reaches Gaddafi that Mesrami is under house arrest at the Concorde Lafayette Hotel and is furious that his former friend and colleague asked for political asylum in France, where he still resides to this date. In fact during the first week of the uprising in Libya Mesrami gave interviews to Al Jazeera from a Paris studio.
Muammar Gaddafi sends messages to Nouri Mesrami to win him back saying that he forgives him for what he did and invites him back to Libya.
December 16, 2010
An Gaddafi emissary, Head of state media Abdallah Mansour, is arrested at the Hotel Concorde Lafayette trying to contact Mesrami.
December 23, 2010
A delegation of Libyans arrives in Paris for meetings with Mesrami and other French officials. The Libyans are Ali Ounes Mansouri, Farj Charrant and Fathi Boukhris. These three men will be known later together with Ali Hajj as leaders of the revolution, that started from Benghazi.
The Libyan delegation together with Mesrami and French military and secret service personnel dined at an elegant French restaurant at the Champs Elisée.
Decmber 25 – 31, 2010
Between Christmas and the start of the New Year, the French are in possession of all the details and available inside information; in the compilation of the Maghreb Confidential document, it is stated that “the situation in Benghazi is boiling”.
Januray 22, 2011
Colonel Abdallah Gehani is arrested by the chief of the secret service in Cerenaica, Aoudh Saaiti. Two days later the Colonel is transferred to a prison in Tripoli and accused of treason with the aim of holding back any dissent. But it was too late, the ball was already rolling and the first signs of the revolution were seen a few days after a prominent lawyer, Fathi Tarbel, was arrested. The protest soon turned into clashes and as army officials deserted, the rebels advanced and took over important cities, but so far they have failed to take Tripoli.
The French government led the airstrikes over Libya, was the first European state to recognise the new Libyan National Council and establish diplomatic relations. Since the Italian government was made aware of the documents, it started to take the back seat in the Libya crisis, and Prime Minister Berlusconi said that Italian military planes will not be engaged in airstrikes and that he hopes that it does not end in war.
Quote:
I Rebalance as is the comm I also published about the same article: I do not know what credence to give these revelations. I just remember seeing Mesmar, invited the Grand Journal on Canal +. Contrary to what is stated in the article, he spoke, if I remember correctly, his daughters and their families who had gone to Libya after his desertion ... Where is the disinformation? Bechis or Mesmar? Knowing that the Italian digest bad as they are the French and the English who have the lead in their former colony as they are obliged to respect their side of the pre-square above the two powers ... Hence the insistence that NATO Berlusconi that Italy is a member to take things in hand which would give the Italians say. Is this an attempt to destabilize France? Certainly. Is it true? This is the question!
Quote:
Very good reflection Fred: there is certainly destabilizing: everyone wants to eat at the trough level diplomatic ca fry in the heap (2 sides) are sacred economic potential in Libya: the people? not my problem! (Dep uis doubt about the attack on Tripoli search Cyrenaica)
For Egypt, digging stop delivery of cereals: principle: the people starving!
it is full Chess Board;)
In short they seem to agree with my idea that Europe is being intentionally destabilized, all be it for different reasons. Let us hope a new line isn't being drawn in Europe for that 3rd War _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
The Man Made River Project P1-The truth reason for a war in Libya
by Killing Lies (videos)
10:02
The Great Man-Made River (GMR, النهر الصناعي العظيم) is a network of pipes that supplies water to the Sahara Desert in Libya, from the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System fossil aquifer. It is the world's largest irrigation project.[1]
According to its website, it is the largest underground network of pipes and aqueducts in the world. It consists of more than 1,300 wells, most more than 500 m deep, and supplies 6,500,000 m³ of fresh water per day to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, Sirt and elsewhere. Muammar al-Gaddafi has described it as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."[2]
The project is owned by the Great Man-Made River Project Authority and funded by the Libyan government. Brown & Root and Price Brothers were responsible for the original design, and the primary contractor for the first phases was Dong Ah Consortium (a South Korean construction company) and present main contractor is Al Nahr Company Ltd. This company was registered in England and Wales as a foreign company FC017848 until July 31, 2003.
The imported goods from several worldwide countries (such as Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan, etc.) destined to the construction of the GMR arrived by sea via the entry port of Marsa al-Brega (Gulf of Sirte).
The total cost of the project is projected at more than US$25 billion. Libya claims to have completed the work to date without the financial support of major countries or loans from world banks. Since 1990 UNESCO has provided training to engineers and technicians involved with the project.
The fossil aquifer from which this water is being supplied is the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System. It accumulated during the last ice age and is not currently being replenished. If 2007 rates of retrieval are not increased, the water could last a thousand years.[3][4]
A large, recently-settled lawsuit between the Libyan government and Brasoil, a subsidiary of the Brazilian national oil company, arose from the project. Brasoil was contracted to drill many of the wells in the early stages of the project.
[edit]Timeline
Building of the Great Manmade River
3 October 1983: The General People's Congress held an extraordinary session to draft the resolutions of the basic people's Congresses, which decided to fund and execute the Great Man-Made River Project.
28 August 1984: Muammar al-Gaddafi lays the foundation stone in Sarir area for the commencement of the construction of the Great Man-Made River Project.
28 August 1986: Muammar al-Qaddafi inaugurated the Brega plant for the production of the Pre-stressed Concrete Cylinder pipes, which are considered the largest pipes made with pre-stressed steel wire (the majority of steel wire was made in Italy by the Redaelli Tecna S.p.A. company with its head office in Cologno Monzese-Milan and its factory in Caivano-Naples). Sarir plant was also inaugurated on this date.
26 August 1989: Muammar al-Qaddafi lays the foundation stone for phase II of the Great Man-Made River Project.
[edit]First water arrival
11 September 1989: to Ajdabiya reservoir.
28 September 1989: to Grand Omar Muktar reservoir.
4 September 1991: to Al Gardabiya reservoir.
28 August 1996: to Tripoli.
28 September 2007: to Gharyan.
In the 1950s, oil exploration in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya turned up another resource beneath the scorching sands: the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System. Radiocarbon analysis showed that some of the water in the aquifer system was 40 000 years old. Tapping the aquifers was chosen as the most cost-effective option for meeting the country’s water needs.
In 1993, Phase I of the Great Man-made River (GMMR) Project brought water from eastern well-fields at Sarir and Tazerbo to Benghazi (not shown). In 1996, Phase II brought water from well-fields at Jebel Hassouna to Tripoli (not shown). Phase III is still under construction. The project’s largest reservoir, known as the Grand Omar Mukhtar, is located at Suluq ( yellow arrows on 2006 image).
When fully operational, the GMMR will pump 3.6 million cubic metres of the Nubian Aquifer water per day. Water from the aquifer is used to support extensive centre-pivot irrigation agriculture at Al Kufra (see 1972 and 2001 images above).
At current extraction rates the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System is not likely to be depleted for a thousand years. Nevertheless, it is shared among four African nations: Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Chad, Sudan, and Egypt. The concern of environmentalists is that eventually people will drain the aquifer faster than nature can renew it. The International Atomic Energy Agency is trying to bring the four countries together to plan rational shared use of the water.
A few years back (2001 or so?), I was infuriated that there was a freshwater shortage situation going on in (Tampa)Florida while we were sending BILLIONS of our tax dollars to build de-salination plants in israel. We were providing this FREE and then israel was going to turn around and charge others for the water. This morning, I was looking for some of those old articles about our money being sent there and I found some alarming and infuriating info about the WATER WARS aka Using Water as a Weapon. Check this old article out... read all the way to the bottom and see the headline links: http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020801/2002080110.html Then check this one out: "Whether in Israel, Australia, or the Southwest United States, drought warnings and water use restrictions have become the norm.
And freshwater doesn't make itself...
So in addition to conservation, the only way to combat this global problem is by taking the salt out of ocean water.
That's why so many companies are pursuing it: GE (NYSE: GE), Siemens (NYSE: SI), Doosan (KSE: 000150), Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW), and the above-mentioned IDE, to name a few.
If you think oil companies have been making record profits, just wait until these companies monopolize the world's water supply.
The big boys — GE, Siemens — will be building and operating the world's desalination plants. But they won't do you any good as an investor.
Sure, they'll stay on par with the market, but they can't double — or even triple — your money in relatively short order.
But there's one company that can; one that already provides a crucial part of desalination plants to behemoths like GE and Siemens.
Then look at this article from earlier this month: The compelling forecasts include:
Water shortages are predicted to hit 36 states in the U.S. by 2013, according to a federal report.
One-third of all counties in the lower 48 states now face higher risks of water shortages by 2050, with more than 400 of these 1,100 counties at extremely high risk for water shortages, based on new research.
Ten cities in the U.S. have been identified in a new analysis as having the most acute exposure to problems that could cause an imbalance in water supply and demand as soon as 2013. The ten are (in ascending order): Orlando, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; Tucson, Ariz.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Fort Worth, Texas; San Francisco Bay area; San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles, Calif.
http://www.world-wire.com/news/1103010002.html
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:50 am Post subject:
Orchestrated by private Military Companies and far right Western Intelligence networking groups such as the Pinay Cercle IMO - but here is my recent take on the UK Secret State because they have played a hand..
The UK Secret State: MI5, MI6, GCHQ & Porton Down's Spies Lies & Whistleblowers
BCfm Friday Drivetime - Tony Gosling | 11.04.2011 10:54 | Analysis | Terror War | World
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/04/477516.html
How does the UK Secret State Operate? We hear evidence from several major whistlebowers: Richard Tomlinson (MI6), Katharine Gun (GCHQ), David Kelly (Porton Down) & Annie Machon (MI5).
Philip Agee, Richard Tomlinson, Katharine Gun, David Kelly, David Shayler & Annie Machon, Spies Lies and Whistleblowers: a close look at the workings of the UK’s secret state with Marina Morris and Martin Summers.
Annie Machon has published a book too ... of the same name:
'Spies, Lies and Whistleblowers'
Can we trust the secret state?
·MI6 illegally paid tens of thousands of pounds to Al Qaeda to stage a coup in Libya, without realising the irresponsibility of its actions.
·MI5 failed to stop four major terrorist attacks in Britain, even though it was in possession of reliable intelligence.
·MI5 illegally investigated thousands of UK citizens for their political views.
·MI5 and MI6 let a known Libyan terrorist into Britain. They failed to recruit him and allowed him to set up a terrorist network in this country.
·MI5 withheld evidence about the innocence of two Palestinians at their trial for the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in London in 1994. One document indicated it might be an ‘inside job’.
Here, for the first time, Annie writes about her experiences at the heart of the secret state and what happens when you stand up to it. Her revelations about illegal intelligence operations, cover-ups to ministers, and particularly the MI6 funding of Al Qaeda terrorists will shock all of us who like to think that our security services are doing everything in their power to fight terrorism.
http://www.bookfinder.com/
Egypt to revise gas deals with Israel
Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:37PM
Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharaf
Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharraf has asked for the revision of all contracts related to natural gas exports abroad, particularly to Israel.
Sharraf said on Wednesday that Cairo's planned revision could bring Egypt an extra three to four billion dollars in revenues.
Israel is expected to be hit hard by the measure since Egypt supplies an estimated 40 percent of its gas.
The deal with Tel Aviv was a highly controversial issue during the rule of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
Four Israeli firms have signed agreements to import gas under a 20-year contract.
The agreement has been repeatedly challenged in Egyptian courts as it was without parliament's consultation.
Sharraf will also meet with the Jordanian energy minister to discuss the gas deal with his country.
Opposition groups have long complained that Mubarak was selling natural gas to Israel at preferential prices.
The developments come as Egypt's public prosecutor has summoned the former president and his son for questioning over corruption and the use of violence against peaceful protesters.
Earlier reports said Mubarak and his former petroleum minister were also being investigated for selling artificially cheap gas to the Israeli regime.
The chief prosecutor had received evidence that Mubarak and Sameh Fahmy had sold natural gas to Israel and several Western countries for under market prices.
Fahmy has recently told investigators that he was just carrying out orders from Mubarak.
However, Mubarak has rejected the corruption accusations as libel. _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:26 pm Post subject:
Not that I condone Gadaffi in any way but certainly some aspects of his comments are true. I also know that like most leaders he has his own fraudulent and corrupt background….so what’s new?……you can ask people like Tony Blair if you want some guide lines!!
http://petereyrepatch.blogspot.com/2011/04/us-and-uk-governments-exten d-their_6897.html
I want you all to again read my article that highlighted the US,UK and EU intentions of taking over 7 countries in a period of between 5 – 10 years before the next super power takes over (US and UK Governments extend their talons over Libya – Part 16) which you can see on the following link:
It clearly shows the countries they are interested in…..the last three being Libya, Syria and the big one Iran………where are they at……..well Libya is well underway……they are currently using their Special Forces/CIA/MI5/Mossad in Syria and did in actual fact try in Iran some time ago……so who next?....clearly Syria and then while this is going on you will see again unrest in Iran (compliments of the west) followed by their last evil push to complete their “NWO Geo Political Plan.”
Dozens of African migrants were left to die in the Mediterranean after a number of European and Nato military units apparently ignored their cries for help, the Guardian has learned.
A boat carrying 72 passengers, including several women, young children and political refugees, ran into trouble in late March after leaving Tripoli for the Italian island of Lampedusa. Despite alarms being raised with the Italian coastguard and the boat making contact with a military helicopter and a Nato warship, no rescue effort was attempted.
Was the coup in Egypt partly about putting into power people who would promote the business and military interests of the USA?
Paul Amar is a Jewish journalist of French origin and an Associate Professor of Global & International Studies at the University of California Santa Barbara.
He has written: Why Egypt’s Progressives Win, and Why Mubarak is Out – Jadaliyya
Among the points made:
1. Under Mubarak, Egypt made multi-billion dollar deals with Russia, China and Brazil.
In Egypt, Russian has several free-trade zones and manufacturing settlements, and China has invested in all parts of the Egyptian economy.
Brazil, Turkey, the Central Asian Republics and the Gulf Emirates are diversifying their investments.
2. On 5 February, Gamal Mubarak, who had been associated with deals with foreigners, was forced out of his position in the main political party.
3. The Egyptian Intelligence Services, and some parts of the military, loathed Gamal Mubarak and have long, intimate relationships with the CIA and the American military.
~~
Mubarak in China.
When might Israel, and the USA, have decided to topple Mubarak?
In 1981 President Mubarak came to power and he “has effectively boycotted Israel.
“Egypt’s state-controlled newspapers continued to demonize Israel.
“All ties on the bilateral level between Egypt and Israel have been frozen including tourism, commerce, and industry.” (Egypt and Israel: A Reversible Peace :: Middle East Quarterly)
Under Mubarak, Egypt became stronger economically and militarily; too strong for Israel to attack.
Lebanon
In 1991, the CIA’s Muslim Brotherhood began pressing more strongly for a strict Islamic state.
In 1999, Mubarak visited China.
He signed a joint communique with Chinese President Jiang Zeming on establishing a strategic and cooperative relationship between Egypt and China.
In 2002: Mubarak denounced Israel
Mubarak made a televised speech bitterly condemning Israel and accusing it of using state terrorism to crush the Palestinians.
Mubarak said that following their barbaric and systematic aggression, the Israelis were in the process of destroying evidence of the horrendous crimes perpetrated under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
In 2003: Mubarak opposed the Iraq invasion.
In 2003: Israel protested Egypt’s use of unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, to spy on Israeli military facilities.
Israel reportedly threatened to shoot down the drones whose flights violate the peace treaty and prompted increased concern over Egypt’s military buildup (Jerusalem Post, December 21, 2003) (Myth and Fact: Egypt’s Peace Treaty with Israel)
Egypt has purchased Scud missiles from North Korea and is believed to possess chemical weapons (Center for Strategic and International Studies, United Nations (UN) Institute for Disarmament Research). (Myth and Fact: Egypt’s Peace Treaty with Israel)
Israel wants the Sinai?
In March 2010, it was reported that Mubarak had cancer.
In April 2010, it was reported that a weekly magazine aiming to link Arab bloggers with politicians and the elderly was launched in Egypt at the initiative of a group backed by US billionaire George Soros. (Soros backs Egypt weekly to give Arab bloggers exposure.)
In April 2010, it was reported by the Jerusalem Post that “Egypt has taken an aggressive stance against Israel, with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit calling Israel an ‘enemy’ state.” – (Egypt warns of Israel-Lebanon escalation)
In June 2010, Egypt re-opened the Rafah border with Gaza (Rafah crossing to remain open indefinitely – News)
In August 2010, Egyptian security forces seized a ship loaded with explosives coming from Israel and arrested its owner in Port Said. (Egypt seizes explosives on ship coming from Israel – People’s.)
In November 2010: Israel tells its citizens to leave Egypt. (Israel tells its citizens to leave Egypt.)
On 20 December 2010 (ISRAEL DESTABILISING EGYPT) we learnt that Egypt arrested members of an Israeli spy ring within its borders.
On 1 January 2011, we read that a group calling itself Al-Qaeda (the CIA-Mossad) may be responsible for the seven dead and 24 injured in an attack on a church in Egypt
In January 2011, we read that Egypt’s Irrigation Minister has dismissed the possibility that Egypt would supply Israel with water from the Nile. (Egypt and Israel, a souring relationship?)
In January 2011: Mubarak warned Israel against a new Gaza war Israel News.Net) _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 11:50 am Post subject:
These revolts may be being orchestrated by God...?
But Eric Prinz, who seems to change the way he spells his name as often as he changes the name of his unaccountable private army, is determined to cash in
UAE: Arming up with mercenaries
What possible security risks could have motivated the UAE to hire outside help?
Inside Story Last Modified: 17 May 2011 12:36
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/insidestory/2011/05/2011517116 51701189.html
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has hired the founder of the controversial US security company Blackwater, to set up a paramilitary force made up of foreign mercenaries in Abu Dhabi.
Blackwater founder Erik Prince is to set up an 800-member battalion of foreign troops.
Documents obtained by The New York Times (NYT) on Sunday showed the crown prince of Abu Dhabi being behind the $529m deal.
It is a contentious move, which raises questions about loyalty, the role of citizens and the potential instability brought on by the popular uprisings in the Arab world.
The NYT said the covert unit will be used to put down internal revolts, defend oil pipelines and skyscrapers from any possible terrorist attack.
It also claimed that fighters from Colombia and South Africa have already been flown into the Emirate, where its rulers are reportedly deeply concerned about the popular unrest in the "Arab world as well as the perceived threat from Iran".
Is the UAE being paranoid or just protecting its citizens? What possible security risks could have motivated a small country like the UAE to hire outside help? How does the knowledge that the UAE is arming up with mercenaries sit in general?
Inside Story, with presenter Jane Dutton, discusses with Abdulhadi Alajmi, the board secretary of the Kuwait Historical Society; James Worrall, a fellow at the School of Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds; and Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies.
This episode of Inside Story aired from Monday, May 16, 2011.
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 18335 Location: St. Pauls, Bristol, England
Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 9:54 pm Post subject:
The Middle East counter-revolution
by Thierry Meyssan*
A Saudi clan, the Sudairi, is spearheading the counter-revolutionary tide unleashed by the United States and Israel in the Middle East. In a vast overview, published in serial form by the leading Russian language daily, Thierry Meyssan from Damascus paints a general picture of the contradictions which are convulsing the region.
The photo that caused raucous in the United States: at the G20 Summit, President Obama bowed before the Saudi King and kissed his hand.
Within months, three pro-Western governments have fallen in the Arab World: parliament removed Saad Hariri’s Lebanese government, while popular movements drove out Zine el-Abbidine Ben Ali of Tunisia and Husni Mubarak in Egypt.
These changes have been followed by demonstrations against U.S. domination and Zionism. They politically benefit the Axis of Resistance, comprised of Iran and Syria at the state level and at the non-state level by Hezbollah and Hamas.
To lead the counter-revolution in this region, Washington and Tel Aviv have relied on their best support: the Sudairi clan, which embodies despotism at the service of imperialism unlike any other.
The Sudairi
You have probably never heard of them, but for decades the Sudairi have been the world’s richest political organization.
Among the fifty-three sons of King Ibn Saud, founder of Saudi Arabia, the Sudairi are the seven that he sired with Princess Sudairi. Their leader was King Fahd, who ruled from 1982 to 2005. Only six are still alive. The eldest is Prince Sultan, minister of defence since 1962, who is 85. At 71, the youngest is Prince Ahmed, deputy interior minister since 1975. Since the 60s, it was their clan that organized, structured, and funded the pro-Western puppet regimes of the “Greater Middle East.”
A look back is required here.
Saudi Arabia is a legal entity created by the British during the First World War to weaken the Ottoman Empire. Although Lawrence of Arabia had invented the concept of the “Arab nation,” he never managed to make a nation of this country, let alone a state. It was and still is the private property of the Al-Sauds. As the British inquiry on the Al-Yamamah Scandal brought to light, in the 21st century there are still no bank accounts or budget for the Kingdom. It is the accounts of the royal family that serve to administer the Kingdom, which is its private domain.
The area fell under U.S. control after the Second World War, when the United Kingdom could no longer maintain its empire. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made an agreement with King Ibn Saud: the family of Saud guaranteed oil supplies to the United States which in return guaranteed the military assistance necessary to keep the House of Saud in power. This alliance is known as the Quincy Agreement, negotiated on a ship by the same name. It is an agreement, not a treaty since it does not bind two states, but a state and a family.
The Quincy Agreement binds the United States to the Saud family.
The founding king, Ibn Saud, having had 32 wives and 53 sons, serious rivalries between potential successors were not slow to emerge. Thus it was decided that the crown would not be handed down from father to son, but from half-brother to half-brother.
Five of Ibn Saud’s sons have already sat on the throne. The current king, Abdullah I, 87, is a rather open-minded person, although totally out of touch with today’s realities. Aware that the current dynastic system is headed for ruin, he intends to reform the rules of succession. The crown would thus be appointed by the Council of the Kingdom – this means selected by representatives of various branches of the royal family - and could potentially go to a younger generation.
This wise idea does not suit the Sudairi. Indeed, given the various abdications to the throne for health reasons or self-indulgence, the next three candidates belong to their clan: Prince Sultan, formerly appointed Interior Minister, 85; Prince Naif, Interior Minister, 78; and Prince Salman, the governor of Riyadh, 75. If it were to be applied, the new dynastic rule would work to their disadvantage.
One can easily understand that the Sudairi, who never cared much for their half-brother, King Abdullah, hate him at present. And, also, that they have decided to throw all their forces into the current struggle.
Prince Bandar and "his brother" George W. Bush.
The Return of Bandar Bush
In the late 70s, the Sudairi clan was headed by Prince Fahd, who noticed the rare qualities of one of his brother Sultan’s children: Prince Bandar. He sent him to Washington to negotiate arms contracts and was impressed by the way he handled an agreement with President Carter.
When Fahd ascended to the throne in 1982, Prince Bandar was a trusted aid. He was appointed military attaché, then ambassador to Washington, a post he held until his abrupt dismissal by King Abdullah in 2005.
The son of Prince Sultan and a Libyan slave, Prince Bandar is a brilliant and ruthless character that has distinguished himself within the royal family despite the stigma attached to his maternal origin. He is now the working arm of the gerontocratic Sudairi clan.
During his long stay in Washington, Prince Bandar befriended the Bush family, in particular George H. Bush, with whom he was inseparable. The latter likes to portray him as the son that he would have liked to have, so much so that his nickname in the capital is “Mr. Bandar Bush.” What George H. – former director of the CIA and U.S. president – appreciated most about him is his taste for illegal actions.
“Mr. Bandar Bush” made a place for himself in U.S. high society. He is both a manager for life of the Aspen Institute and a member of the Bohemian Grove. The British public first found out about him during the Al-Yamamah Scandal: the biggest arms deal in history as well as the largest corruption scandal. Over two decades (1985-2006), British Aerospace, soon renamed BAE Systems, sold $80 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia while quietly dropping a portion of this windfall into the bank accounts of Saudi politicians and probably British politicians, with $2 billion going to Prince Bandar alone.
This is because His Highness has a lot of expenses. Prince Bandar has taken over responsibility for numerous Arab fighters trained by Pakistani and Saudi intelligence during the Cold War to fight the Red Army in Afghanistan at the request of the CIA and MI6. Of course, the best known figure in this milieu was none other than billionaire guru turned anti-communist jihadist, Osama bin Laden.
It is impossible to say precisely how many men Prince Bandar has at his disposal. Over time, we have seen his involvement in many conflicts and terrorist acts across the Muslim world from Morocco to China’s Xinjiang. For example, one may recall the small army that he had planted, by the name of Fatah Al-Islam, in the Palestinian camp of Nahr el-Bared in Lebanon. The mission of these fighters was to incite the Palestinian refugees, mostly Sunnis, to proclaim an independent emirate and to fight Hezbollah. The affair turned sour when the salaries of the mercenaries were not paid on time. Ultimately, in 2007, Prince Bandar’s men entrenched themselves in the camp. 30,000 Palestinians were forced to flee, while the Lebanese army waged a two-month battle to gain control of the camp. This operation cost the lives of 50 mercenaries, 32 Palestinian civilians and 68 Lebanese soldiers.
In early 2010, Bandar staged a coup to overthrow King Abdullah and to place his father, Sultan, on the throne. The plot was discovered and Bandar left in disgrace without however losing his official titles. But in late 2010, the declining health of the king and his surgery gave the Sudairi the upper hand and they engineered Bandar’s comeback with the support of the Obama Administration.
Saudi-Lebanese politician Saad Hariri has rallied behind the Sudairi. After his resignation as Lebanese Prime Minister three months ago, he has remained as caretaker Prime Minister and has blocked the formation of a new government ever since.
It was after having visited the king, who was hospitalized in Washington, and having concluded too quickly that he was dying, that Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri rallied to the side of the Sudairi. Saad Hariri is a Saudi, born in Riyadh, but with dual nationality. He inherited his fortune from his father, who owed everything to Saud. He is therefore obligated to the king and became Prime Minister of Lebanon at his urging, while the U.S. State Department was concerned about his ability to fill the position.
During the period when he had to obey King Abdullah, Saad Hariri began to reconcile with President Bashar al-Assad. He withdrew the accusations he had made against him about the assassination of his father, Rafik Al-Hariri, and apologized for having been manipulated to artificially create tension between Lebanon and Syria. In endorsing the Sudairi, Saad has made a political volte-face. Overnight, he renounced King Abdullah’s policy of conciliation towards Syria and Hezbollah and launched an offensive against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, for the disarmament of Hezbollah, and for a compromise with Israel.
However, King Abdullah came out of his semi-comatose state and didn’t wait long to demand accountability. Deprived of this essential support, Saad Hariri and his government were overthrown by the Lebanese Parliament in favor of Najib Mikati, another bi-national, but less adventurous, billionaire. As punishment, King Abdullah ordered a tax investigation into Hariri’s largest Saudi society and had several of his associates arrested for fraud.
The Saudiri legions
The Sudairi have decided to launch the counter-revolution in all directions.
In Egypt, where they financed Mubarak on one hand and the Muslim Brotherhood on the other hand, they have now imposed an alliance between the Brotherhood and pro-U.S. army officers.
This new coalition has shared power by excluding the leaders of the revolution in Tahrir Square. It refused to convene a National Assembly and contended itself with amending the constitution marginally.
First, they declared Islam the state religion to the detriment of the Coptic Christian minority (about 10%) who were oppressed by Husni Mubarak and who mobilized en masse against him. In addition, Dr. Mahmoud Izzat, the number two of the Brotherhood, called for the rapid introduction of Sharia law and the restoration of Sharia punishment.
Young Wael Ghoneim, who had played a leading role in the overthrow of the tyrant, was barred from the podium during the victory celebrations, February 18, which rallied nearly 2 million people. Conversely, the star preacher of the Brotherhood, Youssef Al-Qardawi, returning after 30 years of exile in Qatar, was allowed to speak at length. He, who had been stripped of his citizenship by Gamal Abdel Nasser, projected himself as the incarnation of the new era: that of Sharia law and peaceful coexistence with the Zionist regime in Tel Aviv.
Nobel Peace Prize Muhammad Al-Baradei, whom the Muslim Brotherhood opted as a spokesman during the revolution to give themselves a more liberal image, was physically assaulted by the same Brothers during the constitutional referendum and was ejected from the political scene.
The Muslim Brothers made their formal entry into politics through the creation of a new party, Freedom and Justice, with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and by imitating the profile of the Turkish AKP (The same strategy was chosen in Tunisia with the Renaissance Party).
In this context, violent attacks were perpetrated against religious minorities. Thus two Coptic churches were burned. Far from punishing the aggressors, the Prime Minister offered them a guarantee: he dismissed the governor that he had appointed in the province of Qenna, the respected General Imad Mikhael, because he is a Coptic Christian and not a Sunni Muslim.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (CGC) clamored for a NATO intervention in Libya and sent the Saudi army and UAE police to crush the protest in Bahrain.
In Libya, the Sudairi transferred armed fighters into Cyrenaica pending the green light from France and Britain to start the insurrection against the government of Tripoli. They are the ones who distributed weapons and the red-black-green star and crescent flags, symbols of the Senoussi monarchy. Their goal is to get rid of troublemaker Gaddafi and restore Prince Mohammed on the throne of what was once the United Kingdom of Libya.
It was the Gulf Cooperation Council that was the first to call for military intervention against the government of Tripoli. At the Security Council, it was the Saudi delegation which led the diplomatic manoeuvres for the Arab League to endorse the attacks by Western armies.
Colonel Qaddafi for his part declared in several speeches that there was no revolution in Cyrenaica, but that his country was facing an Al-Qaeda destabilization operation; claims that wrongly elicited smiles and which were personally confirmed to his great embarrassment by General Carter F. Ham, U.S. AfriCom commander. In charge of the initial U.S. military operations before being supplanted by NATO, General Ham was surprised at having to choose his targets based on information from spies on the ground who were known to have fought against the Coalition forces in Afghanistan – in short, bin Laden’s men.
Bahrain, meanwhile, presents itself as an independent kingdom since 1971. In reality, it is still a territory dominated by the British. During their rule they had chosen a Khalifa as prime minister and the position has been maintained for 40 years continuously, from the fiction of independence up until today. This is a continuum which is not displeasing to the Sudairi.
King Hamad has granted an important concession to the United States, which established its Central Command and the Fifth Fleet naval headquarters in the port of Juffair. In these circumstances, the popular demand for constitutional monarchy would imply access to real independence, the end of British rule, and the departure of U.S. forces. Such a development would certainly have a domino effect in Saudi Arabia and threaten the foundations of the system.
The Sudairi convinced the king of Bahrain to bloodily crush the hopes of the population.
Guarantor of the established order, Prince Nayef has been the implacable Saudi Minister of the Interior and Information for the past 41 years.
On 13 March, U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates arrived in Manama to initiate the coordination of operations, which began with the entry of Saudi special forces, known as “Nayef Eagles”, under the command of Prince Nayef. Within days, all the symbols of protest were destroyed, including the public monument erected in Pearl Square. Hundreds of people died or went missing. Torture, which had been abandoned for almost a decade, was again widespread. Doctors and nurses who treated injured protesters were arrested in their hospitals, detained incommunicado, and brought before military tribunals.
But, the most important element in this terrible repression is the determination to transform a classic class struggle, between an entire population and a privileged class tied to foreign imperialism, into a sectarian conflict. The majority of Bahrainis are Shiites while the ruling family is Sunni. The Shias are seen as the vehicle of the revolutionary ideal of Ruhollah Khomeini, who was designated as a target. In one month, the "Nayef Eagles" razed 25 Shiite mosques and damaged 253 others.
21 of the main political protest leaders will soon be tried by a special court. They face the death penalty. More so than the Shiites, the monarchy is going after Ibrahim Sharif, the party chairman of the Wa’ad (a secular leftist party), whom they accuse of not playing by the rules because he is a Sunni Muslim.
Having failed to destabilize Iran, the Sudairi have concentrated their attacks against Syria.
The Destabilization of Syria
All the revolutions staged for the media have a logo. This is for the "Syrian Revolution 2011", which appeared on Facebook.
In early February, when the country had yet to experience any demonstration, a page titled “The Syrian Revolution 2011” was created on Facebook. It called for a "Day of Wrath” on Friday 4; the call was relayed by Al Jazeera, but did not resonate anywhere. Al Jazeera deplored the lack of reaction and stigmatized Syria as the “kingdom of silence” (sic).
The name “The Syrian Revolution 2011” is puzzling: it is in English and has the characteristic of an advertising slogan. But what genuine revolutionary would think that if he fails to realize his objectives in 2011, he would simply go back home?
Even stranger, on the day of its creation this Facebook page registered more than 80,000 friends. Such enthusiasm in a few hours, followed by nothing, suggests manipulation carried out with computer software that creates multiple accounts. Especially considering that the Syrians have a moderate level of internet use and have only had access to ADSL since January 1st.
The troubles began a month later in Deraa, a rural town located at the Jordanian border and a few miles from Israel. Vandals paid adolescents to tag anti-government graffiti on the walls of the city. Local police arrested the students and treated them as criminals to the annoyance of their families. Local notables who intended to settle the dispute were turned away by the governor. The young men were beaten. Furious, the families attacked the police station to set them free. The police responded with even more brutality, killing protesters.
President Bashar Al-Assad then intervened to punish the police and the governor – a cousin whom the President had appointed to Deraa, far from the capital, to keep him out of sight. An investigation was opened to shed light on the police killings. The officials responsible for the violence have been indicted and put under bail. Ministers have apologized and offered condolences to the victims’ families on behalf of the government, gestures which have been publicly accepted.
Everything should have returned to normal, but suddenly masked snipers stationed on rooftops fired on both the crowd and at police, plunging the city into chaos.
Taking advantage of the confusion, the gunmen went outside the city to attack a government building that houses the intelligence services responsible for the observation of the Syrian Golan Heights territory occupied by Israel. The security services fired back to defend the building and its archives. There were deaths on both sides.
This type of confrontation has recurred. People sought protection from the army responding to the attackers who stormed the city. Three thousand men and tanks were deployed to protect the inhabitants. Ultimately, a battle has pitted the infiltrated fighters against the Syrian army in a scenario similar to the Lebanese army siege on Nahr Al-Bared. Except this time, the international media has distorted the facts and accused the Syrian army of attacking the people of Deraa.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted in Lattakia, a port which has long been the home of criminal organizations that specialize in maritime smuggling. These individuals received arms and money from Lebanon. They vandalized the downtown. The police intervened. On presidential order, the police were armed only with batons. The gangsters then unleashed war weapons, killing dozens of unarmed policemen.
The same scenario was repeated in the neighboring town of Banias, a town of less importance, but which is much more strategic because it is home to the main oil refinery in the country. This time the police used their arms and the confrontation turned into a pitched battle.
Finally, individuals in Homs, a major city, came to participate at a mosque and called their fundamentalist followers to demonstrate against “the regime that is killing our brothers in Latakia.”
Reacting to the unrest, the Syrian population descended en masse to affirm its support for the Republic. Huge demonstrations, unprecedented in the history of the country, drew hundreds of thousands of people in Damascus, Aleppo, and Latakia to the cry of “God, Syria, Bashar!.”
While the clashes were intensifying in the localities concerned, the police managed to stop the fighters. According to their televised confessions, they were recruited, armed, and funded by a pro-Hariri MP in Lebanon, Jamal Jarrah, which he denies.
Jamal Jarrah is a friend of Prince Bandar. His name had been cited in the case of Fatah Al-Islam in Nahr Al-Bared. He is the cousin of Ziad Jarrah, a jihadist accused by the FBI of being responsible for the hijacking of Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. He is also the cousin of the Ali and Yousef Jarrah brothers, who were arrested by the Lebanese army in November 2008 for spying for Israel.
From London and Paris, Ali Saad-al-din Bayanouni (secretary general of the Syrian section of the Muslim Brotherhood) and Abdel-Halim Khaddam (former vice president of Syria) call for Bachar el-Assad’s overthrow.
Jamal Jarrah is a secret member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which he also denies. In 1982, the Brotherhood tried to seize power in Syria. They failed and became victims of a terrible repression. Since the amnesty proclaimed by President Bashar Al-Assad it was believed that these painful memories had been forgotten. On the contrary, this branch of the Brothers is now funded by the Sudairi. The role of the Banias Brotherhood in the clashes has now been acknowledged by all.
Allegedly, Jamal Jarrah also used Lebanese Hizb ut-Tahrir militants, an Islamist organization based in London and especially active in Central Asia. Hizb ut-Tahrir, which advocates non-violence, is accused of masterminding many attacks in the Ferghana Valley. It was with the intention of curbing this group that China began its rapprochement with Russia within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Despite much debate in the House of Commons about the group, its representatives in London have never been inconvenienced and they all occupy positions as high-level executives in Anglo-American multinationals.
Last year, Hizb ut-Tahrir opened a branch in Lebanon. On that occasion, it organized a conference to which foreign dignitaries were invited, including a Russian intellectual of international repute. During discussions, the organizers called for the establishment of an Islamic state, stating that Lebanese Shiites, Druze, and even some Sunnis are not real Muslims and should be expelled like the Christians. Flabbergasted by such outrageous remarks, the Russian guest promptly gave television interviews to disassociate himself from these fanatics.
At first, Syrian security forces appeared to be overwhelmed by events. Trained in the U.S.S.R., senior officers used force without worrying about the consequences on the population. But the situation was gradually reversed. President Bashar Al-Assad took control of the situation. He changed the government. He repealed the state of emergency and dissolved the State Security Court. He granted citizenship to thousands of Syrian Kurds who were historically denied citizenship because of a disputed census. In addition, he took a number of other measures, such as repealing the fines for late payment of public utilities (electricity, etc.). In doing so, he satisfied the main demands of the population and mitigated opposition. On the “Day of Rage” (Friday, May 6) the overall number of protesters in the country did not reach 50,000 people out of a population of 22 million.
Specifically, Mohammed Al-Sha’ar, the new interior minister, called for anyone who was involed in the riots to report voluntarily to the police and be granted amnesty in exchange for complete cooperation. Over 1,100 people responded. Within days, the principal conduits were dismantled and many weapons caches seized. After five weeks of violence, calm slowly returned to almost all the troubled cities.
Among the ringleaders identified and arrested, several were Israeli or Lebanese officers and one was a politician with close ties to Saad Hariri. This attempt at destabilization has a sequel.
Within the Saudi government, the Sudairi took advantage of King Abdallah’s illness to marginalize him. With U.S. and Israeli support, they thwarted the rapprochement between Abdallah and al-Assad and conduct the Arab counter-revolution.
An open conspiracy
What was originally a plot to overthrow the Syrian regime turned into open blackmail through destabilization. Realizing that the revolt was not picking up steam, the anti-Syrian Arab press shamelessly echoed the negotiations that were in progress.
They reported the visits of negotiators going to Damascus to present the requirements of the Sudairi. If we are to believe the newspapers, the violence will not stop until Bashar Al-Assad bends to two requirements:
break with Iran; and
stop supporting the resistance in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq.
International Propaganda
The Sudairi want a Western military intervention to end the Syrian resistance, along similar lines as the aggression which is unfolding in Libya. To do this, they mobilized propaganda specialists.
To everyone’s surprise, the satellite TV station Al Jazeera abruptly changed its editorial line. It is no secret that the station was created by David and Jean Frydman, the French billionaire brothers who were counsellors to Ytzakh Rabin and Ehud Barak. They wanted to create a medium that allowed a debate between Israelis and Arabs, since such a debate was forbidden by law in each of the countries concerned.
To set up the network, they called on the Emir of Qatar who initially acted as a cover. The drafting team was recruited among the BBC’s Arabic Service, so that from the beginning the majority of journalists were leading British MI6 agents.
However, the Emir took political control of the network, which became the working arm of his monarchy. For years, Al Jazeera has indeed played a role of appeasement by promoting dialogue and understanding in the region. But the network has also contributed to trivializing the Israeli system of apartheid, as if the violent methods emplyed by IDF were merely unfortunate blunders on the part of a basically acceptable regime, whereas they constitute the essence of the regime itself.
On the run, former president Ben Ali found asylum in Saudi Arabia with Prince Nayef.
Al Jazeera, whose coverage of the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt was outstanding, abruptly changed its editorial line with the Libyan case to become the mouthpiece of the Sudairi.
This about-face deserves an explanation. The attack on Libya was originally a Franco-British plan conceived in November 2010, i.e. well before the “Arab Spring,” in which the U.S. has been involved. Paris and London intended to settle scores with Tripoli and defend their colonial interests. Indeed, in 2005-2006, the Libya National Oil Company (NOC) had launched three international tenders for exploration and exploitation of its reserves, the largest in Africa. Colonel Gaddafi had imposed his own game rules on Western companies, forcing them to accept agreements that were hardly advantageous in their eyes. They even represented the less favourable contracts to multinationals worldwide. In addition, there were several disputes related to the cancellation of lucrative contracts for equipment and armament.
From the earliest days of the alleged Benghazi uprising, Paris and London set up the Transition National Council that France officially acknowledged as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. This Council has created a new oil company, the LOC, which was recognized by the international community at the London summit as the holder of the rights to the country’s hydrocarbons. During the gathering, it was decided that the marketing of oil stolen by the LOC would be done by ... Qatar, and that the contact group of allied states would henceforth meet in Doha.
According to Youssef Al-Qardawi, the liberation of Palestine is less important than the establishment of Sharia law.
On cue, tele-evangelist Youssef Al-Qardawi started howling for the overthrow of President Bashar Al-Assad on a daily basis. Sheikh Al-Qardawi is president of the International Union of Scholars and also of the European Council for Fatwa and Research. He is the icon of the Muslim Brotherhood and preaches for an original brand of Islam, a mix of U.S. “market democracy” and Saudi obscurantism: he recognizes the principle of elected officials provided they undertake to enforce the Sharia in its most limited interpretation.
Youssef Al-Qardawi was joined by Saudi cleric Saleh Al-Luhaidan who urged: “kill a third of Syrians so the other two-thirds may live” (sic). Kill one-third of the Syrian population? That would imply slaying the Christians, Jews, Shiites, Druze and Alawite. So that two-thirds may live? That would amount to establishing a Sunni state before it cleanses its own kind.
To date, only the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, appears to resist the seductive power of the Sudairi petro-dollars. Its leader, Khaled Meshaal, not without a moment’s hesitation, confirmed he would remain in exile in Damascus vowing his support for President Al-Assad. With the latter’s help, he preempted imperialist and Zionist plans by negotiating an agreement with Fatah’s Mahmoud Abbas.
Since March, Al-Jazeera, BBC Arabic, and Arabic France24 have turned into massive propaganda organs. By multiplying false testimonies and and manipulated images, they spin events to make the Syrian Republic look like the Tunisian regime of Ben Ali.
They have attempted to portray the Syrian army as a force of repression similar to the Tunisian police, one which does not hesitate to fire on peaceful citizens fighting for their freedom. These networks have even announced the death of a young soldier who refused to fire on his fellow citizens and was allegedly tortured to death by his superiors. In fact, the Syrian army is a conscript army, and the young soldier whose vital statistics had been published was actually on leave. In an interview with Syrian television, he affirmed his willingness to defend his country against foreign mercenaries.
Furthermore, these satellite channels have tried to portray several Syrian personalities as profiteers, just like Ben-Ali’s in-laws. They have focused their criticism on Rami Makhlouf, the richest man in the country, who is a cousin of President Al-Assad. They claimed that like the Tunisian model he demanded shares in all foreign companies wishing to do business in the country. This is absolutely unfounded and unimaginable in the Syrian context. In reality, Rami Makhlouf has enjoyed the confidence of President Al-Assad due to his role in establishing a cell phone network. Like anyone who has obtained such concessions in the world, he became a billionaire. The real question is whether or not they used their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of consumers. The answer is no: Syriatel offers the cheapest cellular phone rates in the world!
At any rate, the prize for lying goes to Al Jazeera. The network went so far as to present images of a demonstration of 40,000 people in Moscow calling for the end of Russia’s support for Syria. It was actually footage shot during the annual May 1 celebrations, in which the network had planted actors to make fake statements.
The Reorganization of Prince Bandar’s networks and the Obama Administration
The counter-revolution device used by the Sudairi is up against one difficulty. Until now Prince Bandar’s mercenaries had fought under the banner of Osama bin Laden, whether in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya or elsewhere. Initially considered an anti-communist, Bin Laden had gradually become anti-Western. His shift was influenced by the ideology of the Clash of Civilizations that was expounded by Bernard Lewis and popularized by his student Samuel Huntington. It experienced its era of glory with the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the War on Terrorism: Bandar’s men fomented disorder wherever the United States wanted to intervene.
In the current period, the image of the jihadists needs to be changed. They are now expected to fight alongside NATO, as they once fought alongside the CIA in Afghanistan against the Red Army. It is therefore advisable to revert to the pro-Western discourse of the past and to find a substitute for anti-communism. This will be the ideological task of Sheikh Youssef al-Qardawi.
To facilitate this makeover, Washington has announced the official death of Osama bin Laden. With their father figure gone, the mercenaries of Prince Bandar can be mobilized under a new banner.
This redistribution of roles is accompanied by a game of musical chairs in Washington.
General David Petraeus, who as commander of CENTCOM was to deal with the men of Bandar in the Middle East, became the director of the CIA. We must therefore expect an accelerated withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan and greater involvement of Bandar’s people in the secret operations of the CIA.
Leon Panetta, the outgoing director of the CIA, became the secretary of defence. According to the internal agreement of the U.S. ruling class, this post should be reserved for a member of the Baker-Hamilton Commission. Panetta, like Gates, was a member. In the case of new wars, he would limit ground deployment, except for Special Forces.
http://www.monju.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/NWO17.htm _________________ "Soon after the year 2000 has been written, a law will go forth from America whose purpose will be to suppress all individual thinking. This will not be the wording of the law, but it will be the intent" Rudolf Steiner: Gegenwärtiges und Vergangenes in Menschengeiste (The Present and the Past in the Human Spirit)
VOLTAIRE NETWORK | 2 JUNE 2011
FRANÇAIS ITALIANO PORTUGUÊS
Youssef Amrani was named General Secretary of the Union for the Mediterranean, an institution kept in abeyance from the outset and without leadership for four months.
The Union for the Mediterranean was created on the initiative of French president Nicolas Sarkozy, on 13 July 2008. It comprises 43 member States. Officially, it was launched for the purpose of re-revitalizing relations within the region. But, since that objective is already covered by the Barcelona Process, it becomes readily obvious that the actual aim was to associate Israel to consensual projects involving Arab States. Besides, this unnatural alliance offers attractive economic opportunities.
However, the dream was dampened by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza strip in December 2008.
On 26 January 2011, the Jordanian Secretary-General of the Union, Ahmad Massa’deh, tendered his resignation after one year of lusterless management style. The incongruity of having a Jordanian secretary general considering that the Hashemite Kingdom has no access to the sea is worthy of note.
Things went from bad to worse, in February, with the ouster and house arrest of Egyptian president Hosni Moubarak, who was co-chair of the UM.
Eventually, the Union for the Mediterranean was sunk by Nicolas Sarkozy himself when he promoted the war against Libya.
To this day the UM has yet to implement any of its ambitious projects, while having held a flurry of meetings to study their feasibility. The organization not only lavishly entertained high-level officials during these exotic meetings, but also squandered on posh offices, official cars and cushy allowances for an array of permanent staff. The founding meeting alone ran up a bill of 16.6 million euros, according to the French Court of Auditors. Inframed - the special fund set up to manage the UM projects - was initially endowed with 385 million euros. No financial report on what they were spent was ever released.
Three years after its inception the Union for the Mediterranean, having nothing to say, has still not dared to open a website.
The new MU Secretary General, Youssef Amrani, is also Secretary General of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a position not easy to decipher at a time when the Sherifian monarchy is about to join the (Persian ....) Gulf Cooperation Council. _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Sahih Muslim, Book 41. (Turmoil And Portents Of The Last Hour) Hadith Number 7015.
He would then search for him (Dajjal) until he would catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd and would kill him. Then a people whom Allah had protected would come to Jesus, son of Mary, and he would wipe their faces and would inform them of their ranks in Paradise and
and it would be under such conditions that Allah would reveal to Jesus these words: I have brought forth from amongst My servants such people against whom none would be able to fight; you take these people safely to Tur, and then Allah would send Gog and Magog and they would swarm down from every slope. The first of them would pass the lake of Tibering(Tiberius) and drink out of it. And when the last of them would pass, he would say: There was once water there.
So according to sahih Hadith , After Jesus(pbuh) returns in this and kills the dajjal then the gog and magog will be released .
Russia has lost by Taliban, it cant be magog . usa is also loosing in the hand of taliban , inshaALLAH very very soon , they will completely loose .
Usa cannot be gog/magog . according to hadith gog and magog has not yet released , but they will soon be released.
i still love and respect Sheikh Imran Hossein . he is someone who tells the truth .
but we are human being and we are bound to make mistakes .
Thats why we need concrete evidence . For the 40 days of dajjal the way imran hossein has explained do not go against any Sahih Hadith . So i have no problem i accepting that
Uploaded by nsuenv on 22 Jun 2010
This is Part 11 and this is the final part
of Sheikh Imran Hosein' Lecture - Imam Al-Mahdi & the Return of the Caliphate
the rest of the lecture is in http://www.youtube.com/user/mycutelittlepandas this channel
_________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Monday June 27,2011
By Martyn Brown
Have your say(12)
ALMOST three-quarters of Germans doubt that the euro has a future, a poll reveals.
They also believe rescue attempts are futile as billions more euros will be paid to bail out Greece.
A poll by German newspaper, the Frankfurter Allgemeine, found 71 per cent had “doubt,” “no trust” or thought there is “no future” for the euro. Only 19 per cent expressed “confidence” in it.
Sixty eight per cent said they did not think the emergency bail out of Greece would work.
A separate poll last week showed more than half of Germans thought that Greece should be thrown out of the euro.
Rumours are also rife in Germany that Deutsche Mark bank notes are being printed again in preparation for ditching the euro.
It is said Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank, has been ordered to print marks as part of contingency plans to leave Europe’s single currency.
The Bundesbank has been ordered to print marks
This would be an extraordinary step for Germany and would deepen the growing divide between Europe’s leading states.
Since its introduction in 1999, the euro has had a tough time trying to win over a sceptical German public, who saw the mark – one of the world’s most stable currencies – as a symbol of post-war prosperity, second only to the US dollar as the reserve option for investors.
Chancellor Angela Merkel now faces her biggest crisis. The opposition is speculating her government may fall as Germans become more vocal in their opposition to bailing out Greece. _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Uploaded by hijazna on Aug 16, 2009
Shah of Iran interviewed on various topics, including: his country's prosperity; the UK's possible oil prosperity & current crisis; how the UK doesn't work hard enough.
Date: 28/01/1974
check out my website at: http://www.arabia2day.com
_________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Uploaded by RussiaToday on Jul 30, 2011
The biggest wave of protest rallies in years is due to start shortly in Israel. Demonstrators will take to the streets in seven cities across the country. And activists hope the rally in Tel Aviv alone will attract half-a-million people. Thousands have been camping out across the country for about a week now, calling for social justice and for Prime Minister Netanyahu to go. RT's Paula Slier is in Tel Aviv
RT on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RT_com
RT on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RTnews
'Future is up to us': Israel protest gathers 150,000
Uploaded by RussiaToday on Jul 31, 2011
Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in seven cities across Israel, and their social slogans are rapidly being replaced by the calls for the government to step down. The biggest rally is underway in Tel Aviv with around 150,000 people having gathered at the "Tahrir Square of Israel." Police have arrested several activists who were blocking roads in the centre of Tel Aviv, calling for Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to quit over government policies.
RT on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RT_com
RT on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RTnews
_________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Uploaded by fazzamin on 29 Jan 2011
English subtitles
-------------------------------------------------------
Allahu Akbar!
Jeneral, R.T.M.
I start my talk with «Bismillah», «La ilaha illa Allah», «Muhammad Rassoul Allah».
I've come alone and unarmed, but my heart is overflowing with faith.
In my mind there are a lot of words (to say), a lot of dreams (to perform) and I think about many things.
I beg mercy for those who died as a Shahid
From Dorra (the little boy who was killed by Jews in Palestine) to Saddam Hussein (in Tunisia some people consider him to be a Shahid),
For those who sacrificed themselves and called for the victory of Islam.
If it were in my hands, I'd sacrifice my blood and cross the border (of Tunisia to go to war with my brothers)
And I'd hold hand in hand with them and stop only when death overtook me.
I'd like to go forward at least one step. Enough for us to remain motionless!
Enough! What a long time we've been hiding the truth and have been forgetting about the rights of The One to Whom we worship.
Arab, Muslims, with hot blood,
I'm an adherent of my religion, the Qur'an and the Messenger.
If you live happy life, with peace in mind, without any trouble,
I want you to remember that there are others besides you, who have been crushed by life.
Arab, Muslims, the same like you, who lives in humiliation.
Until when will you be silent, looking at injustice?
***
Allahu Akbar! The banner of Islam always comes first!
Allahu Akbar! Shahid (I aspire to be a Shahid): nothing but death can stop me!
Allahu Akbar! In all sincerity I shout «Allahu Akbar!», «Allahu Akbar!»
***
I'll fight you with my songs, neither with weapon, nor with baguette (so-called revolution of bread in 1984).
Today I have chosen to be a Mujahid: either victory or death of a Shahid.
With words «Allahu Akbar» and «Islam is above all» none can get on my way.
I obey only Allah.
How long, brother, will they control us, rule us and sit on our necks?
How long will we be silent, won't talk and not feel?
My dream is to see Arabs who fight along with the Muslims army
Until liberation, on Jihad, until death.
And when I die as a Shahid, I'll be pleased with myself, lying in the ground.
Enough to shoot us, to exterminate on people!
Arabs have become slaves, and Jews - lords.
They've done what they wanted, insulted the Prophet, burned the Qur'an,
But Arabs remain silent, and people talk about this (in vain).
It's time for us to unite, to join our hands
And with words «Allahu Akbar» to live like Muslims till the Judgement Day.
***
Allahu Akbar! The banner of Islam always comes first!
Allahu Akbar! Shahid (I aspire to be a Shahid): nothing but death can stop me!
Allahu Akbar! In all sincerity I shout «Allahu Akbar!», «Allahu Akbar!»
***
My heart has been grieving about Iraq and Palestine for many years.
We see injustice and humiliation.
Where are you, Arabs, Muslims
When you see, that small children are shot, the rulers line their pockets,
And Jews rule the world from West to East?
Look what is happening now!
The Arabs suffer humiliations, insults,
We're being treated like a puppet on a string,
We've been robbed, they've made "a pot- belly" (on our money),
We've been exploited, and then thrown out.
We've been misled by using temptations.
Our young men adore all that Allah has forbidden
They liked Marilyn Manson
And have forgotten about the Quds and Baghdad.
But these remains in the past, the glory of Arabs will revive tomorrow.
The holy book «Qur'an» is the law for us!
I'll lift the banner of Islam only!
Today I declare war with «Bismillaah», «Allahu Akbar»
Against those who rejected Islam, those who have insulted and humiliated (us).
Insha Allah, I'll be one of those Shahids about whom it's told in the Qur'an.
There is the light of Allah on my brow, and my heart is armed with faith.
***
Allahu Akbar! The banner of Islam always comes first!
Allahu Akbar! Shahid (I aspire to be a Shahid): nothing but death can stop me!
Allahu Akbar! In all sincerity I shout «Allahu Akbar!», «Allahu Akbar!»
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Allahuakbar!" Song of the Tunisian revolution by Tunisian Muslim Youth by El General. NOTE: This is not a Nahda Productions production and nor do we necessarily condone all the content and styles used. Rather we showcase this video which is all over the Tunisian Social media scene. It shows the raw love of the Tunisian Muslim youth for their islam. This is a sharp reposte to anyone who claims that the revolution has nothing to do with Islam. This is the CLEAREST answer possible: The youth here are talking about their love of islam, repeatedly say "Allahuakbar" and talking of Islamic liberation and jihad. Videos posted initially on Facebook.
All I can add is oh dear more racist Nationalism. What is wrong with just being Nationalist? Like what is wrong with pride in your homeland? I'm proud that I can converse with folk from all over the globe, find common ground and get on.
Saw a slew of Hate from Europe on u-ube yesterday hmm maybe I should move to the wilds of Scotland after all? :0 _________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Uploaded by RussiaToday on Aug 3, 2011
Egypt's ousted President Hosni Mubarak is on trial for corruption and ordering the killing of some 840 people during February uprisings, a charge that could incur the death penalty . Outside the courtroom in the capital, Cairo Mubarak's supporters clashed with his opponents. 1 person was killed, a further 15 were injured as each side hurled rocks and bottles at the other. Well Egyptians are slowly losing hope that they'll see the benefits of their own revolution. William Engdahl, who's written extensively on Egypt's uprising, says the people fell prey to a game of politics.
_________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Uploaded by RussiaToday on Aug 2, 2011
Bashar Assad's main headache now is the unseen coalition of the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel, which sees the Syrian regime as one of Iran's major Middle East partners. That's according to former Pentagon officer Michael Maloof, who gave his insight into the situation in the protest-torn country.
If anyone out there has converted the book (written by William Stanley Moss entitled "Gold is where you hide it: What happened to the Reichsbank treasure" and published by Andre Deutsch, London, 1956) into an e-book, please post it to me.
_________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Uploaded by 91177info on 5 Mar 2012
This is what Netanyahu said to Obama. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says the U.S. and Israel stand together on security and against Iran.
_________________ 'Come and see the violence inherent in the system.
Help, help, I'm being repressed!'
“The more you tighten your grip, the more Star Systems will slip through your fingers.”
Subtitle: Crisis of Civilization Podcast: Episode 1
Summary: During a screening of The Crisis of Civilization in Cambridge, Dean Puckett and Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed had a one hour, in-depth chat about the current situation in Syria, Libya and Iran – and about the West’s response to the Arab Spring.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum