Clinton And Zuma Square Off Over Libya
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to Africa and pushed members of the African Union to break with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and urge him to stop killing civilians. South African President Jacob Zuma responded by accusing NATO of overreaching in Libya.
Libyan Rebels Play "For Outside Patrons," Uganda Says, Alleging Colonialism
Western countries on the UN Security Council pushed hard to keep most of the African Union presentations about Libya behind closed doors. Now we know and can report why. Outside the closed door session in the UN's North Lawn building on June 15, a European Permanent Representative complained to Inner City Press that all speeches inside were constructive "except Uganda."
The West's Obscene Demonization of Gaddafi
The vilification campaign waged by the West against Moammar Gaddfi is just the latest chapter in a "massive U.S. psychological assault, a vast disinformation operation in which the corporate media act as megaphones for government liars." In reality, there is no evidence for allegations that Gaddafi ordered his soldiers to rape hundreds of women, but "that does not seem to matter to a corporate media that are bent on glorifying the Benghazi-based rebels."
African Leaders Demand Halt to NATO Bombing Campaign in Libya
African leaders today demanded an immediate end to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's bombing campaign in Libya and called for the African Union and United Nations to take the lead in reaching a political solution.
House Passes Amendment Blocking Some Funding for Libya War
The House of Representatives is upping the ante with regard to President Barack Obama's ongoing, illegal war in Libya. On Monday that body passed an amendment that prohibits the use of certain funds for the Libyan excursion. The amendment, introduced by California Democrat Brad Sherman, states simply: "None of the funds made available by this act may be used in contravention of the War Powers Act."
Libya: Behind the phony ICC 'rape' charges
Without presenting a shred of reliable evidence, NATO and International Criminal Court conspirators are charging the Libyan government with conspiracy to rape — not only rape as the "collateral damage" of war, but rape as a political weapon.
Analysis: NATO first to blink in Gaddafi's war of nerves
For a man who has been under Western bombardment for more than three months, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has not appeared unduly worried. His appearance playing chess at the weekend with the Russian head of the World Chess Federation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, was a piece of psychological theater worthy of a veteran campaigner.
Lawmakers sue President Obama over Libya
A bipartisan group of House members announced on Wednesday that it is filing a lawsuit charging that President Obama made an illegal end-run around Congress when he approved U.S military action against Libya.
Lawmakers sue to end U.S. role in Libya fight
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers went to court Wednesday to try to stop President Obama's troop deployment to Libya, saying it violates the law, but the White House submitted a report to Congress arguing that it is adhering to the War Powers Resolution because it is not actually engaged in "hostilities."
White House Defends Continuing U.S. Role in Libya Operation
The White House, pushing hard against criticism in Congress over the deepening air war in Libya, asserted Wednesday that President Obama had the authority to continue the military campaign without Congressional approval because American involvement fell short of full-blown hostilities.
More NATO "Humanitarian Intervention:"The Bombing of Al Fateh University, Campus B
The former Georgia congresswoman and Green Party presidential candidate led a delegation to Libya, where she witnessed some of the worst bombing of the besieged capital, Tripoli. "I'm still waiting to find evidence somewhere in the world that bombing poor civilian populations of the Third World from the air is good for their voting rights, democracy, medical care, education, welfare, national debt, and enhancing personal income and wealth distribution."
Bahrain's Dictatorship and the Pentagon
Sometimes it's good to look at foreign dictatorships to see what the president and the U.S. military have done to our country. Consider, for example, the trial of 20 doctors that is currently taking place in Bahrain.
South Africa's Zuma slams NATO operations in Libya
NATO's bombing campaign contravenes a United Nations Security Council resolution on protecting civilians in Libya and was being used for regime change, South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday. 'We strongly believe that the resolution is being abused for regime change, political assassinations and foreign military occupation,' Zuma told the National Assembly in Cape Town.
Rebels take control of Libyan town
Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have pulled out of the town of Kikla, about 150 km (90 miles) southwest of Tripoli, and rebels are now in control, a Reuters photographer there said on Tuesday.
House Votes to Defund Libya War A surpise late Monday vote saw the House of Representatives pass the Sherman Amendment to the military appropriations bill by a vote of 248-163. The vote enjoyed strong bipartisan support, with roughly equal majorities on both sides of the aisle.
Boehner gives Obama Friday deadline on Libya
Stepping up a simmering constitutional conflict, House Speaker John A. Boehner warned President Obama on Tuesday that unless he gets authorization from Congress for his military deployment in Libya, he will be in violation of the War Powers Resolution.
Libyan rebels recognized by Canada
Canada says it will formally recognize the Libyan rebels as the legitimate government of the country.
House of Commons votes to extend mission in Libya
OTTAWA — Members of the House of Commons have voted 294-1 to extend the military mission in Libya until September. The vote took place Tuesday evening.
Yemenis give VP 24-hour ultimatum
Yemeni protesters say they will form a transitional council to rule the country if vice president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi does not establish such a body in 24 hours.
Yemeni Deputy Governor: 130 Killed by US Drones This Month
Officials with Yemen's Defense Ministry have confirmed that the US has been launching drone strikes on a daily basis against the nation in June, with more than 15 confirmed strikes already this month. The deputy governor of Abyan Province reports at least 130 killed in those attacks.
CIA Preparing Secret Drone Strikes in Yemen
The Central Intelligence Agency is planning to use armed drones to target Al Qaeda militants in Yemen, where growing instability poses a national security threat.
Yet Another Illegal War -- Now in Yemen
Both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post report today that the Obama administration is planning to exploit the disorder from the civil war in Yemen by dramatically escalating a CIA-led drone bombing campaign. In one sense, this is nothing new. Contrary to false denials, the U.S., under the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been bombing Yemen for the last two years, including one attack using cluster bombs that killed dozens of civilians. But what's new is that this will be a CIA drone attack program that is a massive escalation over prior bombing campaigns; as the Post put it: "The new tasking for the agency marks a major escalation of the clandestine American war in Yemen, as well as a substantial expansion of the CIA's drone war."
June 13, 2011
Deadly NATO raid hits Libyan university
More Libyan civilians have reportedly been killed and injured after a NATO airstrike hit a university in the capital, Tripoli.
Turkey leads anti-Syria smear campaign
Turkey's smear campaign against the Syrian government is much worse than the propaganda spread by Arab media to tarnish the image of Damascus with regards to its recent unrest.
'140 killed' in two weeks of Yemen clashes
At least 140 people have been killed in two weeks of clashes between Yemeni security forces and suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen in the southern city of Zinjibar, a military official said on Monday.
Just 26% Favor Continued Military Action in Libya
A plurality of voters now opposes further U.S. military action in Libya, and most say President Obama needs congressional approval to continue those operations.
Germany recognises Libya rebels
Germany today recognised Libya's rebel council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. lending heavyweight support to the leaders poised to run the country if Muammar Gadafy falls.
Eight killed, 40 wounded in western Libya clashes
At least eight people died and more than 40 were wounded in the western Libyan city of Zintan on Monday as fighting continued between leader Moamer Gaddafi's troops and the rebels, the opposition Libya Hurra group said.
23 rebels killed in fighting in eastern Libya
A Libyan doctor says 23 rebels have been killed in fighting outside the eastern oil town of Brega. Suleiman Rafathi, a doctor at the hospital in the town of Ajdabiya where the casualties were brought, says 26 people also were wounded in the battle Monday about 22 miles (35 kilometers) east of Brega.
Children and War
Recently, I was listening to KGO radio and in case you don't know, KGO is the ABC affiliate super-station here in San Francisco that can be heard by millions of people with it's mega-wattage transmitter.
Why the NATO powers are trying to assassinate Moammar Gaddafi
Wikileaks-released State Department cables from November 2007 and afterwards show the real reason for the mounting U.S. hostility to the Libyan government prior to the current civil war.
No Justice in Kafka's America
Justice has become as unattainable for Muslim activists in the United States as it was for Kafka's frustrated petitioner. The draconian legal mechanisms that condemn Muslim Americans who speak out publicly about the outrages we commit in the Middle East have left many, including Syed Fahad Hashmi, wasting away in supermax prisons.
The magical realism of body counts
The US government, and a pliant mainstream media, are making sure the public remain ignorant of civilian casualties.
Panetta: Obama Can Unilaterally Use Military to Protect 'National Interests'
CIA Director Leon Panetta, who President Barack Obama has nominated to be secretary of Defense, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that he believes the president can unilaterally use military force, without congressional authorization to "protect our national interests."
June 12, 2011
US approved £125m of arms to Bahrain
Bahrain received over $200 million (£125m) in military equipment from US companies in the 12 months from October 2009, according to the latest State Department arms export report.
Tensions are peaking in Syria, government troops have stormed the rebel northern border town of Jisr Al-Shugour with tanks and military helicopters. The army has entered the city in order to "cleanse it" from rebellious armed groups, which killed at least 120 police officers last week. Meanwhile, Britain and France are still pushing for a UN resolution, condemning the brutal crackdown against anti-government activists in Syria. Russia, which opposes any attempts to intervene in the Syrian conflict, said it won't back the move.
Graham: Now is the time to take action in Syria
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sunday called for increased U.S. action in Syria, and said "now is the time to let [Syrian president Bashar] Assad know that all options are the table" - including the possible use of military force.
Empire Games : Who Writes the Rules?
The Western left's abdication, nay abandonment of principles that go to the heart of the socialist liberation project has been long in the making, centuries even and made all the more obvious by the left's take on events in Libya and now Syria. Critiques of the 'humanitarian, socialist interventionists' came thick and thin but for the most part the fundamental question of why the left had abandoned its historic mission has not been asked.
Clashes near Libyan capital kill 13
Clashes between Libya's revolutionary forces and troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi continue for the second day in the town of Zawiyah near the capital, Tripoli.
Rebels say six fighters killed in Libya's Misrata
Six Libyan rebel fighters were killed on Sunday by a government artillery barrage near the rebel-held city of Misrata, an ambulance worker and a fighter told Reuters.
10,000 return to streets of Bahrain
Over 10,000 people rallied in the capital of Bahrain on Saturday to resume the campaign for basic civil rights in the US-allied kingdom.
The War in Libya: The African Union's Mistake of Policy and Principle
Africa's handling of the Libyan crisis at the United Nations has been timorous and confusing, but it presents an opportunity as well as a challenge for the continental body on how it defines its future strategic interests.
Gaddafi regime staked £12bn on secret deal in bid to open peace talks
The Libyan regime has been negotiating a secret deal with Greece to use $20bn (£12bn) of its funds that are frozen abroad for humanitarian relief to benefit both sides in the civil war. Officials in Tripoli say the move is intended to pave the way for the opening of peace talks.
House Foreign Affairs chairwoman demands answers from Clinton on Libya
The chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs is urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to give Congress detailed answers regarding the U.S. military intervention in Libya, which is on its 83rd day.
Dutch support NATO extension in Libya: PM
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Friday said the country supported a three-month extension of NATO's air war campaign in Libya, but its planes would not fly bombing missions.
NATO official: Gadhafi a legitimate target
A U.N. resolution justifies the targeting of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, a senior NATO military official with operational knowledge of the Libya mission told CNN Thursday.
Gates blasts NATO, questions future of alliance
America's military alliance with Europe -- the cornerstone of U.S. security policy for six decades -- faces a "dim, if not dismal" future, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday in a blunt valedictory address.
Western and Arab allies fighting against Muammar Gaddafi's regime on Thursday responded to a call from Libyan rebels for more financial help.
June 09, 2011
McKinney human rights fact-finders show Libyan deaths, injuries not 'propaganda'
In the CIA kick-started war on Libya, The New York Times report Monday by John F. Burns, calling Libyan civilian casualties "propaganda," does not square with a series of WBAIX in-hospital interviews (posted below) by Joshalyn Lawrence that show civilian victim survivors of U.S./NATO intensifying bomb raids, both witnessed by a human rights fact-finding mission including Cynthia McKinney and former members of parliament, who report it is NATO spin that mainstream media is reporting.
Did Kissinger Urge Egypt to Attack Israel?
A new memoir by CIA officer Jack O'Connell reveals that King Hussein warned Nasser about the 1967 Israel attack and that Kissinger urged Egypt to attack Israel in 1973. But does the record bear this out? Ross Schneiderman investigates.
6 in 10 Americans Now Oppose Obama's War in Libya
Six in 10 Americans don't think the U.S. should be involved in Libya, according to a new CBS News poll. It found that only 30 percent of Americans think we're doing the right thing by intervening militarily in that country. That includes majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents.
Up to 15,000 killed in Libya war: U.N. rights expert
An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people have been killed on both sides in four months of fighting in Libya, according to Cherif Bassiouni, who led a U.N. Human Rights Council mission to Tripoli and rebel-held areas in late April.
We'll turn our guns on Libyan rebels if they attack civilians, Nato threatens
UK and Nato forces would be prepared to turn their guns on their present allies, Libya's rebels, if they attacked civilians loyal to Muammar Gaddafi's regime, British officials stated yesterday. The warning follows a report by Human Rights Watch accusing the opposition of abusing civilians and calling on the provisional government in Benghazi, the National Transitional Council (NTC), to investigate. One rebel commander said last night: "We object to being threatened by our allies. They are taking part in military action only at our invitation."
Pentagon sees Libya military costs soar
US military operations in Libya are on course to cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than the Pentagon estimated, according to figures obtained by the Financial Times.
Libya campaign will falter without more help, Nato bystanders warned
Britain, France and the other six countries engaged in the Libya bombing campaign will struggle to keep up the intensive attacks on Colonel Gaddafi without other countries joining in, the Nato alliance has been told.
Russia and NATO have an open channel for talks, but there are still fundamental points in which they have trouble seeing eye-to-eye. From how to handle Libya and Syria through to missile defence, the hurdles are clear. To see if that might change any time soon, we can talk to NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
June 08, 2011
Mullen: No Idea How Long War Will Last Before Gadhafi Leaves
Speaking today at a press conference in Cairo, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen reiterated that the war in Libya would continue until Moammar Gadhafi agrees to leave office but he had no idea when this would actually be.
Western, Arab talks to focus on Libya "end-game"
Western and Arab nations meet in Abu Dhabi on Thursday to focus on what one U.S. official called the "end-game" for Libya's Muammar Gaddafi as NATO once again stepped up the intensity of its air raids on Tripoli.
Russian Libya envoy ready to meet Gaddafi
Russian presidential envoy to Libya Mikhail Margelov said on Wednesday he was planning to go to Tripoli and was ready to meet with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi after meeting opposition leaders in Benghazi.
China urges Libyan parties to consider AU's roadmap for solving crisis
China on Tuesday called on relevant parties in Libya to give priority to the interests of the country and its people and actively consider the African Union (AU) road map for solving the crisis in the North African country.
Double game? China hosts Libyan envoy, meets rebels
Libya's foreign minister Abdelati Obeidi arrived in Beijing on Tuesday giving Chinese leaders a major opportunity to counter American influence in the international arena, and enhance its image as a friend of the Muslim world.
Libya rebels held back by NATO
THE battered black pick-up truck flying the Libyan rebel flag raced down the road from the frontline, mortar shells landing on either side. Fighters in the back clung to the machine gun, punching the air with their fists and shouting ''Allahu Akbar!'' (God is greatest).
NATO pushes for more involvement in Libya strikes
With NATO war planes pounding Tripoli in daylight raids, the alliance's secretary-general was pressuring allies on Wednesday to step up their participation in what appears to have become an escalating mission to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Lupe Fiasco Calls Obama a "Terrorist"
"My fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America. I'm trying to fight the terrorism that's actually causing the other forms of terrorism. You know, the root cause of terrorism is the stuff the U.S. government allows to happen. The foreign policies that we have in place in different countries that inspire people to become terrorists."
Corporate Media's Capital Crimes Against Libya - and Humanity
Every day, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Congo and now Libya, the U.S. corporate media commit crimes against humanity that are equal to the crimes perpetrated by the United States government. As facilitators of those crimes — through ceaseless propaganda, lies and demonization of those targeted by the United States — the corporate media are just as guilty of the grossest human rights violations as the government they serve.
Gaddafi's forces advance on Libya's Misrata-rebels
Thousands of troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi advanced on the rebel-held western city of Misrata on Wednesday, shelling it from three sides in attacks that killed at least 12 rebels, a rebel spokesman said.
Gaddafi the first to face ICC 'disappearance' charge
UNITED NATIONS: International judges must soon announce whether they agree to crimes against humanity charges against Muammar Gaddafi, and the Libyan leader could find himself making unwanted legal history.
U.K. and France to put forward UN resolution condemning Syria
British Prime Minister David Cameron warns anyone who would vote against the resolution, which condemns Syria for its violent crackdown on anti-government protesters; U.S. says they would support the resolution.
Moscow against UN resolution on Syria — Lavrov
Russia opposes the idea of adopting a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria over human rights violations and a crackdown on protesters, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
June 07, 2011
Libya: a deafening silence
So now we are sending Apache jets to bomb Libyan civilians. An escalation in yet another bloody NATO war. Or, in the words of Colonel Jason Etherington, "it just brings something else to the party."
The entire media have fallen into line. This is a war to protect civilians. This is a war to force Gaddafi to leave. As if Western governments, with their proud histories of human rights abuses across the world, have any moral right to make judgements on the government of Libya. Etherington's rhetoric reveals a despicable truth, this war is a game for us, a 'party' worth extending.
Human rights fact-finders show Libyan deaths, injuries not 'propaganda'
In the CIA kick-started war on Libya, The New York Times report Monday by John F. Burns, calling Libyan civilian casualties "propaganda," does not square with a series of WBAIX in-hospital interviews by Joshalyn Lawrence that show civilian victim survivors of US/NATO intensifying bomb raids, both witnessed by a human rights fact-finding mission including Cynthia McKinney and former MPs who report it is NATO spin that mainstream media is reporting.
Gold, Oil, Africa and Why the West Wants Gadhafi Dead
The war raging in Libya since February is getting progressively worse as NATO forces engage in regime change and worse, an objective to kill Muammar Gadhafi to eradicate his vision of a United Africa with a single currency backed by gold.
NATO attacks on Tripoli kill 31
The government of Muammar Gaddafi said NATO strikes on Tripoli have killed 31 people, adding that Western leaders were not seeking a peaceful solution but escalation.
Qaddafi Compound Is Pounded in Day Raid
In a sudden, sharp escalation of NATO's air campaign over Libya, warplanes dropped more than 80 bombs on targets in Tripoli in an assault that began Tuesday morning and continued into the predawn hours of Wednesday, obliterating large areas of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya command compound and what NATO identified as other military targets around the capital.
Holding the President Accountable on Libya
Last week, more than 70 days after President Obama sent our military to attack Libya without a congressional declaration of war, the House of Representatives finally voted on two resolutions attempting to rein in the president. This debate was long overdue, as polls show Americans increasingly are frustrated by congressional inaction. According to a CNN poll last week, 55 percent of the American people believe that Congress, not the president, should have the final authority to decide whether the U.S. should continue its military mission in Libya. Yet for more than 70 days Congress has ignored its constitutional obligations and allowed the president to usurp its authority.
Gates outlines aggressive agenda for US imperialism in Asia
In a speech given in Singapore on June 4, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates laid out plans for American military expansion in the Asian region and for heightened confrontation with China. His remarks, delivered at the 10th International Institute for Security Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit, came amid rapidly rising tensions between China and other claimants to the South China Sea.
Kucinich Announces Blueprint for Libyan Peace Plan
Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose pivotal involvement in the House of Representatives has resulted in bi-partisan efforts to impose Constitutional restraints upon the President's exercise of war power in Libya, today put forth an 10 point plan for peace with the intention of beginning a discussion among the diplomatic community and interested parties. The plan, a result of more than a month of consultations, would provide the principles for a blueprint that includes an immediate cease-fire and transition to a stable, democratic Libya.
NATO air strikes targets Gaddafi compound
Low-flying NATO jets have reportedly conducted a rare daytime bombing campaign on Tripoli, Libya, setting off huge explosions and also striking the military barracks and compound of Moammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi vows to fight on as NATO jets pound Tripoli
Waves of NATO aircraft hit Tripoli on Tuesday in the most sustained bombardment of the Libyan capital since Western forces began air strikes in March.
By Tuesday afternoon, war planes were striking different parts of the city several times an hour, hour after hour, rattling windows and sending clouds of grey smoke into the sky, a Reuters correspondent in the center of the city said.
But Muammar Gaddafi vowed on Tuesday to fight to the death.
Battles rage in Yemen town, 25 dead
Fighting flared on Tuesday in a southern Yemen city seized by Islamist militants, killing at least 25 people, a local official said, after Washington urged President Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over power peacefully.
Yemen's Saleh injuries believed to be more serious
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's injuries from a rocket attack on his palace at the weekend were more serious than previously reported, a Yemeni official said, raising further questions about his rule.
Syria to send in army after 120 troops killed in town
More than 120 Syrian security officers were killed in battles with gunmen, state television said, in the first report of large-scale clashes in a revolt against President Bashar Al-Assad.
Bahrain campaign to humiliate Shiites goes beyond politics
Ayat Al Gormezi penned a naughty poem about Bahrain's prime minister last February, questioning his parentage. In another poem, she imagined a conversation between Bahrain's king and the devil.
Obama meets Bahrain crown prince at White House
US President Barack Obama met the crown prince of Bahrain Tuesday, as Washington backed the Sunni royal family's national dialogue to ease the political crisis in the Shiite majority kingdom.
June 06, 2011
Libya: Connect the Dots-You Get a Giant Dollar Sign
It's true that Arab Spring is a good thing. It's true Qaddafi is a bad guy. But connect the dots, and you will see that he is being set up. The evidence points to a plan to create an "Arab Spring" for the Good Old Boys—CIA, banks, oil companies. Read and see if you don't agree.
NATO jets target Libya state TV
Latest reports indicate that NATO-led warplanes have dropped several bombs on the offices of the Libyan state broadcaster in the capital Tripoli.
Libyan rebels' advances near Misrata wiped out by Nato orders
The battered black pickup truck flying the Libyan rebel flag raced down the road from the frontline, mortar shells landing on either side. Fighters in the back clung to the machine gun, punching the air with their fists and shouting "Allahu Akbar!"
Yemini opposition says it will not allow Saleh to return
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's visit to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment is tantamount to his departure as the ruler of Yemen and he will not be allowed to return to power, the Yemeni opposition has said.
NATO's War of Aggression Against Africa
The use of Western troops in Africa — particularly in the case of France — the use of its paratroopers, first in Ivory Coast, and now in Libya, represents a new strategic declaration of war against Africa, the African interest, and the African continent.
Libya: Opposition Arbitrarily Detaining Suspected Gaddafi Loyalists
Libyan opposition authorities are arbitrarily detaining dozens of civilians suspected of activities in support of Muammar Gaddafi, Human Rights Watch said today. The opposition authorities, which exercise control in eastern Libya and parts of the west, should provide the detainees with full due process rights or release them, Human Rights Watch said.
Israeli troops battle protesters in Syria, 20 dead
Israeli troops on Sunday battled hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who tried to burst across Syria's frontier with the Golan Heights, killing a reported 20 people and wounding scores more in the second outbreak of deadly violence in the border area in less than a month.
11 Dead as Israel Opens Fire On Golan Protesters
Israeli gunfire killed 11 people and wounded about 220 others on Sunday as demonstrators on the Syrian side tried to cross the ceasefire line on the annexed Golan Heights, Syria's SANA news agency said.
OPEC Upstaged by Qaddafi in Most-Hostile Meeting Since Gulf War
OPEC ministers meeting in Vienna this week may find themselves supporting opposing camps of a military conflict for the first time in 21 years, with hostilities in Libya complicating an agreement on oil quotas.
Russia: NATO 'one step' from land war in Libya
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov says NATO is "one step" from sending troops into Libya in a bid to help rebels remove Moammar Gadhafi from power.
The NATO war in Libya
France and Great Britain, leading a NATO alliance are effectively at war in Libya on the pretext of a United Nations' mandate. The United States, led the early charge against Libya's Ghadaffi from the air, but has taken something of a back seat, and allowed Britain and France to continue what can now be considered a war of aggression against a sovereign African state, far beyond the mandate of the UN.
Saleh is gone. What next for Yemen?
With the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, Yemenis now have a chance to resolve the political crisis that has bedevilled the country since February.
Gunmen attack presidential palace in Yemen
Military officials and witnesses say dozens of gunmen are attacking the presidential palace at Taiz, Yemen's second largest city, and have killed four soldiers in an attempt to storm the compound.
Wounded Yemeni president in Saudi Arabia
Yemen's president Ali Abdullah Saleh is in Riyadh for medical treatment, after he was injured in an attack on his compound on Friday, the Saudi royal court said in a statement.
Mobilizing to Stop NATO from Bombing Libya
The way NATO continues to ignore the African Union peace plan and the desires of ordinary Africans across the world for Libyan solutions to the Libyan problem clearly proves President Zuma's frank observation. How can we Africans strengthen our power with NATO on the Libya civil war when the powerful European and American alliance continues to ignore the voice of Africans?
Russia against Libya ground incursion
Russian foreign minister has warned that NATO's military operation in Libya is moving towards an all-out ground invasion of the North African country.
Western Libya Portrait is not What is being Painted by Mainstream Media
Western media reports continue to indicate that Libyan rebels trying to oust Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi from power, backed by daily NATO air strikes, are gaining ground in western Libya. During a six-hour drive from the Tunisian border to Tripoli, the Libyan capital, this reporter saw no signs of Libyan rebel successes in western Libya. In fact, I witnessed a spontaneous pro-Qaddafi demonstration on the main Tunisia-Tripoli highway in a town about one and a half hours west of Tripoli.
Hague meets Libyan rebels as Apache attacks intensify assault on Gaddafi
Britain demonstrated its solidarity with the cause of the Libyan rebel forces in a dramatic fashion yesterday, as the foreign secretary, William Hague, became the first government minister to visit their stronghold of Benghazi in the east of the country. Following his unannounced visit he said he had seen the "inspiring" hope of many Libyans for freedom.
British Apache helicopters strike Gaddafi's forces for first time
British army Apache helicopters have attacked Muammar Gaddafi's troops for the first time, destroying a radar station and a military checkpoint and marking a sharp escalation in the Nato campaign in Libya.
International bankers have reportedly wasted billions of dollars invested by Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi. The Financial Times says giants like Goldman Sachs were dealing with the dictator's investments when it needed to plug a hole during the economic crisis. Most of the money has been lost, but with what's going on in Libya any repayment seems unlikely.
Hands off Libya
It does not portend well that member countries of NATO have given a unanimous extension to its mission in Libya by another 90 days beyond the initial deadline of June 27. This means the air-strikes, which began in March following Resolution 1973 of the United Nations Security Council, will continue.
Mercenaries joining both sides in Libya conflict
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and rebel groups seeking to depose him are both hiring private military contractors to bolster their fighting forces, according to U.S. and Western security officials.
Saleh "well" after palace shelled: Yemen official
Shells struck Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's palace in Sanaa on Friday, wounding three senior officials, but a Yemeni official said Saleh was "well."
Yemen 101: Who's who in the escalating conflict
As Yemen's crisis escalates, President Ali Abdullah Saleh is battling opponents on multiple fronts who have diverse backgrounds and agendas. Here's a rundown of the players you need to know in order to understand the unrest in Yemen.
Bipartisan Congress rebuffs Obama on Libya mission
Crossing party lines to deliver a stunning rebuke to the commander in chief, the vast majority of the House voted Friday for resolutions telling President Obama he has broken the constitutional chain of authority by committing U.S. troops to the international military mission in Libya.
The way the UN resolution is being implemented in Libya undermines international law. That was the warning from Russia's foreign minister who has called on NATO to adhere to the resolution - or lose Moscow's trust.
The war in Libya 'is not a war'. Really?
Yesterday [Wednesday], the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) announced it would continue combat operations in Libya for at least another 90 days. Nato. The president went to Nato on Libya, not the US Congress, as the constitution requires. The US has thus far provided 93% of the cruise missiles, 66% of the personnel, 50% of the ships and 50% of the planes at an estimated cost of up to $700m, and now Nato says the war will go another 90 days. Since when does Nato trump the constitution of the United States?
President Banda asks NATO to stop destroying Libya
Zambia's President Rupiah Banda is advising "brother Muammar Gaddafi to pause" and "count the costs" of his continuation in office amidst the deadly civil war and Nato's sustained bombings in Libya. The Zambian President called for the "stoppage" of the Nato bombardment in Libya where Western governments are openly backing the rebels fighting to oust Gaddafi.
Gaddafi to send representative to OPEC
The government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has announced it will send a representative to the meeting of the international oil cartel OPEC, a day after Shokri Ghanem, the country's oil minister, confirmed his defection.
Series Of NATO Strikes Target Tripoli
NATO blasted Tripoli with a series of air strikes early Thursday, sending shuddering booms through the city. Ambulances, sirens blaring, could be heard racing through the Libyan capital after the rattling blasts. A NATO statement said the attacks hit military vehicle and ammunition depots, a surface-to-air missile launcher and a fire control radar.
NATO: Free Africa from the Africans!
As far as the United States and Europe are concerned, Africans have nothing to say about what happens in Africa. South African President Jacob Zuma made a second trip to Libya this week, on behalf of the African Union, seeking a diplomatic end to NATO's war against Mouammar Gaddafi's government.
House Rejects Bill to Defund NATO Operations in Libya
The US House of Representatives narrowly defeated an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill Thursday which would have prevented funds from being used to support US operations in the NATO-led air campaign in Libya.
The war in Libya growing more illegal by the day
To the extent that the War Powers Resolution (WPR) authorized President Obama to fight a war in Libya for 60 days without Congressional approval -- and, for reasons I described here, it did not -- that 60-day period expired 12 days ago. Since that date, the war has been unquestionably illegal even under the original justifications of Obama defenders, though I realize that objecting to "illegal wars" -- or wars generally -- is so very 2005.
For those who support the Libyan "Opposition"
Maybe those who refuse to call the Libyan Opposition terrorists and instead continue to accuse the forces of the Libyan Government of attacking innocent civilians — see the photos accompanying this piece — could answer some of the questions posed in this article. If not, then maybe they could ask themselves why they are supporting Islamist terrorists.
House to vent anger over Libya
As House Republicans grow increasingly restive over the continuing conflict in Libya, party leaders announced they will hold a vote Friday to demand more information from the president.
The US military is developing software that would allow military personnel to use fake profiles in online chat rooms. The idea is to use social media to spread positive messages about the United States. While the Pentagon says it is a bid to counter violent extremist and enemy ideologies, critics call it propaganda.
June 01, 2011
UN says rebels and Gaddafi are guilty of war crimes
An explosion damaged two cars in front of a hotel in Benghazi used for press conferences by the Libyan rebel administration on Wednesday. It claimed no victims and it is unclear if it was a car bomb but crowds immediately gathered to chant anti-Gaddafi slogans.
The Crime of the Century: The theft of the Libyan sovereign funds
The objective of the war in Libya is not just oil, whose reserves (estimated at 60 billion barrels) are the most important in Africa and whose extraction costs are among the lowest in the world. Not so little also, natural gas, whose reserves are estimated at about 1.5 trillion cubic metres. In the crosshairs of "volunteers" of operation "unified protector" are also the sovereign funds, the wealth, the Libyan capital that the state invested abroad.
House Blocks Vote on Kucinich Libya Bill Over Fears It Might Pass
House Republicans postponed a Wednesday vote on Rep. Dennis Kucinich's resolution to end U.S. involvement in the bombing of Libya because they were afraid it would pass. Speaker John Boehner thinks the legislation--which would take effect 15 days after it's adopted--would hurt the NATO mission to topple Muammar Qaddafi, Politico's John Bresnahan and Jonathan Allen report.
How NATO Killed Qaddafi Family Members
How many times must a parent bury a child? In the case of Muammar Qaddafi it's not only twice: once for his daughter, murdered by the United States bombing on his home in 1986, and again on 30 April 2011 when his youngest son, Saif al Arab, but yet again for three young children, grandbabies of Muammar Qaddafi killed along with Saif at the family home.
Zuma fears for Gaddafi safety
South African President Jacob Zuma said Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's personal safety was "of concern" because of his defiance to leave the country.
No Let-up from NATO After Al Qathafi's Resolve to Stay in Power
Four explosions were heard late Wednesday in the Libyan capital Tripoli, under attack for two days by NATO, which earlier carried out raids on the western town of Nalyut, according to the Libyan news agency JANA.
Shame on us for pulverizing Libya
Two questions troubled me over Memorial Day: Why is the United States destroying Libya, and why do I care? For nearly three months America and its pony pal Pokeys -- Denmark, France, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom -- have been busily destroying Libya.
What Mediating in Libya Could Cost Medvedev
Putin, who is also considering a presidential run, has repeatedly stated that he wants nothing to do with the West's adventure in Libya, which he likened to a "crusade." The majority of Russians seem to agree. A survey released on March 24 by the state-run pollster VTsIOM found that 62% of respondents believe it is up to Libyans to resolve their own internal conflict and no other state should get involved.
Did Goldman Sachs Order the Invasion of Libya?
We found out that good old Goldman Sachs has been doing big business with Muammar Gaddafi and the Libyan government. Apparently Goldman Sachs screwed Libya in reference to a sovereign wealth fund that Gaddafi was controlling for his people.
Madawi Al-Rasheed: Washington is calling the worst repression in the Arab world "evolving reform"
May 31, 2011
NATO undermines Libya peace efforts: Zuma NATO raids are undermining African mediation for peace in Libya, South African President Jacob Zuma said in a broadcast as he visited Tripoli for talks with Muammar Gaddafi.
US Navy cluster bombs oil-rich Libya, blames Gadaffi
Today, Human Rights Investigation (HRI) has called for accountability related to the recent cluster bombing of Libyans in the nation's third largest city, Misrata. HRI has evidence that, although Human Rights Watch and a US media reporter blamed Gaddafi supporters for the war crime of cluster bombing Misrata, it was the United States Navy and Western allies who cluster bombed the city in April in the US led war on oil rich Libya, and then led a deadly psychological operation for further violence.
Sharp divide remains on how to resolve Libyan conflict — UN official
Parties to the Libyan conflict remain sharply divided on how to start peace talks, with the Government adamant on a truce, including the cessation of an international bombing campaign, and the opposition [including U.S., Canada and Europe] demanding that Muammar al-Qadhafi and his family first relinquish power, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today.
British Special Forces uncovered in Libya
THE UK's secret ground war in Libya is revealed today in this bombshell image of ex-SAS troops with rebels. The elite unit is funded by the MoD via a security firm to topple Colonel Gaddafi. David Cameron insists no British boots are on the ground in Libya. But a senior military source said: "They're representing Britain."
Are these men SAS helping Libyan rebels? News crew films Western troops liaising with gunmen
An Arab television channel has broadcast pictures which it says show Western special forces on the ground in Libya. Footage by the Al Jazeera television channel shows a group of six Western-looking men — described as 'possibly British' — talking to rebel fighters near the besieged port city of Misrata.
We Are The Terrorists
We have an obligation to every last victim of this illegal aggression because all of this carnage has been done in our name. Since World War II, 90% of the casualties of war are unarmed civilians. 1/3 of them children. Our victims have done nothing to us. From Palestine to Afghanistan to Iraq to Somalia to wherever our next target may be, their murders are not collateral damage, they are the nature of modern warfare. They don't hate us because of our freedoms. They hate us because every day we are funding and committing crimes against humanity. The so-called "war on terror" is a cover for our military aggression to gain control of the resources of western Asia.
Libya's Gaddafi: I will not leave my country
Muammar Gaddafi is emphatic he will not leave Libya, South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday after talks with the Libyan leader that left prospects for a negotiated end to the conflict looking dim.
House to vote on ending Libya war
The U.S. House of Representatives intends to vote on a new resolution by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) that demands the immediate end of the war in Libya. The vote is expected to take place later this week.
What's the point of bombing Libya?
It seems that all what Benghazi rebels want is Gaddafi to leave, after which the rest of the people, who are in fact all Gaddafi's ex-friends and ex-subjects, would come to some agreement, but they have no plan about that.
Gaddafi ready for peace plan, says Zuma
South African President Jacob Zuma says Muammar Gaddafi is ready to implement an African Union plan to end the Libyan conflict, but has not said Gaddafi is ready to step down - which is the central demand of the rebels [U.S. and Europe].
Zuma Talks with Libyan Leader Inconclusive; But Muammar Al Qathafi Says Ready for a Truce
At the end of the six-hour mission and talks with Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi in Tripoli Monday, South African President Jacob Zuma appears to have made little apparent headway towards brokering a Libya peace deal with the Libyan regime that could end the three-month long conflict.
African Union demands ceasefire in Libya
One of the most prominent members of the African Union, South Africa, called for an immediate ceasefire in Libya on Tuesday, after South Africa's President Jacob Zuma's talks in Tripoli failed to advance an African Union peace plan. "Consistent with the decision of the AU on Libya, we reiterate our call for immediate ceasefire that is verifiable and encourage the warring parties to begin a dialogue to a democratic transition," said South African foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to parliament. "We strongly still believe that there is no solution for the Libyan problem that will come militarily but only with political dialogue," she added.
Arrest Warrant Won't Make Qaddafi Budge
Might as well hold on and fight to the end, rather than wind up at the kangaroo court at the Hague, that countries like China, India, the U.S., Israel and others don't recognize, and see as a potential pawn to settle scores.
Syria's once-peaceful protesters turn to guns
Residents used automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades to repel advancing government troops in central Syria on Monday, putting up a fierce fight for the first time in their two-month-old revolt against President Bashar Assad's autocratic regime.
China says UN resolution on Syria unhelpful
China voiced support on Tuesday for Syria's crackdown on pro-democracy protests and said a UN Security Council resolution on the nation was unlikely to ease tensions there.
