Link: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/09/u-s-military-loosens-rules-on-women-in-combat-units/

The US military opened up some dangerous jobs to female troops but stopped short of repealing a ban on women serving in combat, despite a decade of war where women fought and died on the battlefield.
The Pentagon announced incremental changes that will allow women to serve in more than 14,000 jobs, mostly in the Army and Marine Corps, that had previously been closed to female service members.

Link: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/index.php/news/2012/02/09/british-qatari-troops-already-waging-sec

British and Qatari troops are directing rebel ammunition deliveries and tactics in the bloody battle for Homs, according to an Israeli website known for links to intelligence sources. - Four centers of operation have been established in the city with the troops on the ground paving the way for an undercover Turkish military incursion into Syria.

Link: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/index.php/news/2012/02/09/food-prices-soaring-in-iran-as-us-sancti

Every new round of sanctions takes a toll on the civilian economy of Iran and, increasingly, soaring food prices.Corn and rice shipments are down, This has fueled inflation, unemployment.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29183

The volatile situation in Syria generated by the Saudi-Qatar-funded Wahhabi armed group known as the Free Syrian Army and backed by the West is now an accident waiting to happen.To this end, the events in Syria must be so choreographed that they should lead to the overthrow of Assad regime and consequently "result in a strategic debacle for the Iranian government."

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6688

“Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force — military force — in international relations, force that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts. As a result we do not have sufficient strength to find a comprehensive solution to any one of these conflicts. Finding a political settlement also becomes impossible. We are seeing a greater and greater disdain for the basic principles of international law. And independent legal norms are, as a matter of fact, coming increasingly closer to one state’s legal system. One state and, of course, first and foremost the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way.”-Vladimir Putin. China and Russia are well aware of the fact that they are targets of the Anglo-American alliance. Their mutual fears of encirclement have brought them together.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29196

Russian ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin held a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels and, as quoted by Novosti, maintained that: “Russian intelligence had obtained information indicating that the Georgian military infrastructure could be used for logistical support of U.S. troops if they launched an attack on Iran.‘This is another reason why Washington values Saakashvili’s regime so highly,’ Rogozin said, adding that the United States had already started ‘active military preparations on Georgia’s territory’ for an invasion of Iran.‘Georgia’s president is ready to make his nation a virtual hostage of a risky military gamble,’ he said.”

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29169

On February 7 Argentine President Cristina Fernandez accused Britain of militarizing the South Atlantic Ocean by deploying a cutting-edge warship and a nuclear-powered submarine off the coast of the Falklands Islands, known to Argentina and the rest of Latin America as Las Malvinas. She pledged to seek assistance at the United Nations to remove British military forces from the region, warning that the heightened British military presence risks a potential clash between the two countries.

Link: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/syri-f09.shtml

The reality, however, is that to make the case for regime change in Syria, the League, currently chaired by Qatar and politically dominated by the US-aligned Gulf monarchies, had to terminate its own observer mission and squelch its report.The report was suppressed because the 166-member observer mission found that violence in Syria was abating, the Syrian government was complying with most of the Arab League’s requirements and the ruling Baathists were faced with an armed insurrection. Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia, played the instrumental role in burying the report, and cutting short the mission, because they are arming the opposition forces and arguing for direct military intervention to depose Assad.The United States, France and Britain, working in collusion with the Gulf States and Turkey, to fuel a civil war and prepare for the installation of a pro-Western Sunni government hostile to Iran.

Link: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/pers-f08.shtml

The Russian-Chinese veto of a UN resolution paving the way for intervention in Syria has provoked a furious reaction from the United States and its imperialist allies.They see the US posturing as the champion of democracy and human rights as a campaign of aggression aimed at transforming Iran and Syria—both key trading partners with Moscow and Beijing—into neo-colonial puppet states.The “principles” underlying the US initiative—that the major imperialist powers have the right to depose the governments of former colonial countries they deem guilty of violating human rights—stand in contradiction to international law.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29153

44 US military bases surrounding Iran... Washington has made tremendous preparations for a military assault on Iran. There is speculation that Washington has called off its two longest running wars--Iraq and Afghanistan--in order to deploy forces against Iran. Two of Washington’s fleets have been assigned to the Persian Gulf along with NATO warships. Missiles have been spread amongst Washington’s Oil Emirate and Middle Eastern puppet states. US troops have been deployed in Israel and Kuwait.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29161

The West has sped up efforts against Syria after the double veto by China and Russia over the UN Security Council resolution. Russia has sent its envoy to the country.Though China has a less direct stake in Syria than Russia, the collapse of Syria will result in the West further controlling the Middle East, and Iran taking direct strategic pressure from the West. If war broke out in Iran, China would have to rely more on Russia for energy, bringing new uncertainty to the Sino-Russian strategic partnership.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29146

Two senior administration officials told CNN that “options are being prepared in the event President Barack Obama was to call for them.” Support for opposition groups and outright military strikes are among the options being looked at.This type of planning exercise is typical for the Pentagon, which would not want to be in the position of not having options for the president, if and when they are asked for, both officials told CNN. One of them called the effort a “scoping exercise,” with Pentagon looking into what capabilities are available given other US military commitments in the region.

Link: http://wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/iran-f08.shtml

The danger of a US/Israeli attack on Iran was made clear in comments by US President Barack Obama to NBC News on Sunday. Obama not only repeated the mantra that “all options are on the table,” but added that the US was working with Israel “in lockstep as we proceed to try to solve this

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29149

According to an unconfirmed statement by a senior Iranian military official, reported by the Middle East and Israeli press, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard special forces (Quds) Kassam Salimani, was in Damascus on February 6 for top level consultations regarding military support as well as the possible dispatch of Quds Special Forces to Syria. e Russian and Iranian missions focussed on curbing the armed insurrection, the armed insurrection, which is covertly supported by foreign powers.

Link: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106686

"I can no longer stay here in Kano as it rains bombs. The gun battles rattle us... Kano is no longer safe," said pregnant Funke Nweke of her decision to flee Nigeria’s northern state with her five-year-old daughter.

Link: http://www.silviacattori.net/article2791.html

A Greek choir of the "disgusted" and the "outraged" predictably greeted BRICS members Russia and China double veto to the United Nations Security Council resolution imposing regime change in Syria. The resolution was backed by that haven of democracy, the GCC League, the organization controlled by the six monarchies/emirates of the Gulf Cooperation Council formerly known as the Arab League.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29123

The officialUS/UK/French/Israeli line is that the “Arab Spring” has finally reached Syria. There are the legal authorities of Syria, and there are armed terrorist throngs taking advantage of genuine social grievances and unleashing violence throughout the country, which in turn triggers police repression.In Syria, such groups are in all likelihood profusely armed, trained, financed and abetted by foreign players.Russia and China are not ready to tolerate a re-run of Iraq and Libya.

Link: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia_nato_missile_system_united_states/24471877.html

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States and NATO of aiming an antimissile system being deployed in Europe at Russia despite assurances that it is intended to guard against attacks from rogue states. Putin added that "today there is no threat from Iran or North Korea" and said NATO is not offering any guarantees, written or otherwise, that the system is not targeting Russia.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29126

In late 2003, the year of the Iraq invasion, Matthew Jones, a Reader in International History, at London’s Royal Holloway College, discovered “frighteningly frank” documents:1957 plans between then UK Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, and then President, Dwight Eisenhower, endorsing: “a CIA-MI6 plan to stage fake border incidents as an excuse for an invasion (of Syria) by Syria’s pro-western neighbours.” (ii) Syria was to be: “made to appear as sponsor of plots, sabotage and violence directed against neighbouring governments … the CIA and SIS [Her Majesty's Secret International Serivce, MI6] should use … capabilities in both psychological and action fields to augment tension.” frontier incidents and (staged) border clashes”, would “provide a pretext for intervention”, by Iraq and Jordan - then still under British mandate.

Link: http://youtu.be/TNeknF82H_0

Hell-bent on war with Iran...

Link: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30463.htm

"This Can't Be Happening. "... Equally disturbing are the president’s mutually contradictory statements that, on the one hand, he feels that “Any kind of additional military activity inside the Gulf is disruptive and has a big effect on us,” and that on the other, he will “make sure that we work in lockstep” with Israel in dealing with Iran and its nuclear program.

Link: http://bellaciao.org/en/spip.php?article21660

OVER A million Iraqis are dead from America’s war. That sentence is a cognitive litmus test. Some people’s immediate reaction is, "That can’t be right," because the United States couldn’t do that. Or because crimes on that scale don’t still happen. Or because they do happen, but only in horrible places that the United States hasn’t rescued.

Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9062454/Iran-vows-to-hit-any-country-that-stages-attack.html

Iran will target any country where an attack against it is staged, a senior Revolutionary Guard commander warned on Sunday, the latest threat amid growing tensions over its nuclear programme and Western sanctions.

Link: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/index.php/2012/02/07/iran-a-manufactured-threat#more14562

Iran attacked no other country in over 200 years. It threatens none now.America's business is war, permanent war for unchallenged global dominance., Since Iran's 1979 revolution and US hostage crisis, Washington's been spoiling for a fight. The Carter administration considered invading and seizing its oil fields. US media reports exclude those facts. Instead they generate fear and hostility against nonexistent threats.

Link: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/

Washington's longstanding policy is regime change in Iran and Syria. At issue is replacing independent regimes with client ones and securing unchallenged control of valued Middle East resources.

Link: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/index.php/2012/02/06/after-russia-s-un-veto-us-talks-of-coali

The veto by Russia and China of a United Nations Security Council resolution will not halt ongoing preparations for Western-backed intervention against Syria. The discussion on the resolution was a political manoeuvre from the outset, designed either to force Moscow and Beijing into agreeing to a UN cover for a Libya-style operation against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, or justify a predetermined alternative route to regime-change. This goal has nothing to do with the humanitarian posturing of the US.The aim is to install a pro-Western government.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29108

Many hand-made signs pointed to Wall Street and the banks as the real danger, not Iran.The corporate media have been reporting for weeks that the Israeli regime is weighing an attack on Iran aimed at dismantling its nuclear program. Yet even former U.S. intelligence officers point out that Iran's nuclear development is entirely peaceful; it is not building any nuclear weapons.unsubstantiated claims to the contrary form the basis on which Israel, which itself has a large nuclear arsenal and has been armed and financed by the U.S., is now publicly claiming its right to launch a military attack on Iran.

Link: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/asio-f06.shtml

Alarmed by the “Arab Spring”—the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt that last year ushered in a new period of class struggle internationally—Australia’s six civilian and military intelligence agencies are preparing for unpredictable political upheavals, abroad and at home.An official review of the “Australian Intelligence Community”, released last month, warned the Gillard government that the events of 2011 had revealed how difficult it was for intelligence agencies to anticipate the collapse of seemingly stable social and political orders. “With such fragility, it will be unknowable what exactly will tip the system over the edge

Link: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/pers-f06.shtml

Washington and its imperialist allies in Europe are escalating preparations for a full-scale military intervention in Syria. Coming after last year’s NATO war against Libya and threats of a sudden Israeli attack on Iran, Syria’s main regional ally, it is clear that Washington aims to reshape the Middle East by forcibly installing pro-US regimes throughout the region.

Link: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4185684,00.html

European diplomat based in Islamabad says Israeli strike would force Pakistan to support Iranian retaliation, while EU official says 'political and economic consequences of attack would be catastrophic for Europe'He said this could lead to "messy defaults" by countries like Greece and Italy, and possibly cause a collapse of the already-wobbly euro.

Link: http://en.ria.ru/mlitary_news/20120206/171166824.html

Russia may have to boost its nuclear potential in future amid emerging nuclear proliferation threats, Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s deputy defense minister and a negotiator on the European missile shield, said on Monday.

Late last year, the Central Intelligence Agency explained to Judge Kessler of the US District Court in Washington DC that releasing the final volume of its three-decade-old history of the 1961 Bay of Pigs debacle would “confuse the public,” and should be withheld because it is a “predecisional” document.

Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=29080

Russia and China Veto Syria Resolution."(t)he Security Council voted 13 to 2 in favor of a resolution backing an Arab League peace plan for Syria, but the measure was blocked by Russia and China (as a) potential violation of Syria's sovereignty."In fact, calling for "further measures" if Assad failed to comply gave Washington and rogue partners enormous wiggle room for military intervention. It also pointed fingers one way, absolving Western-backed insurgents. With major media support Obama plans regime change in Syria and Iran.

Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/224797.html

US Senate's latest package of sanctions against Iran seeks to shut out the Iranian financial sector form a global banking system used to transfer money between banks across the world. The new bill would also give the US legal authority to sanction foreign companies that buy oil from Iran.
In addition, the new legislation would penalize US companies that conduct business with Iran

Link: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/

If Israel does attack Iran, it will not simply be “a surgical strike” that destroys Iran’s key nuclear facilities. Any Iranian retaliation will be used by the US as a pretext for a massive air war aimed at destroying the country’s military and infrastructure.

Link: http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/admin.php?ctrl=items&action=new&blog=3

The United Nations Security Council has just voted on a draft resolution concerning the ongoing violence in Syria. Russia and China were the only voting members to oppose the draft. And as permanent members of the UNSC, they had the option to use veto power to block the draft's passage. Beijing and Moscow have both taken issue with the draft's vague wording, which they say leaves the door open for possible international military intervention in Syria

Link: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/aumi-f04.shtml

The initial recommendations of a “posture review” of the Australian armed forces, unveiled this week, dovetail with the preparations by US imperialism for a military confrontation with China. The posture review makes clear that the Labor government views the primary function of the Australian armed forces as a supplement to American operations and that it is prepared to spend billions of dollars to ensure adequate facilities are at the disposal of US ships, aircraft and troops.

Link: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/iran-f04.shtml

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak argued again on Thursday that military action had to be taken soon.Israeli moves toward attacking Iran are driven by other considerations, not least of which is to maintain an unchallengeable military superiority in the Middle East.

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096488/Iran-moves-cut-oil-exports-countries-Europe.html

Iran has vowed to cut oil exports to some European countries in retaliation over the bloc's recent decision to ban oil imports from the Islamic Republic.
It has not named the countries which will be affected, but officials insist it is a decision made in response to the EU deciding to stop importing Iranian crude oil as of July 1.

Link: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/231199#.TzDce3pTDGh

Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle said on Saturday that Europe is determined to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran but is warning against military action.