"The strength of a civilization is not measured by its ability to fight wars, but rather by its ability to prevent them." - Gene Roddenberry
"Next
the statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the
nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those
conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and
refuse to examine any refutations of them." - Mark Twain (1835-1910), American author and satirist
"Lying
and war are always associated. Listen closely when you hear a
war-maker try to defend his current war: If he moves his lips he's
lying." - Philip Berrigan (1923-2002), American peace activist and former Roman Catholic priest
"If the Nuremberg laws were applied, then every post-war American president would have been hanged." - Noam Chomsky
"War is the health of a totalitarian state. And peace is its disease." - Norman Mailer
A man visiting a graveyard saw a tombstone that read: “Here lies John Smith, a lawyer and an honest man.”
“How about that!” he exclaimed. “They’ve got three people buried in one grave.”
“How about that!” he exclaimed. “They’ve got three people buried in one grave.”
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Just weeks ago the kids in this image were gassed to death in their sleep. There is one peaceful way to stop these massacres - if Iran and the US sit down to talks and bring the warring parties to the table to get a ceasefire. For the first time the two Presidents are showing dialogue is possible. Let's tell them the world wants talks to start saving lives now! Sign up:  |
Syria's bloody war has been fuelled by rivalry between Iran, Assad's main backer, and the US and their allies. But this vile chemical attack has changed their discourse: Iran’s new moderate president condemned the gassing and Obama signalled he'd work with "anybody" to resolve the conflict. Let's urgently call on both leaders to sit down to talks and bring the warring parties together before any more lives are lost.
Right now, the global drums of war are beating over Syria, but if enough of us make sure Rouhani and Obama know the world wants bold diplomacy, we could end the nightmare for thousands of terrified Syrian children under threat of new gas attacks. We have no time to lose. Click now to join this urgent call -- when we reach one million signers we will deliver the petition directly to the two presidents:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/solution_for_syria_loc/?binitdb&v=28858
Syria’s the most brutal war of our generation, and this chemical attack on innocent civilians is the worst our world has seen in 30 years. The world has a responsibility to protect Syrians from extermination, but for two years the international community has been shamefully gridlocked and has failed the innocent victims. Now, despite overwhelming evidence that Assad’s forces launched the attack, Syria’s backers have sown doubt and, wary of war, the world is unsure about a humanitarian intervention. These talks are a new chance to stop the bloodshed.
It's always been believed that the US would never talk to Iran and that Iran would never help the US solve the Syrian crisis, but current evidence points to change and hope. President Obama may launch strikes, but he has no public support for a longer war, and he is looking for a way out of a sustained conflict. And 130 members of the US Congress are calling on President Obama to talk with Iran. A massive global public push for diplomacy right now could push Obama towards talks.
Iran's former President Ahmadinejad spent billions supplying cash and weapons to the Assad regime. But the new President Rouhani was elected on a ticket to build bridges with the West and favours a political settlement with the Syrian opposition. The chemical attack is eroding Iranian public support for Assad, rekindling painful memories of Iraq’s gas attacks on Iran, and insiders say pressure is building to reconsider Iran's support for Assad. This could be a tipping point to bring Rouhani to the table.
Talks won't stop the horror overnight, but there is no quick and easy solution. We urgently need to get started on a path that can stop the killing of innocent children and bring the world closer together rather than tear us further apart. Let’s get the US and Iran to start talks now:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/solution_for_syria_loc/?binitdb&v=28858
A roadmap has already been put in motion for a Syrian peace process in Geneva, but this is the first time there could be the political will to overlook all the differences and sit down. Iran is the only country in the world with sufficient influence in Syria to push the regime to the table. And the US, with its Middle East allies, can push the opposition to sit down.
It took the horror of the Second World War to get the United Nations and the Declaration of Human Rights. Maybe the horror of Syria might finally push the US and Iran, and their moderate presidents, to address longstanding differences and build the basis for a more lasting peace for Syria and the region, with consequences for a host of global issues from nuclear proliferation to peace in Israel and Palestine. Our community has stood by the Syrian people from the very beginning. Now they need us more than ever. Let's give it our best shot.
With hope,
Alice, Luis, Ian, Emily, Bissan, Antonia, Ricken, Lisa, Mais and the whole Avaaz team
PS - Many Avaaz campaigns are started by members of our community! Start yours now and win on any issue - local, national or global: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?bgMYedb&v=23917
More information:
Syria Offers Opportunity For US-Iran Talks (Al Monitor)
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/08/syria-opportunity-iran-us-talks.html
Drawing a Line on Syria, U.S. Keeps Eye on Iran Policy (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/world/middleeast/drawing-a-line-on-syria-us-eyes-iran-talks.html?ref=world&_r=1&
No, Iran Doesn't Need Assad (The Atlantic)
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/09/no-iran-doesn-t-need-assad/279340/
For Syria’s sake, end Iran’s isolation (Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/03/for-syria-sake-end-iran-isolation
Iran ex-president says Syria government launched gas attacks: news agency (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/01/us-syria-crisis-iran-rafsanjani-idUSBRE98007R20130901
Over 130 Reps. Sign Bipartisan Dent-Price Letter to President Urging Diplomacy on Iran
http://price.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3439:over-130-reps-sign-bipartisan-dent-price-letter-to-president-urging-diplomacy-on-iran&catid=100:press-releases
Iran's Rouhani acknowledges chemical weapons killed people in Syria (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/24/us-syria-crisis-iran-idUSBRE97N06P20130824
Can Syrian Chemical Weapons Issue Lead to US-Iran Opening? (Al Monitor)
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/08/week-in-review-chemical-weapons-possible-us-strike-on-syria.html#ixzz2drRWTAPx
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the only thing good in you ..........is ME.
Do you fucking get it NOW.....da ja vous the french revolt the giuettine you wealthy cockroaches had better scatter mos tic else face the peoples wrath!! expect US
Telling It Like It Is
Putin Calls Kerry a Liar on Syria
By David Jackson
Putin called Obama Secretary of State John Kerry a liar over Kerry's testimony this week before Congress.
Russia Releases Key Findings on Chemical Attack Near Aleppo Indicating Similarity With Rebel-made Weapons
By RT
Samples
taken at the site of the March 19 attack and analyzed by Russian
experts indicate that a projectile carrying the deadly nerve agent
sarin was most likely fired at Khan al-Assal by the rebels.
Senate Panel Votes To Make Regime Change The Goal Of Syria Mission
By Dylan Scott
The
Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted by voice vote Wednesday two
amendments by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to the resolution authorizing
military action in Syria that would make it the goal of the mission to
"change the momentum on the battlefield in Syria."
Obama Will Not Get Away With a Syria Strike On My Watch
By Rand Paul
In 1971,
Secretary of State John Kerry famously questioned: "How can you ask a
man to be the last one to die for a mistake?" I would ask Secretary
Kerry how can you ask a man to be the first one to die for a mistake?
A Syrian Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
By William Boardman
In a
fundamentally cowardly Congress, members are unlikely to oppose this
kind of threat to the national interest, especially now that they
getting their egos stroked by the White House.
Follow The Money
Arab Countries Willing To Pay for US Attack On Syria : Kerry Says
Video
Secretary
of State John Kerry told a House committee that countries in the
Mideast regions are dedicated to an American attack on Syria and
offered to pay for it.
US Is Not 'Al-Qaeda's Air Force': Sen. Ted Cruz
1 Minute Video
Cruz noted that of the nine major rebel groups, seven have ties to Al-Qaeda.
Russia Warns of Nuclear Disaster if Syria is Attacked
By RT
Russia's
Foreign Ministry urged the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
to complete a risk evaluation as the US continues to seek support for
military action.
The High Cost Of Saving Face For Obama
By Paul Craig Roberts
The credibility of the Israel Lobby and the neoconservatives will be lost unless America again commits a war crime.
Attacks Against Syria:
Another Illegal War Based on Manipulation and False Pretenses?
By Rodrigue Tremblay
Each time
a government is circulating photos of dead babies to justify a
military aggression, one has to ask if this is not part of a campaign
of artful disinformation to manipulate public opinion.
Which Americans Will Arrive First To Syria?
By Franklin Lamb
Will 1000 American 'human shields' stop another criminal war?
Syria in the Cross-hairs
Making the World Safe for Banksters
By Ellen Hodgson Brown
Iraq and
Libya have been taken out, and Iran has been heavily boycotted. Syria
is now in the cross-hairs. Why? Here is one overlooked scenario.
Lawlessness and Ruin in Libya
By Patrick Cockburn
Libya has plunged unnoticed into its worst political and economic crisis since the defeat of Gaddafi.
If The Nuremberg Laws Were Applied...
By Noam Chomsky
If the Nuremberg laws were applied, then every post-war American president would have been hanged.
Tell Obama, Peace Not War in Syria!
Take Action Now!
Join us in telling Obama that violent intervention in Syria is not the answer to resolving the conflict.
Act Now! - Say No To War On Syria
By ICH
Here's the Best Way to Tell Congress Your Opinion on Syria.
Margaret Heffernan: The Dangers of "Willful Blindness"
Must Watch - Video
In a talk that's part history lesson, part call-to-action, Margaret Heffernan demonstrates the danger of "willful blindness"
Oslo Dead but Still Matters:
Abbas's Village Leagues and Palestinian Silence
By Ramzy Baroud
Suppose
several armored vehicles belonging to a branch of the Palestinian
Authority raided an Israeli border village at the eve of a new round of
peace negotiations.
Privacy Is Dead
US and UK Spy Agencies Defeat Privacy and Security on the Internet
By James Ball, Julian Borger and Glenn Greenwald
NSA and GCHQ unlock encryption used to protect emails, banking and medical records.
Welcome To Police State USA
Police Beat Man and Knock his Teeth Out
Video
Long beach police beat man and knock his teeth out he is not resisting and still gets tasered.
Hard News
Bush- Blair Legacy Continues
As Iraq unrest surges, 33 more killed:
Attacks
around Baghdad and north Iraq left 33 people dead on Wednesday,
including 18 members of a Shia family killed by militants, the latest
in a nationwide surge of violence.
Al-Qaida-linked Syria rebels hit Christian village:
Rebels
commandeered a mountaintop hotel in the village of Maaloula and shelled
the community below, said a nun, speaking by phone from a convent in
the village.
VERY GRAPHIC - Al-Qaida cuts off heads of 2 men:
The man
in the footage states that the men were cooperating with the regime.
Activists from Aleppo city reported that the execution took place at
the end of August near the al-Dweiraniya village of eastern Reef
Aleppo.
UK has new Syria chemical evidence - David Cameron:
"We have
just been looking at some samples taken from Damascus in the Porton
Down laboratory in Britain which further shows the use of chemical
weapons in that Damascus suburb," he told Nick Robinson.
Putin Says Kerry Lied About Al Qaeda Role in Syria:
Russian
President Vladimir Putin accused U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry of
lying to Congress over the presence of militant group al Qaeda in
Syria. Mr. Putin said Mr. Kerry had lied by telling Congress that al
Qaeda-linked forces don't have a role in the fight against the regime
of President Bashar al-Assad.
Propaganda alert:
Kerry: Syrian rebels have not been hijacked by extremists:
Extremist
groups make up between 15% and 25% of the rebels fighting Syrian
leader Bashar Assad, but moderate forces are growing stronger as a
result of support from regional allies, Secretary of State John Kerry
told Congress on Wednesday.
75,000 troops needed to secure chemical weapons if Damascus falls:
A recent
congressional report says 75,000 troops would be needed to safeguard
the WMD caches. The Congressional Research Center (CRS) report, was
compiled with the aim of "responding to possible scenarios involving
the use, change of hands, or loss of control of Syrian chemical
weapons."
Even Obama Agrees: There's No Imminent Threat From Syria:
That's
about as plain as it can get: There's no imminent threat in Syria. What
about an "actual" threat? Given that Syria is not to strike the U.S.
unless the U.S. strikes first, one could reasonably argue that military
action is more likely to create an actual threat than to prevent it.
THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN'T HAVE THE VOTES:
ABC News
has completed whip counts of both the U.S. Senate and House of
Representatives and our reporting at this stage has led to one
undeniable conclusion: After this week's full court press by the Obama
administration, the president does not yet have the votes to authorize
the military strike on Syria
Act Now! - Say No To War On Syria:
Here's the Best Way to Tell Congress Your Opinion on Syria.
Russia Boosts Mediterranean Force as U.S. Mulls Syria Strike:
Russia is
sending two destroyers, including the Nastoichivy, the flagship of the
Baltic Fleet, and the Moskva missile cruiser to the region, Interfax
reported today
Russian Ships 'Able to React' in Case of Syria Escalation:
"Today we
consider our presence in the eastern Mediterranean to be sufficient to
solve the tasks. If necessary, together with submarine forces, they
(the ships) are capable even today of influencing a military
situation," a general staff source told the Interfax news agency.
What a load of bull!
Syria creates a Russian safe zone, civilian danger zones:
Syria's
military is preparing for a U.S. strike by dispersing its forces into
apartment buildings, schools and mosques, and may be hiding its most
valuable assets inside a Russian naval base, betting that U.S. missiles
will avoid it.
Shelling of Russian Embassy in Damascus 'Barbaric Act' -
Moscow: -
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned, as a "barbaric act,"
the shelling earlier that day of the country's embassy in Damascus.
Christians in Middle East: U.S. attack on Syria would be detrimental:
"There
is major consensus amongst the Christian leaders in this region that
any military intervention would have a detrimental effect ... on
Christians in Syria," wrote Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general/CEO of
World Evangelical Alliance, in a letter to the State Department
A letter from Trappist nuns in Syria: "Blood fills our streets, our eyes, our hearts":
Will the
Nobel Peace Prize winner drop his sentence of war onto us? Despite all
justice, all common sense, all mercy, all humility, all wisdom?
John Kerry's Morally, Linguistically, and Historically Obscene Case for War in Syria:
I counted
at least seven moments that qualified in my judgment as obscene,
exposing along the way the administration's empty and contradictory
arguments for air-mailing death upon a regime that does not pose a
direct threat in the United States
Flashback: A Rare Broadcast of John Kerry's 1971 Speech Against the Vietnam War Before the Senate -
The young
Vietnam veteran says: "Someone has to die so that President Nixon
won't be, and these are his words, "the first President to lose a
war... how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How
do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
Iran says US will suffer if Syria is attacked:
Allegations
that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons last month are a
"pretext" by the West to attack the country, Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.
Exposing propaganda:
U.S. Missiles and 'Pinpoint Accuracy': CNN-cruise-missile-accuracy:
Whenever war is near, you can count on U.S. media to tout the lethal efficiency of U.S. weapons. Now is no different.,
Ex-World Leaders Urge U.S. to Forego Military Attack on Syria
The
United States, which is preparing to launch a military strike on Syria,
is being cautioned by several former world leaders and Nobel Peace
laureates to seek a political solution to the ongoing crisis - and
forego armed intervention in the beleaguered Middle Eastern nation.
Obama visits Swedish synagogue, alludes to Syrian crisis:
The
American president drew a line between the heroism of Swedish diplomat
Raoul Wallenberg who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust and
the need to act in Syria.
Iranian president tweets Rosh Hashanah greeting:
Rouhani,
considered by some to be a relative reformer, took to his Twitter
account to say, "As the sun is about to set here in #Tehran I wish all
Jews, especially Iranian Jews, a blessed Rosh Hashanah."
Nigeria: 20 killed as council, schools and clinic razed by Boko Haram:
No fewer
than 20 people were feared dead, several others sustained injuries with
the setting ablaze of Nganzai Local Government Area Secretariat, two
primary schools, a clinic and some residential houses
Egypt's Minister Mohammed Ibrahim survives bomb attack:
The
explosion took place at about 10:30 local time (08:30 GMT). Mr Ibrahim
told state television that his convoy was targeted by a "large"
explosive device that might have been detonated by remote control. "It
destroyed four of the vehicles of my protection team, along with a
vehicle of civilians and a small child who had a leg amputated," he
said.
Libyan police unit admits kidnapping ex-spy chief's daughter:
The chaos
at the heart of the Libyan government was underlined on Thursday when
it admitted its own security forces had kidnapped the daughter of
Muammar Gaddafi's former spy chief from police custody this week.
US murders 3 people in Pakistan:
A pair of
missiles launched by a suspected U.S. drone killed at least three
"foreign militants" in an abandoned seminary near Pakistan's border
with Afghanistan on Saturday, Pakistani intelligence officials said.
Afghan police kill 2 militants in shootout at mosque:
Details
were sketchy in the immediate hours after the clash Thursday, but the
national intelligence service released a video showing the bloodied
bodies of the alleged militants, who wore police uniforms.
This is a sick joke:
General: 'Conditions Are Set' to Win Afghan War:
The No. 2
American commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday he believes the stage
has been set for winning the war, but hard fighting lies ahead for
Afghan forces now suffering heavy casualties.
Manning Seeks Presidential Pardon in WikiLeaks Case:
The U.S.
soldier convicted of providing secret files to WikiLeaks in the biggest
breach of classified materials in the nation's history has asked for a
presidential pardon, supporters said on Wednesday.
Brazil's Rousseff wants U.S. apology for NSA spying: -
Furious
about a report that the U.S. government spied on her private
communications, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff may cancel a planned
White House visit and downgrade commercial ties unless she receives a
public apology, a senior Brazilian official told Reuters
Brazil Said to Cancel Trip to U.S. to Prepare Meeting With Obama:
Brazilian
authorities have canceled a trip to Washington that was designed to
prepare for President Dilma Rousseff's state visit next month in
response to charges the U.S. spied on the South American nation.
Mexican President Says NSA Spying Illegal, Demands Investigation:
Pena Nieto demanded the United States investigate the allegations aired in a report Sunday night on Brazil's Globo TV.
Drug Agents Have an NSA-Style Spying Problem:
The Drug
Enforcement Administration's secret Hemisphere Project, news of which
broke this week, allows drug law enforcement agencies broad access to
billions of AT&T phone records going back a quarter century-to
1987.
In a world gone crazy:
Springfield barricade: John Geer killed in police shooting:
"A police
officer came up to me and said, 'You need to get out of the area right
now,'" said another neighbor, Scott Dowling, who walked out of his
home and snapped a picture of a heavily-armed officer poised to react.
Police Need to Be Held Accountable for Attacks on the Disabled:
Robert
Saylor, a 26-year-old man with Down Syndrome, died after being put in
handcuffs by officers outside of a movie theater. That's only one of
dozens of recent incidents.
Family of Man Shown Being Beaten by Long Beach Police Plans to Sue:
Family
members said Santos-Lopez was recovering from surgery in the hospital.
The family plans to sue Long Beach Police Department, according to
Santos-Lopez's wife, Lee Ann Hernandez.
Dashcam shows cops fighting -
Bergen County Police vs NJ State Police on Turnpike, 2013 - Video
Three Walmart Workers Arrested As 15-City Strike Kicks Off:
Organizers and activists are calling for a minimum annual salary of $25,000 for full-time employees.
btw..............
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Naomi Klein: Green groups may be more damaging than climate change deniers
The "No Logo" author explains how environmentalists may be more damaging to their cause than climate change deniers
disaster capitalism in action.......the pure shock and awe of "Shock Doctrine"
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