by Stephen Lendman

Hit 'em again harder is policy. Cyprus is Exhibit A. It's pound of flesh demanded got greater. "Could it possibly get any worse," headlined Cyprus Mail?"

Weeks after agreeing to Eurocrat terms, six billion more euros are demanded. A leaked European Commission "Assessment of the public debt sustainability of Cyprus" report revealed it.

Full story »

by Stephen Lendman

Main Street America's in protracted Depression. Conditions go from bad to worse. More than ever, vital stimulus is needed. Lots of it.

Obama's solution is force-fed austerity. In term one, he prioritized it. His FY 2014 budget offers more of the same.

He's waging financial war on ordinary people. He's targeting middle America, those most disadvantaged, seniors, and others approaching retirement.

Full story »

by Stephen Lendman

Jimmy Carter calls Venezuelan elections the world's best. He does so for good reason. They shame America's sham process. Duopoly power controls things. People have no say.

Venezuelans get the real thing. It's constitutionally mandated. It's democracy the way it should be. It's one of many Bolivarian successes. They reflect Chavez's extraordinary legacy. Don't expect media scoundrels to explain.

He's gone. Chavismo lives. On April 14, Venezuelans again vote. Acting President Nicolas Maduro carries Chavez's torch.

He's PSUV's (United Socialist Party of Venezuela) candidate. He'll face opposition Rountable of Democratic Unity (MUD) leader Henrique Capriles Radonski.

Full story »

Franklin Lamb

Yarmouk Palestinian Camp, Damascus

History is nothing if not interesting. And that it most definitely is.

(photo: fplamb 4/2/13 outside UNWRA HQ Beirut) Message from Syrian
Palestinians refugees to UNWRA in Lebanon) “From Palestinians in Syria: We
request: That UNWRA Obtain the Housing and Health, Education and Nutrition
Services." The large banner is signed: “The Palestinians Displaced from Syria.”

Today, Palestinian refugees are being severely punished in Lebanon and deprived of their most elementary civil right to work or to even own a home. This massive volition of international humanitarian law is partially being inflicted out of revenge for some Palestinian refugees' alleged short-term involvement in Lebanon’s civil war back in 1975--nearly four decades ago.

Today however, Palestinian refugees are being severely punished in Syria out of revenge by jihadst factions and others, for not becoming involved in the current Syrian civil war as they insist on staying out of this incredibly tragic mess.

Some Palestinian teenagers here in Damascus call it “Yarmouk-Shatila,” as in: “Our neighbors or friends had to escape from Syria and are now in Yarmouk-Shatila camp” in Lebanon. Shatila was probably the most grotty, tightly packed sardine-canned camp of the 12 in Lebanon and of the 59 in the region, even before 600 more families arrived recently, with more arriving daily.

Full story »

FRANKLIN LAMB
Damascus

Students everywhere are special people and this observer has discovered that Syrian students are among the very best.

Meeting and interviewing students again this past week, before and following a frank and enlightening discussion with Dr. Mohammad Amer Al-Mardini, the indefatigable President of Damascus University, about the situation of the students and current instruction at the University, one cannot ,even as a foreigner, fail to feel pride in Syrian students.

Full story »

Stuart Littlewood

These last two days the airwaves have been awash with eye-dabbing tributes to former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. She has been elevated almost to sainthood by commentators, political hacks and former colleagues. Such near-hysterical adoration, it seems to me, is a measure of the wretched scarcity of leadership talent in Britain over the last 50 years.

Full story »

Eric Zuesse

Part of the Obama Administration’s promise to the American people regarding Obamacare was that the enormous waste in America’s medical expenses would be reduced. The reversal of that promise has already begun.

Full story »

by Stephen Lendman

Societies perhaps are best judged by how they treat prisoners, their most disadvantaged and children.

On March 20, Israeli soldiers mass arrested about 30 children. Obama arrived the same day. Every child passing Tareq Bin Zeyad street was seized. They were heading for school in Hebron.

They were taken to Kiryat Arba police station. They were interrogated with no adult present. Israel's Youth Law requires it. Shin Bet pays it no heed. Children are isolated from parents. They're terrorized. It's standard Israeli practice.

Full story »

By Robert Singer

Let’s say you wanted to create negative energy in the media [as if there weren’t enough already]. How would you do it?

Sandy Hook, I think everyone will agree, created a lot of negative energy.

Are we sure we know what really happened? Here are four possible scenarios.

1. Adam Lanza, a scrawny, socially awkward 20-year old, really wakes up on December 14, goes to the Sandy Hook Elementary School and really shoots 20 innocent children (and six adults) with assault rifles and handguns that his cheerful, self-reliant mother purchased for self-defense and target shooting. The massacre, the latest episode of a lone-nut gunman going on a rampage-killing spree, is the worst school shooting in U.S. history and is exploited by Obama so he can get political support for a ban on assault weapons. Wayne LaPierre, responding to a full-scale attack on the 2nd Amendment calls for armed cops to be placed in every school rather than allow anyone to take away our AK47s. Everyone who didn’t already have an assault rifle for hunting, runs out and gets one: Negative energy created in the mainstream, above, below and alternative media = 50 joules, 1 joule is equal to 1 newton-metre. Conclusion: No Conspiracy


2. Adam Lanza, a scrawny, socially awkward 20-year old, mind controlled patsy, is part of a joint government-media operation false flag event, really wakes up on December 14, goes to the Sandy Hook Elementary School and really shoots 20 innocent children (and six adults) with assault rifles and handguns that his cheerful, self-reliant mother purchased for self-defense and target shooting. The massacre, the latest episode of a lone-nut gunman going on a rampage-killing spree, is the worst school shooting in U.S. history and is exploited by Obama so he can get political support for a ban on assault weapons. Wayne LaPierre, responding to a full-scale attack on the 2nd Amendment calls for armed cops to be placed in every school rather than allow anyone to take away our AK47s. Everyone who didn’t already have an assault rifle for hunting, runs out and gets one: Negative energy created in the mainstream, above, below and alternative media = 100 joules, 1 joule is equal to 1 newton-metre. Conclusion: Conspiracy


3. Adam Lanza, a scrawny, socially awkward 20-year old, wakes up on December 14, but has nothing to do with the shooting of 20 innocent children (or six adults and his mother, who is not a teacher at the school) with assault rifles and handguns that his cheerful, self-reliant mother purchased for self-defense and target shooting. The massacre, the latest episode of a lone-nut gunman going on a rampage-killing spree, is the worst school shooting in U.S. history and is said to either be a LIHOP or MIHOP by Obama so he can get political support for a ban on assault weapons. Wayne LaPierre, responding to a full-scale attack on the 2nd Amendment calls for armed cops to be placed in every school rather than allow anyone to take away our AK47s. Everyone who didn’t already have an assault rifle for hunting, runs out and gets one: Negative energy created in the mainstream, above, below and alternative media = 150 joules, 1 joule is equal to 1 newton-metre. Conclusion: Conspiracy within a Conspiracy


4. Adam Lanza, a scrawny, socially awkward 20-year old, mind controlled patsy isn’t able to wake up on December 14 and go to the Sandy Hook Elementary School and shoot 20 innocent children (and six adults) with assault rifles [still in the trunk of his car] and handguns that his cheerful, self-reliant mother purchased for self-defense and target shooting, because, according to the Social Security Death index he died the day before on December 13. The massacre, the worst school shooting in U.S. history was FEMA staged with crisis actors and made to look like a joint government-media operation false flag event, so Obama could get political support for a ban on assault weapons and water down the 2^nd amendment. Wayne LaPierre, responding to a full-scale attack on the 2nd Amendment calls for armed cops to be placed in every school rather than allow anyone to take away our AK47s. Everyone who didn’t already have an assault rifle for hunting, runs out and gets one: Negative energy created in the mainstream, above, below and alternative media = 400 (4 x 50 joules, 1 joule is equal to 1 newton-metre. Conclusion: A Conspiracy to make you believe it was a Conspiracy

Which explanation best fits the Sandy Hook Event?

1. a lone-nut gunman who really killed 20 innocent children. Negative Energy = 50
2. a lone-nut mind-controlled gunman who really killed 20 innocent children, Negative Energy = 100
3. a lone-nut mind-controlled gunman who didn’t really kill 20 innocent children. Negative Energy = 150
4. a lone-nut mind-controlled gunman who doesn’t even exist and therefore could not kill 20 innocent children. Negative Energy = 400

Still not sure? Keep reading.

Full story »

by Stephen Lendman

Since 2008, America, Britain and other European nations force-fed austerity harshness. Neoliberal and imperial priorities take precedence.

Bankers, war profiteers, other corporate favorites, and privileged elites alone benefit. Ordinary people lose out entirely. Public needs go begging. Human misery grows. Things go from bad to worse. Nothing ahead looks promising.

Britain made things harder. Parliament imposed the largest welfare cuts in modern times. More on them below.

They come when Prime Minister David Cameron wants UK nuclear defenses upgraded. He wants billions of pounds spent doing so. He claims Britain faces threats that don't exist. An "ultimate weapon" is needed, he says.

Full story »