by Stephen Lendman

Syria's a battle zone. Western generated violence is to blame, not Assad. America's media scoundrels claim otherwise. They want him ousted by any means, including war.

An April 9 Wall Street Journal commentary said "Syrian government forces (keep) bombing and killing...." Assad "reneged on (his) promises to end the bloodshed."

Washington "and its allies (are) doing little or nothing to depose (his) regime. (The) illusion of diplomatic progress serves as cover for the Assads of the world to do more killing. Your move, President Obama."

Like all scoundrel media commentators, Journal contributors blame victims, not villains. Their readers are betrayed, not informed.

Wall Street Journal contributor Fouad Ajami long ago sold out to imperial interests for whatever he gets in return. He showed it in an op-ed headlined, "A Kosovo Model for Syria," saying: "In the Obama world, the tendency to wait has become official policy: It is either boots on the ground or head in the sand."

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by Stephen Lendman

Perhaps Bahrain April 22 was a first. Imagine a sporting event featuring state-sponsored terror and blood in the streets.

Imagine one with race drivers and event organizers mindless of raging crimes against humanity nearby.

Hollywood script writers wouldn't touch it. Producers wouldn't let them. The atmosphere was surreal. Attendance was sparse. A normally full grandstand was half empty. It's a wonder anyone came. Observers said more security forces than spectators showed up. Most teams, drivers, mechanics, engineers, and other personnel preferred to stay home. Nonetheless, they came.

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Mary Shaw

Like several other states, Pennsylvania now has a voter ID law, which requires voters to show a photo ID before they will be permitted to vote. While the new Pennsylvania law doesn't take effect until the November elections, voters for the April 24 primary were asked for ID as a "dry run", although lack of an ID at the primary did not disqualify anyone from voting.

As I was showing the poll worker my driver's license to vote in the Pennsylvania primary, I asked her if many people had shown up without a valid ID. She said no. She said that there had only been a few people who had left their IDs in their cars and had to go back to get them.

But we agreed that this was no indication of how things will go in November. For the primary, the polling place was practically empty, compared to November of 2008, when I got there at 7:00 a.m. and the line was already an hour long.

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by Stephen Lendman

Barghouti's a political prisoner. On May 20, 2004, he was wrongfully convicted of involvement in three terrorist attacks killing five people. Acquitted on 33 other charges, he received five consecutive life sentences plus 40 years.

A three-judge panel ruled that although he didn't fully control local Brigade leaders and wasn't directly involved, he had "significant influence" over their conduct.

In other words, no evidence existed. A legitimate court would have acquitted him. Israel's military one judged him guilty by accusation. Due process and judicial fairness were absent. Virtually all prosecuted Palestinians face the same fate, including children.

Barghouti calls himself "a political leader," an elected PLC member. Israel had no right to accuse, try, and judge him, he maintains. Doing so violates international law. It affirms the right to resist lawless occupations. Israel's is the longest in memory.

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