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US/Russia Support Flawed Turkish Constitutional Referendum Results
Stephen Lendman
On Sunday, Turkey’s deplorably weak democracy died. Erdogan’s power-grab succeeded, ending it.
The constitutional referendum lets him declare emergency rule and govern by decree, including dissolving parliament and calling new elections if he wishes.
An OSCE observer mission monitoring the referendum campaign and Sunday’s vote raised serious questions about its legitimacy.
Procedures “fell short” of international standards, it said. Numerous irregularities occurred. On April 17, an OSCE press release said in part “The 16 April constitutional referendum in Turkey was contested on an unlevel playing field, and the two sides in the campaign did not have equal opportunities.”
Trump Delegates Warmaking to Generals
Stephen Lendman
Articles in the Atlantic and Wall Street Journal discussed Trump’s approach to militarism and warmaking.
He’s letting hawkish generals make battlefield decisions - overseen by Defense Secretary Mattis, National Security Advisor McMaster and Joint Chiefs chairman Dunford.
Last month, the Atlantic headlined “Trump and the Generals,” saying the president “is fixated on a more conspicuous form of winning.” Earlier he said “(w)e never win…(W)e don’t fight to win.”Generals always want more funding. No matter the amount budgeted, it’s not enough. Trump proposed an additional $54 billion for the next fiscal year.
Anti-Syria UK MPs Want Assad’s Wife Stripped of Her British Citizenship
Stephen Lendman
Asma Assad was born and raised in London. British law permits revoking citizenship of nationals on grounds of supporting terrorist activities.
Hardline Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake said Britain’s government should tell her to “either stop using (her) position to defend barbaric acts or be stripped of (her) citizenship,” accusing her of harming UK interests - wanting her husband illegally ousted as Syria’s legitimate leader, he failed to explain.
A Home Office spokesperson said “we cannot discuss individual cases, but the Home Secretary can deprive individuals of their citizenship where it is conducive to the public good…”
According to London’s Sunday Times, UK MPs disgracefully accused her of spreading Syrian propaganda - for praising her country’s “martyrs” and “accus(ing) the West of spreading lies.”
WHY I WILL NOT BEND TO CALLS FOR CENSORSHIP AT THEATRE 80
GA: Facing some insidious calls to cancel a panel discussion related to my forthcoming book Being in Time – A Post Political manifesto, NYC Theatre 80's owner Loran Otway made a clear uncompromising statement. He will not bend to pressure. Otway published the following comment on his FB page.
Spread the message and see you in Theatre 80 on April 30th
https://theatre80.wordpress.com/
Lorcan Otway
In the 1950s, my father wrote a book, the Evangelist. It was a novel based on his experiences with the Salvation Army as a child. It made some of the many blacklists of the period, branded “anti-Christian” and the work of a “communist.” The book was pulled from a number of libraries and burned.
In October of 1960, Richard Buckley, Lord Buckley, was stopped in mid act, at The Jazz Gallery, now Theatre 80. His Cabaret Card was removed by the Vice Squad of the NYPD. A short time later, after going to the police to demand it back, he died under circumstances which led many to believe he was beaten to death by the police. This began a free speech fight, which eventually ended the Cabaret Card system.
In both these cases I believe the censorship was wrong and the speaker was right. However, my standard of right and wrong does not govern what goes on our stage any more than I believe the standards of the police or the Christian Right should have governed my father’s opportunities to be read (or red.)
Anti-Marine Le Pen Shenanigans
Stephen Lendman
On April 23, first-round voting for France’s next president is scheduled. Polls show Le Pen slightly ahead of her main rivals in a race too close to call.
The top two vote-getters will meet in a May 6 runoff election. Anti-Le Penism is intense, reminiscent of how French politician/IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn was forced from office in 2011 over spurious rape charges later dropped.
He was favored to be France’s next president in 2012, denied the chance to run because of fabricated charges against him.
France’s establishment wants Le Pen denied a chance to succeed Francois Hollande. Media scoundrels denigrate her.
Trilateral Russia, Syria, Iran Meeting
Stephen Lendman
On Thursday, Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov (Russia), Walid al-Muallem (Syria) and Mohammad Javad Zarif (Iran) met in Moscow in the wake of Trump’s April 7 aggression, striking Syria’s Shayrat airbase.
In a joint press conference, they called his action a flagrant international law violation.
Lavrov said “(w)e have reiterated our position and were united in stating that the attack was an act of aggression, which blatantly violated the principles of international law and the UN Charter.”
“We call on the US and its allies to respect Syria’s sovereignty and refrain from actions similar to what happened on April 7, and which have serious ramification not only for regional, but also global security.”
Congress Weighing New Sanctions on Russia, Iran and Syria
Stephen Lendman
US imperial strategy includes endless aggression and illegal sanctions, among other deplorable actions.
When returning from spring recess next week, Congress reportedly is considering legislation to impose new sanctions on Russia, Iran and Syria - punitive measures if passed by both houses, aggravating things rather than alleviating them.
According to House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce (R. CA), proposed “legislation will give the administration much-needed diplomatic and financial leverage to help stop Assad’s slaughter of innocent Syrians” - a despicable Big Lie.
“It encourages real negotiations by targeting Assad’s backers,” Russia and Iran. Among other provisions, Iranian airlines are targeted for allegedly transporting weapons and munitions to Syria.
Lebanon’s Outlawing of Palestinian Civil Rights
Franklin Lamb
Ein el Helweh Camp, Saida, Lebanon
Photo: Mohammad Attawi 4/13/2017 as another ceasefire begins in Ein al-Hilwe Palestinian camp in Lebanon
It’s half a century overdue for Lebanon to grant Palestinian refugees, now the fourth post-Nakba generation, the most elementary civil rights to work and home ownership. Both fundamental rights are mandated by international law and enjoyed by every refugee on our planet. Sauf Lebanon.
As a direct and foreseeable consequence half of Lebanon’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps and several dozen refugee “gatherings” are careening toward violence while most Lebanese politicians, some of whom are clients of other countries, turn a blind eye or dither.
One example is East Saida’s Ein al Hilweh camp where nearly one hundred thousand refugees, including approximately 7000 from Yarmouk and other Palestinian refugee camps in Syria live in squalor on just 2 Sq. Km of space. Arguably the most sardine-canned population on earth today.
April 12, 2017 marked the sixth day of clashes as Palestinian joint security force mobilized to enter the notorious Al-Tiri neighborhood of Ein al-Hilweh as UNWRA was forced to close its nine schools which educate many thousands of camp children and its two medical clinics which treat hundreds of patients daily. At least 20 stores and homes were burned to the ground during the fighting.
Judeo-Centrism: Myths and Mania
James Petras
Introduction
Ethno-religious (ER) beliefs and practices have been harmless when individuals or groups linked to those practices have limited influence over the state and economy. In contrast, when such groups exercise a disproportionately powerful influence over the state and economy, they dominate and exploit majorities while forming closed self-replicating networks.
Examples of powerful ethno-centric regimes in the 1930’s are well known for their brutality and devastating consequences. These include the white Christians in the US, Germany and the European colonial settlement regimes in Rhodesia, South Africa, India and Indonesia, as well as the Japanese imperialists in Asia.
In the post-colonial or neo-colonial era, ethno-centrism has taken the form of virulent anti-Islamic hysteria resulting in predatory Western regimes embarking on wars and military occupations in the Middle East.
China Warns Against US Aggression on Syria and North Korea
Stephen Lendman
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump spoke by phone - days after they met in Palm Beach, Florida.
Xi stressed the importance of “peaceful means to solve problems,” according to China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, adding:
Trump initiated the call. Xi “stressed China insists on denuclearization on the Korean peninsula to firmly safeguard (regional) peace and stability. Pyongyang claimed the “current grim situation (justifies its) self-defensive and preemptive strike capabilities with the nuclear force at the core.”
Beijing denied reports about deploying 150,000 troops to North Korea’s border, calling them “fabricated.”
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