PDF-Version: selected 13.12.2019
Selected articles (December 13, 2019)
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1)
Lawyers complain about lack of access to Julian Assange in jail
Defence team say he is unaware of some evidence in his case because of blockage in visits
December 13,2019
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2)
The Israel Lobby’s Hidden Hand in the Theft of Iraqi and Syrian Oil
The outsized role of U.S. Israel lobby operatives in abetting the theft of Syrian and Iraqi oil reveals how this powerful lobby also facilitates more covert aspects of U.S.-Israeli cooperation and the implementation of policies that favor Israel.
By Agha Hussain and Whitney Webb
December 10, 2019
https://www.mintpressnews.com/israel-lobby-helped-stolen-oil-iraq-syria/263327/
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3)
The U.S. Government Lied about the Afghanistan War, They Couldn’t Have Done It Without Media Lapdogs
By Ted Rall
December 12, 2019
“[…]“The Afghanistan Papers” is a bright, shining lie by omission. Yes, our military and civilian leaders lied to us about Afghanistan. But they could never have spread their murderous BS—thousands of U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Afghans killed, trillions of dollars wasted—without media organizations like the Washington Post, which served as unquestioning government stenographers.
Press outlets like the Post and New York Times weren’t merely idiots used to disseminate pro-war propaganda. They actively censored people who knew we never should have gone into Afghanistan and tried to tell American voters the truth.
People like me. […]”
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4)
WHAT HAVE THE US AND PROTESTORS IN LEBANON ACHIEVED OVER IRAN AND ITS ALLIES?
By Elijah J Magnier
December 08, 2019
“[…] The “Axis of the Resistance’ also has lines open to Russia and China. Hezbollah continues trying to convince political parties to diversify the resources and cease depending on the US and Europe only. Russia is proving itself on the political international arena – even if still not enjoying influence in Lebanon – and is able to stand firm against US hegemony. Europe is also happy to see Hezbollah and its allies in power, afraid of seeing millions of Syrian and Lebanese refugees flocking to the old continent. China is willing to open a bank in Lebanon, collect and recycle the bins, offer drinkable water and construct electricity generators. The total of what China is ready to invest in Lebanon is close to $12.5 billion, much more than the $11 billion offered by CEDRE that is linked to the privatisation of Lebanese infrastructure. […]”
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5a)
New sanctions to ban humanitarian trade with Iran: US Treasury
December 13, 2019
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/12/13/613546/ban-humanitarian-trade-Iran-US
“The US Treasury Department has stressed that Washington’s newly announced sanctions targeting Iran’s air and maritime transport industries will lead to the restriction of trade related to humanitarian goods.
„US persons will be prohibited from engaging in transactions involving Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) or E-Sail, including transactions for the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices,“ the Treasury’s guidelines on Iran sanctions read.
„In addition, non-US persons that knowingly engage in certain transactions with IRISL or E-Sail, even for the sale to Iran of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices, risk exposure to sanctions under additional authorities,“ it added.[…]”
5b)
Support the Workers of Iran, but Oppose US Sanctions
How is it possible to oppose the violent suppression of Iranian protest while still condemning U.S. sanctions on Iran?
By Dr. Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi and Marc Steiner
December 12, 2019
https://therealnews.com/stories/support-iran-oppose-us-sanctions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=YEDs9-YmYqI&feature=emb_title
5c)
Iran Releases American Student in Prisoner Swap
By The United States Institute of Peace
December 7, 2019
https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2019/dec/07/iran-releases-american-student-prisoner-swap
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: “[…] With respect to further talks, the United States had a maximum pressure campaign on Iran after withdrawing from the JCPOA, which was a terribly flawed agreement. The maximum pressure campaign that President Trump has instituted is working and is highly effective, where the Iranians are feeling the pressure of the maximum sanctions campaign.
President Trump has made it very clear that he’s willing to meet with the Iranians, without preconditions, to talk about important issues between our countries, including the total end of Iran’s nuclear program, certainly the return of American hostages, ending the long-range ballistic missile program in Iran, and ending Iran’s malign activities in the region, which is destabilizing countries like Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen.
And it’s interesting, not only are there massive protests in Iran, there are massive protests in Iraq and Lebanon from people that are no longer interested in the way that Iran is attempting to run their governments through proxies.
So, look, we’re hopeful that the release of Mr. Wang is a sign that the Iranians may be willing to come to the table to discuss all these issues. […]”
5d)
Preparing the Stage: A Flawed Prospectus for War, This Time With Iran
By Alastair Crooke
December 9, 2019
“[…] Certainly, a stage is being set around this narrative: the US is engaged in an epic arm-wrestle with Iran over who will have the primacy of influence in Iraq. The US and its European allies, too, are holding Lebanon’s economy hostage to a resolution of a financial crisis (aggravated by the deliberate draining of US dollar liquidity from Lebanon to New York), against a US demand for a scission between President Aoun’s Christian party and Hizbullah – an alliance which effectively controls parliament in Beirut, and additionally, that demand that Lebanon concede its position over the East Mediterranean oil and gas demarcation – to Israel.[…]”
5e)
What really happened in Iran?
By Pepe Escobar
December 09, 2019
http://thesaker.is/what-really-happened-in-iran/
“[…] Analyst Sharmine Narwani, based on the latest serious polls in Iran, completely debunked the American narrative.
It’s a complex picture. Fifty-five percent of Iranians do blame government corruption and mismanagement for the dire state of the economy, while 38% blame the illegal US sanctions. At the same time, 70% of Iranians favor national self-sufficiency – which is what Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has been emphasizing – instead of more foreign trade.
On sanctions, no less than 83% agree they exerted a serious impact on their lives. Mostly because of sanctions, according to World Bank figures, Iranian GDP per capita has shrunk to roughly $6,000.
The bad news for the Rouhani administration is that 58% of Iranians blame his team for corruption and mismanagement – and they are essentially correct. Team Rouhani’s promises of a better life after the JCPOA obviously did not materialize. In the short term, the political winners are bound to be the principlists – which insist there’s no possible entente cordiale with Washington at any level.[…]”
“[…] In fact “maximum counter-pressure” is reaching a whole new level. Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi confirmed that Iran will hold joint naval drills with Russia and China in the Indian Ocean in late December. That came out of quite a significant meeting in Tehran, between Khanzadi and the deputy chief of the Chinese Joint Staff Department, Major General Shao Yuanming. So welcome to Maritime Security Belt. In effect from December 27th. Smack on the Indian Ocean – the alleged privileged territory of Washington’s Indo-Pacific policy. And uniting the three key nodes of Eurasia integration: Russia, China and Iran.[…]”
5f)
The U.S. Campaign To Weaken Iran’s ‚Axis Of Resistance‘ Is Failing
Moon of Alabama
December 09, 2019
“[…] So while Iran and its allies are under stress they are certainly not in danger of collapsing. The Israeli war narrative is fraudulent.
Netanyahoo may want a war, if only to stay out of jail. But war is not popular in the U.S. and Trump will not start one during an election year.
What Trump needs is an off-ramp from his failing aggression against Iran. He needs talks with Iran but the country insists that he must first lift the sanctions.
I expect him to do that only after his reelection.”
5g)
Western media excited about ‘new Iran revolution’, but polls tell a different story about protests
By Sharmine Narwani
November 27, 2019
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/474464-iran-protests-economy-sanctions-government/
“Data from two foreign polls tell a very different story about protests in Iran. The economy is tough, but a majority of Iranians back their government’s security initiatives and reject domestic upheaval.[…]”
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6)
Secrets and Lies: Scenes From the 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine
A deep dive into the UN archive reveals a lively trade in ideas and plans that were thrown into the ring but ultimately left on the cutting room floor of history
By Ofer Aderet
November 30, 2019
Amir Mortasawi (alias Afsane Bahar) (امیر مرتضوی (افسانه بهار 