Vol 14, No.08 August 2014

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ARTICLES

STATEMENTS

PALESTINE RESISTS GENOCIDEBy Sara Flounders

. DELETED BBC REPORT. “UKRAINIAN FIGHTER JET

SHOT DOWN MH17”, DONETSK EYEWITNESSES

BY GLOBAL RESEARCH NEWS............................P 5

.MH17: WHO STANDS TO GAIN? BY CHANDRA MUZAFFAR......................P3

. THE GAZA MASSACRE- THE UNDERLYING MOTIVES

BY CHANDRA MUZAFFAR.................................P 7

. WASHINGTON IS ESCALATING THE ORCHESTRATED

UKRAINIAN “CRISIS” TO WAR

BY PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS..............................P 10

.CAN THE BRICS REFORM GLOBAL POWER

RELATIONS?

BY NILE BOWIE...................................................P 12

. A VOICE FROM KASSAB

BY JUDITH BELLO..............................................P 14

.JIHADISM AND THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY: THE

STORY BEHIND THE RISE OF ISIS IS AN OIL WAR

BY THIERRY MEYSSAN.....................................P8

The crimes are staggering, the destruction

massive. Israel is creating a 3-kilometer

strip of scorched earth around Gaza City

that eats up about 44 percent of the Gaza

Strip, already the most densely populated

place on earth. (U.N. Office for the

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)

After more than three weeks of ground

attacks, Israel has killed more than 1,000

Palestinians in Gaza using aerial

bombardment, tank rounds and prohibited

weapons. By United Nations estimates,

80 percent of the dead are civilians.

UNICEF says 226 children have been

killed and 1,516 injured.

Whole neighborhoods have been reduced

to rubble. Some 3,175 homes have been

destroyed, along with five hospitals and

six clinics. Sixty-four mosques and two

churches were bombed. The al-Wafa

Geriatric Hospital was completely leveled.

Doctors charge that Israel may be using

weapons such as white phosphorous,

flechettes (small pointed metal darts in

tank shells) and Dense Inert Metal

Explosives (DIME). “The injuries we

receive are unfamiliar to us,” said

Muhammad Duaidar, a doctor in the

intensive care unit at al-Aqsa hospital.

“We have noticed bodies that look melted.

We are calling for investigations into such

injuries, which we have not [seen] in

previous Israeli attacks.”

(electronicintifada.net, July 28)

Israeli tank rounds killed 16 Palestinians

at a U.N. school in the northern Gaza

town of Beit Hanoun after hundreds of

students sought shelter there. U.N.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said

U.N. staff were among the casualties and

that more than 100,000 Gazans have

sought refuge in U.N. facilities.

Israel denied responsibility for all these

attacks, claiming Palestinians are firing

on their own people or misfiring rockets.

Determined to resist

Yet Israel’s brutal offensive has failed in

its goal of destroying the collective will

of the Palestinian people to resist.

Gaza, a flat, sandy strip of land the size

of Brooklyn or Detroit, is an open-air

concentration camp. Israel deploys high-

tech drones, overflights and tracking of

every electronic message; it uses torture

to extract information. Yet it hasn’t been

able to stop the missiles smuggled into

Gaza or the hidden tunnels. The ability

of resistance forces to carry out

ambushes and sabotage has been a blow

to the Israeli military machine.

Israel’s siege of Gaza has lasted for eight

years. It has waged three wars there in

the last five years. In this offensive, 52

Israeli soldiers have been killed so far

by the resistance — three times the

number in earlier attacks.

.MH17: RELEASE MILITARY RADAR DATA BY CHANDRA MUZAFFAR......................P5

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L E A D A R T I C L E

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Palestinians have carried out successful

military operations inside Israel at least

six times. U.S. and European airlines

suspended their Israeli flights and landings

for 24 hours in fear of Gaza’s missiles.

The Israeli war on Gaza would be

impossible without total U.S. support.

This is as much a U.S. war as those

against Iraq and Afghanistan. It is waged

with U.S. equipment, dollars, and political

and diplomatic support.

Secretary of State John Kerry has been

frantically racing through the region

trying to shore up Israel’s position. He is

not engaged in talking up a ceasefire out

of concern for the Palestinian people.

Hamas, the elected leadership of Gaza,

is holding out in order to end Israel’s

blockade. (See workers.org, “Hamas’

conditions for ceasefire.”) Their fight is

for the very survival of Gaza.

The population is united around a

minimum goal: Israel must end its

blockade of imports and exports. All

armed groups in Gaza are cooperating.

With so many armed fighters, the

government could not survive without

this unity.

Israel agreed in 2012 to a ceasefire. It

then violated every provision of the

agreement, kept the strangling blockade

in place and rearrested Palestinians it had

released in a prisoner exchange.

This July 27 it declared a ceasefire and

then announced it would continue with

“limited operations” to clear tunnels. On

July 28, it struck Gaza’s major hospital,

al-Shifa. That’s when it also bombed the

Shati refugee camp and killed 10 people,

including eight children playing on a

swing set.

Isolation in the face of outrage

Searing images that can’t be kept out of

the world media are stoking international

outrage against Israel. U.S. imperialism

is virtually alone in backing Tel Aviv.

When the attack began, not only the U.S.,

but all the imperialist powers of Europe,

plus the Gulf state monarchies and the

Egyptian military dictatorship, supported

it. But mass pressure from below has

forced many states to recalibrate their

public position.

On July 23, 29 members of the U.N.

Human Rights Council voted to launch

an independent commission to investigate

violations of human rights unleashed by

Israel’s assault on Gaza. Only the U.S.

voted no. Washington’s European allies

abstained.

The council condemned the

“widespread, systematic and gross

violations of international human rights

and fundamental freedoms” arising from

Israeli military operations since July 13

and called for an immediate ceasefire. It

demanded that Israel immediately reopen

the occupied Gaza Strip and called upon

the international community to provide

urgently needed humanitarian assistance

and services to the Palestinian people.

Uprising in West Bank

As the assault on Gaza intensified, tens

of thousands marched in cities across

the occupied West Bank on July 24 and

25, despite checkpoints, soldiers and

settler/snipers gunning down

demonstrators in Hebron. Nine

Palestinians were killed near the West

Bank cities of Nablus and Hebron. At

the Qalandia checkpoint, Israeli soldiers

shot approximately 200 protesters. The

wounded were rushed to Ramallah

Hospital where two died.

This uprising in the West Bank was the

largest protest there since massive

repression crushed the 2000-2005

Palestinian uprising, called the Second

Intifada.

Among Israelis, a small but outspoken

opposition rejects racism and brutal

repression. Some 130 young people face

jail for signing statements and refusing

to enlist in the military. Udi Segal, a 19

year old from Kibbutz Tuval, was jailed

on July 28 after saying he refused to

accept a life filled with violence,

occupation, fear and hostility.

Fifty former Israeli soldiers refuse to be

part of the reserves and say they will

support all those who resist being called

up.

A large “Stop the War” rally in Tel Aviv

held on July 26 by Palestinian and Israeli

members of Combatants for Peace was

attacked by right-wing Israelis. Israeli

vigilante groups are targeting Palestinians

and Jewish leftists. But Jews Against

Genocide went to the Israeli Holocaust

memorial Yad Vashem to honor

Palestinian children being systematically

murdered.

The war crimes and crimes against

humanity committed in Gaza today are

the latest stage of an ongoing campaign

of ethnic cleansing and genocide against

the Indigenous people of this land.

Dire warnings

Outrage is growing against U.S.

imperialism for backing this criminal

onslaught.

Lebanese resistance leader Hassan

Nasrallah declared at a massive rally in

Beirut that Israel is on a path toward

“suicide” in Gaza and praised the

Palestinian resistance.

A July 22 article by Ali Abunimah, co-

founder of Electronic Intifada, was titled

“Israel is being defeated in Gaza as it was

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in Lebanon.”

Anti-Zionist Israeli Gilad Atzmon writes:

“The IDF’s defeat in Gaza leaves the

Jewish State with no hope. The moral is

simple. If you insist on living on someone

else’s land, military might is an essential

ingredient to discourage the dispossessed

from acting to reclaim their rights. The

level of IDF casualties and the number

of bodies of Israeli elite soldiers returning

home in coffins send a clear message to

both Israelis and Palestinians.”

(occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com, July

21)

The rulers of Israel and the U.S.

arrogantly assumed they had politically

isolated Hamas through the coup in

Egypt and war in Syria. Israel was

determined to break the announced unity

government of Hamas and Fatah and the

armed opposition in Gaza.

This heroic resistance will resonate

globally. It will strengthen the Boycott,

Divestment and Sanctions movement

against Israel. It is urgent that everyone

opposed to war and oppression stand up

for Palestine NOW!

28 July 2014.

Sara Flounders is an American political

writer and has been active in 'progressive'

and anti-war organizing since the 1960s

STATEMENTS

MH17: WHO STANDS TO GAIN?The Russian military has released

military monitoring data which challenge

allegations circulating in the media

pertaining to the MH 17 crash in the

Donetsk Region of Eastern Ukraine on

July 17 2014. Questions have been

raised about Kiev military jets tracking

MH 17, Ukrainian air traffic controllers

and the deployment of Buk missile

systems. Kiev should also release

military data on the circumstances

leading to the crash. So should the

Pentagon which reportedly has relevant

intelligence and satellite data.

Since military data is hardcore

information, Kiev and Washington

should be persuaded to be transparent

and accountable. The UN Secretary-

General can play a role in this since there

is a specialized agency within the UN,

the ICAO, dedicated to international

civil aviation. Military data from

Moscow, Kiev and Washington should

be scrutinized by the independent

international panel that is supposed to

probe the MH 17 catastrophe.

Such data carries much more weight

than videos purportedly revealing the

role of the pro-Russian rebels and the

Russian government in the crash. One

such video showing a Buk system being

moved from Ukraine to Russia is a

fabrication. The billboard in the

background establishes that it was shot

in a town — Krasnoarmeisk — that

has been under the control of the

Ukrainian military since May 11.

Similarly, a You Tube video showing a

Russian General and Ukrainian rebels

discussing their role in mistakenly

downing a civilian aircraft was, from

various tell-tale signs, produced before

the event.

The public should be wary of fabricated

“evidence” of this sort, after what we

have witnessed in the last so many

years. Have we forgotten the

monstrous lies and massive distortions

that accompanied the reckless

allegation that Iraq had weapons of

mass destruction (WMD) which led

eventually to the invasion of that country

in 2003 and the death of more than a

million people? Iraq continues to bleed

to this day. What about the Gulf of

Tonkin episode of 1964 which again

was a fabrication that paved the way

for wanton US aggression against

Vietnam that resulted in the death of

more than 3 million Vietnamese? The

“babies in incubators” incident in

Kuwait in 1990 was yet another

manufactured lie that aroused the anger

of the people and served to justify the

US assault on Iraq. Just last year we

saw how an attempt was made by

some parties to pin the blame for a sarin

gas attack in Ghouta, Syria upon the

Assad government when subsequent

investigations have revealed that it was

the work of some militant rebel group.

From Tonkin to Ghouta there is a

discernible pattern when it comes to

the fabrication of evidence to justify

some nefarious agenda or other. As

soon as the event occurs before any

proper investigation has begun, blame

is apportioned upon the targeted party.

This is done wilfully to divert attention

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S T A T E M E N T

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from the real culprit whose act of evil

remains concealed and camouflaged.

The colluding media then begins to spin

the “correct” version with the help of

its reporters and columnists who

concoct “fact” out of fiction. Any other

explanation or interpretation of the

event is discredited and dismissed

derisively to ensure that the “credibility”

of the dominant narrative remains intact.

As the narrative unfolds, the target often

embodied in a certain personality is

demonized to such a degree that he

arouses the ire of the public and

becomes an object of venom.

The pattern described here is typical

of what is known as a “false flag”

operation in which blame for some

dastardly deed is consciously

transferred to one’s adversary. It has

happened right through history and

many contemporary nation-states —

and not just the United States — are

guilty of flying false flags.

To protect ourselves from being

deceived by such operations, the

general public should always ask: who

stands to gain from a particular

episode? Cui Bono is in fact an

important principle in the investigation

of a crime. In the case of the MH 17

carnage, the pro-Russian rebels do not

benefit in any way from downing a

civilian airliner. Their goal is

independence from the Kiev

government which is why they are

fighting Kiev through sometimes violent

means including shooting down its

military planes. Massacring 298

passengers in a flight from Amsterdam

to Kuala Lumpur does not serve their

cause. Moscow which backs the rebels

to an extent also gains nothing from

involving itself in such a diabolical

carnage.

10 days after the carnage, it is now

clear who is trying to reap benefits

from that terrible tragedy in the skies.

The demonization of the Russian

President, Vladimir Putin, orchestrated

from various Western capitals,

including Kiev, after Crimea voted to

join the Russian Federation, thus

thwarting one of the primary strategic

goals of NATO’s eastward expansion,

has now reached its pinnacle. After

MH 17, it has become a lot easier to

convince people— even without an

iota of evidence — that Putin is a “mass

murderer”. The tarnishing of Putin’s

image is crucial for those in the West

who want to curb Russia’s political re-

assertion so that the US and its allies

can perpetuate their global dominance

without hindrance.

MH 17 has helped the elite in

Washington in yet another sense. It has

strengthened its push for tougher

sanctions against Russia which began

after the Crimea vote. Given their

extensive economic ties with Russia,

many European countries such as

Germany, France, Netherlands and

Italy have been somewhat lukewarm

about widening and deepening

sanctions. But will that change now?

Will an outraged European public,

incensed by the MH 17 massacre,

demand that their governments punish

Moscow?

It is obvious that those who seek to

punish Russia and the pro-Russian

rebels, namely, the elite in Washington

and Kiev, are poised to gain the most

from the MH 17 episode. Does it imply

that they would have had a role in the

episode itself? Only a truly independent

and impartial international inquiry would

be able to provide the answer.

In this regard, we must admit that while

elites in Kiev and Washington may stand

to gain from MH 17, those who actually

pulled the trigger may be some other

group or individual with links to the

powerful in the two capitals. It is quite

conceivable that a certain well-heeled

individual equipped with the appropriate

military apparatus and with access to

air-control authorities in the region may

have executed the act of evil itself.

Because of who he is, and where his

loyalties lie, that individual may have also

decided to target Malaysia. Was he

giving vent to his anger over our

principled stand on the question of

justice for the Palestinians? Was he also

attempting to divert public attention

from Israel’s ground offensive against

Gaza which time-wise coincided with

the downing of the Malaysian airliner?

As we explore MH 17 from this angle,

would we be able to connect the dots

between MH 17 and MH 370,

between July 17 and March 8, 2014?

We should not rest till the whole truth is

known and the evil behind these two

colossal catastrophes punished

severely.

We owe this to every soul who perished

on those fateful flights.

(This article is dedicated to the

cherished memory of all those on

MH 17 — especially the 80

children who were on board).

26 July 2014.

Dr. Chandra Muzaffar is the

President of the International

Movement for a Just World (JUST).

I N T E R N A T I O N A L M O V E M E N T F O R A J U S T W O R L D

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MH17: RELEASE MILITARY RADAR DATA

S T A T E M E N T

ARTICLES

DELETED BBC REPORT. “UKRAINIAN FIGHTER JET SHOT DOWN MH17”,DONESTK EYEWITNESS.

By Global Research News

The original BBC Video Report was

published by BBC Russian Service on

July 23, 2014.

In a bitter irony, The BBC is censoring

its own news production.

Why did BBC delete this report by Olga

Ivshina?

Is it because the BBC team was unable

to find any evidence that a rocket was

launched in the area that the Ukrainian

Security Service (“SBU”) alleges to be

the place from which the Novorossiya

Militia launched a “BUK” missile?

Or is it because every eyewitness

interviewed by the BBC team specifically

indicated the presence of a Ukrainian

military aircraft right beside the Malaysian

Airlines Boeing MH17 at the time that it

was shot down?

Or is it because of eyewitness accounts

confirming that the Ukrainian air force

regularly used civilian aircraft flying over

Novorossiya as human shields to protect

its military aircraft conducting strikes

against the civilian population from the

Militia’s anti-aircraft units?

Highlights of Witness statements (see

complete transcript below)

Eyewitness #1: There were two

explosions in the air. And this is how it

broke apart. And [the fragments] blew

apart like this, to the sides. And when ...

Eyewitness #2: ... And there was another

aircraft, a military one, beside it.

Everybody saw it.

Eyewitness #1: Yes, yes. It was flying

under it, because it could be seen. It was

proceeding underneath, below the civilian

one.

Eyewitness #3: There were sounds of an

explosion. But they were in the sky. They

came from the sky. Then this plane made

a sharp turn-around like this. It changed

its trajectory and headed in that direction

[indicating the direction with her hands].

Video: The Catastrophe of #MH17: #BBC

in the Search of the “#BUK”

by slavyangrad.wordpress.com

Introductory Paragraphs to the BBC

Video Report

Intro of BBC Report (For Full Transcript

see below)

The “black boxes” of the crashed

Malaysian Boeing have finally been

transferred into the hands of the experts.

However, how much can they tell us?

The recorders logged the coordinates andcontinued next page

The MH 17 disaster continues to

generate a lot of questions. People

everywhere want to know what really

happened. What caused the crash?

Was it a surface to air missile that

brought MH 17 down? Or was it a

missile fired from a jet fighter

following the passenger airliner?

Answers to these questions may tell

us who was actually responsible for

the dastardly attack.

In the interest of finding the answers,

the International Movement for a

Just World (JUST) calls upon the

authorities in Kiev, Moscow and

Washington to de-classify and

release the raw military radar data

manifest for the incident area on that

ill-fated day. This vital information

should be studied by an independent

international panel of experts. The

panel’s findings should be made

public immediately.

For the families of the victims of the

MH 17 crash and for the world at

large, it is this military radar data that

may provide the closure that they

yearn for.

Chandra Muzaffar

20 July 2014.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L M O V E M E N T F O R A J U S T W O R L D

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A R T I C L E S

the heading of the aircraft at the time of

the incident and may have recorded the

sound of the explosion. However, they

will not tell us what exactly caused the

explosion.

The inhabitants of the nearby villages are

certain that they saw military aircraft in

the sky shortly prior to the catastrophe.

According to them, it actually was the

jet fighters that brought down the Boeing.

The Ukrainian government rejects this

version of events. They believe that the

Boeing was shot down using a missile

from a “BUK” complex that came in from

Russia.

The Ukrainian Security Service has

published photographs and a video,

which, in its opinion, prove that the

Boeing was shot down with a “BUK”

missile.

BBC reporter Olga Ivshina and producer

Oksana Vozhdayeva decided to find the

place from which the missile was

allegedly launched.

Original BBC Video Report: Preserved by

Google Web-cache

Transcript of the BBC Video Report

DPR Representative: Here it is.

Olga Ivshina, BBC: The black boxes from

the crashed Boeing are finally being

transferred into the hands of the experts.

However, how much can they tell us?

The recorders logged the coordinates and

the heading of the aircraft at the time of

the incident and may have recorded the

sound of the explosion. However, they

will not tell us what exactly caused the

explosion.

The inhabitants of the nearby villages are

certain that they saw military aircraft in

the sky shortly prior to the catastrophe.

According to them, it actually was the

jet fighters that brought down the Boeing.

Eyewitness #1: There were two

explosions in the air. And this is how it

broke apart. And [the fragments] blew

apart like this, to the sides. And when ...

Eyewitness #2: ... And there was another

aircraft, a military one, beside it.

Everybody saw it.

Eyewitness #1: Yes, yes. It was flying

under it, because it could be seen. It was

proceeding underneath, below the civilian

one.

Eyewitness #3: There were sounds of

an explosion. But they were in the sky.

They came from the sky. Then this plane

made a sharp turn-around like this. It

changed its trajectory and headed in that

direction [indicating the direction with her

hands].

Olga Ivshina, BBC: The Ukrainian

government rejects this version of events.

They believe that the Boeing was shot

down using a missile from a “BUK”

complex that came in from the direction

of Russia.

Vitaliy Naida, Department of

Counterintelligence of SBU [Ukrainian

Security Service]: This was a BUK M1

system from which the aircraft was shot

down. It came to Ukraine early in the

morning on the 17th of July. It was

delivered by a tow truck to the city of

Donetsk. After that, it was redeployed

from Donetsk, as part of a column of

military equipment, to the area of the city

of Torez, to the area of Snezhnoye, to

the area of Pervomaisk.

Olga Ivshina, BBC: The Ukrainian

Security Service has published

photographs and a video, which, in its

opinion, prove that the Boeing was shot

down with a “BUK” missile. We

attempted to verify these photographs

and information at the location.

One of the photographs showed a

landscape not far from the city of Torez,

on which smoke could be seen coming

from the presumed location of the

missile’s launch. We attempted to find

this location, and it appears that we were

successful.

We are now on the outskirts of the city

of Torez. Behind me, approximately five

kilometres away, is the city of

Snezhnoye. And the landscape here

matches the landscape that we can see

on the photograph published by the

Ukrainian Security Service.

To find the place from which the smoke

was allegedly coming from, we adopted

as markers these three poplars and the

group of trees. Presumably, this is the

place that can be seen on the photograph

published by the SBU. And here are our

markers: the three solitary poplars and

the small group of trees in the distance.

The smoke that can be seen on the

photograph came from somewhere over

there [pointing behind her], behind my

back. The SBU believes that this is a

trace coming from the launch of a “BUK”

missile.

However, it must be noted that there are

here, approximately in the same place,

the Saur-Mogila memorial, near which

the fighting continues almost unabated,

and a coalmine. It turns out that the

smoke with the same degree of

continued from page 5

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probability could have been coming from

any of these locations.

Having circled around the nearby fields,

we were unable to find any traces of a

missile launch. Nor did the local

inhabitants that we encountered see any

“BUK” either.

At the ruins of an apartment building in

the city of Snezhnoye, the topic of the

jet fighters that may have been escorting

civilian aircraft comes up again. A bomb

dropped from above took away the lives

of eleven civilians here.

Sergey Godovanets, Commander of the

Militia of the city of Snezhnoye: They

use these civilian aircraft to hide behind

them. It is only now that they stopped

flying over us – but, usually, civilian

aircraft would always fly above us. And

they hide [behind them]. [The experience

in] Slavyansk had demonstrated that they

would fly out from behind a civilian

aircraft, bomb away, and then hide, once

again, behind the civilian aircraft and fly

away.

Olga Ivshina, BBC: The commander of

the local militia emphasizes that they have

no weaponry capable of shooting down

a jet fighter [flying] at a significant height.

However, he says that if such weaponry

were to appear, they would have tried

to.

Sergey Godovanets: If we know that it

is not a civilian aircraft, but a military

one, then – yes.

Olga Ivshina, BBC: So, could the Boeing

have been shot down by the militias that

had mistaken it for a military aircraft?

There is as yet no unequivocal

confirmation of either this or any other

version [of what took place]. The

international experts are just beginning

their work with the information obtained

from the crashed airliner. It now appears

that it is difficult to overstate the

importance of this investigation. Olga

Ivshina, BBC.

The Catastrophe of #MH17:

#BBC in the Search of the “BUK” – The

Video Report Deleted by BBC

Translation by: Valentina Lisitsa

http://slavyangrad.wordpress.com

29 July, 2014

Global Research

By Chandra Muzaffar

THE GAZA MASSACRE: THE UNDERLYING MOTIVES

Massacre has become a habit. Every two

or three years, Israel launches a massive

military assault upon largely unarmed

Palestinians in Gaza. It did this in

December 2008 to January 2009. It did

it again in November 2012. On each

occasion hundreds of Palestinians are

murdered and thousands more maimed.

Every time, Israel claims the moral high

ground for its brutal, barbaric action. It

blames Hamas, an important component

of the Palestinian liberation movement,

for the present cycle of violence. It

alleges, without an iota of proof, that

Hamas was responsible for the

kidnapping and killing of three Israeli

teens on 12 June 2014. Hamas has denied

any involvement. The death of the teens

— a despicable act — provided the

justification for a large-scale operation

against Hamas and other so-called

militants. Israeli authorities arrested a

number of activists including those who

were released earlier.

While the global media has highlighted

the killing of the Israeli teens, it has ignored

a critical bit of background information

that may have a connection with the

tragic episode. On 15th May 2014, the

Israeli army killed two unarmed

Palestinian teens and wounded a third.

The media has also failed to provide a

context to this unconscionable murder

of children in the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict. Between 29 September 2000

and 23 June 2014, 1,523 Palestinian

children were killed by Israelis as against

129 Israeli children killed by Palestinians.

It is also worth noting that between the

two dates, 6,876 Palestinians were killed

by the Israeli occupiers compared to

1,110 Israelis by Palestinians.

If the media has concealed these

statistics from the public, it has also

presented a rather distorted picture of

how the present violence had unfolded.

It is mainly because of the huge

emotional torrent unleashed by the anti-

Arab venom spewed by some politicians

and religious personalities in the wake of

the killing of the Israeli teens that some

Israeli settlers may have killed a

Palestinian teen and burnt his body on

the 2nd of July. This incident — not

unexpectedly — provoked thousands of

Palestinians to launch angry protests in

not only Gaza but also the West Bank.

The Benjamin Netanyahu regime

retaliated with harsh punitive measures

including missile strikes and the collective

punishment of entire communities.

It is against this backdrop that one should

look at the primitive rockets launched by

Hamas against targets in Israel. It is true

that these rockets have generated some

fear among segments of the Israeli

population but they have not resulted in

any deaths. On the contrary, they serve

as “evidence” for Netanyahu to convince

the world that Israel is under threat and

is forced to defend itself and to protect

its people. This is why one wonders

whether as a strategic option the rockets

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serve a purpose.

If anything, the rockets have helped to

divert attention from the underlying

motives for Israel’s current aggressive

offensive. What are these motives?

One, the offensive, ostensibly directed

at Hamas, actually demonstrates Israel’s

overwhelming military power in the

region. Its neighbours are reminded at

regular intervals that no one should try

to trifle with West Asia’s most formidable

armed forces. The projection of power

in this manner is consistent with Israel’s

singular obsession with its security. For

the nation’s security, in the Israeli psyche,

is equated with its ability to dominate the

region, militarily. Hence its opposition to

any other state in West Asia possessing

even the remotest capacity to produce

nuclear weapons. Besides, Israel is

determined to show friend and foe that it

is above the law, that the norms that

apply to other states bear no relevance

to it. It is “exceptional” because the Jews

are a “chosen people.”

Two, the need to project its power is all

the greater at this moment in view of the

reconciliation agreement reached

between Hamas and its rival Fatah on the

23rd of April 2014. Israel perceives a

united Palestinian liberation struggle as a

major threat to its agenda of domination

and control through the strategy of divide

and rule. If, as a result of a Hamas-Fatah

unity government, Gaza and the West

Bank are brought together, the Israeli plan

of keeping them apart — and weak —

will be thwarted.

Three, the Netanyahu regime is also

worried that more and more people

especially in Europe are beginning to

appreciate the justice of the Palestinian

cause as reflected in the growing support

of big corporations and universities for

the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

(BDS) campaign against Israel’s post -

1967 occupation of Palestinian land. In

order to check this trend, Netanyahu is

once again playing the victim card

especially with Europe in mind: Israel is

still under a grave threat, its survival is at

stake. Do not abandon Israel.

Four, playing victim has acquired a new

urgency in light of a recent development.

There is a strong possibility that Iran will

come to some understanding soon with

the US and other big powers on its nuclear

programme. As we have hinted, for Israel,

an oil-rich Iran with a strong scientific

base and a clear Islamic ideological

orientation, is a challenge to its security,

read dominance. It explains why it has

gone all out to foil Iran’s rapprochement

with the US in particular. The present

offensive which attempts to link Hamas’s

rockets with Iran is both an endeavour

to make Iran look like the culprit and to

underscore Israel’s vulnerability.

Since the motives reveal an extremely

myopic perspective on Israel’s interests,

all the more reason why an immediate

ceasefire in Gaza is critical. Though

there have been calls for a ceasefire

from the United Nations Security

Council to NGOs, the parties involved

especially Israel is not prepared to heed.

Perhaps NGOs and other civil society

groups all over the world should be

more vocal and more persistent in

demanding an immediate cessation of

conflict.

Needless to say, a ceasefire in itself is

not a solution. There will continue to be

massacres of this sort in the future

unless the fundamental cause of the

Israeli-Palestinian/ Arab conflict is

addressed. It is widely accepted that the

root of the conflict is Israeli occupation

of Palestinian/Arab land. It is because

of their situation— their dispossession

—that Palestinians and other Arabs are

sometimes even prepared to resort to

violence in order to restore their dignity.

This is something that the Israeli elite

and its backers in the West should

understand. As it has been said on

numerous occasions, there will be no

security for Israelis unless there is justice

for the Palestinians and other Arabs.

15 July 2014.

JIHADISM AND THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY: THE STORY BEHIND THE RISE

OF ISIS IS AN OIL WAR; THE LOSERS ARE THE BRITISH, TURKS,CHINESE; THE WINNERS U.S.,ISRAEL, SAUDI ARABIA

By Thierry Meyssan

While the Western media portray the Islamic

State in Iraq and the Levant as a group of

jihadists reciting the Qur’an, the ISIS has

started the oil war in Iraq. With the help of

Israel, it has cut off Syria’s supply and

guaranteed the theft of oil from Kirkuk by

the local government of Kurdistan. The sale

will be assured by Aramco who will

camouflage this diversion as increased

“Saudi” production.

The Baiji Refinery.

For the Atlanticist press, the Islamic State in

Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) which has just

invaded the north and west of Iraq is a group

of jihadists led by their faith, the Koran in

one hand and a Kalashnikov in the other.

For those who have suffered their abuses,

including in Syria, it is a private army of

mercenaries, composed from the four

corners of the Earth and managed by

American, French and Saudi officers -

dividing the region to allow easier control

by the colonial powers.

If one conceives of members of the ISIS

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A R T I C L E S

as armed believers, we cannot imagine dark

material interests behind their attack. But if

we admit that these thugs are manipulating

religion to give the illusion that Allah blesses

their crimes, we must be more attentive.

While shedding crocodile tears for the

thousands of Iraqi victims of this offensive,

the Atlanticist press decries the

consequences of this new conflict for oil

prices. Within days, the barrel rose to $115,

that is to say the level of September 2013.

Markets were concerned about the fight

for the Baiji refinery near Tikrit. In reality,

this refinery produces only for local

consumption, which could quickly run out

of fuel and electricity. Rising oil prices is

not due to the interruption of Iraqi

production, but the disruption of deliveries.

It will thus not last as markets are in surplus.

Saudi Arabia has announced that it will

significantly increase its production to

compensate for the reduced supply due to

the marketing ban by ISIS. But experts are

skeptical and point out that the kingdom

has never produced more than 10 million

barrels per day.

The Atlanticist press, which denies the

sponsorship of NATO, learnedly explained

that the ISIS suddenly became rich by

conquering oil wells. This was already the

case in northern Syria, but it had not noticed.

The western press had tried to deal with

fighting between the al-Nosra Front and the

Islamic Emirate as a rivalry exacerbated by

the “regime”, while they sought to

monopolize the oil wells.

However, a question arises to which the

Atlanticist media and the Gulf still has no

answer: how can these terrorists sell oil on

the international market so monitored by

Washington? In March, the Libyan

Benghazi separatists had failed to sell the oil

that they had seized. The U.S. Navy

intercepted the tanker Morning Glory and

had returned it to Libya. [1]

If al-Nosra and the ISIS are able to sell oil

on the international market, they are

authorized by Washington and are linked to

storefront oil companies.

Chance has it that the annual world congress

of the oil companies was held from June

15 to 19 in Moscow. We thought there

would be talk of Ukraine, but there the issues

were Iraq and Syria. It was learned that the

oil stolen by al-Nosra in Syria is sold by

Exxon-Mobil (the Rockefeller firm that rules

Qatar), while that of ISIS is operated by

Aramco (USA / Saudi Arabia). Note in

passing that during the Libyan conflict,

NATO authorized Qatar (that is to say,

Exxon-Mobil) to sell oil from the “territories

liberated by al-Qaeda”.

We can therefore read the current fighting,

as all those of the twentieth century in the

Middle East, as a war between oil

companies. [2] The fact that the ISIS is

financed by Aramco is enough to explain

why Saudi Arabia claims to be able to

compensate for the decline in Iraqi

production: the kingdom would just put its

stamp on the stolen barrels to legalize them.

The ISIS breakthrough allows it to control

the two main pipelines: the one exiting

toward Banias to supply Syria while the other

transporting crude to the Turkish port of

Ceyhan. The Islamic Emirate has

interrupted the first, causing additional

power outages in Syria, but strangely, it

allows the second to function.

This is because this pipeline is used by the

local pro-Israel Kurdistan government to

export the oil it just stole from Kirkuk.

However, as I explained last week [3], the

ISIS attack is coordinated with Kurdistan

to cut Iraq into three smaller states,

according to the map reshaping “the Greater

Middle East” established by US Staff in

2001, that the U.S. military failed to win in

2003, but Senator Joe Biden had adopted

by Congress in 2007. [4]

Kurdistan has begun its oil exports from

Kirkuk via the ISIS-controlled pipeline.

Within days, it was able to load two tankers

at Ceyhan, chartered by Palmali Shipping

& Agency JSC, the company of billionaire

Turkish-Azeri Mubariz Gurbanoðlu.

However, after the al-Maliki government,

which has not been overthrown by

Washington, issued a note denouncing this

theft, none of the companies usually

working in Kurdistan (Chevron, Hess, and

Total) dared to buy this oil. Failing to find a

buyer, Kurdistan has declared its readiness

to sell its cargo at half price at $ 57.5 per

barrel, while continuing its traffic. Two

other tankers are being loaded, always with

the blessing of the ISIS. The fact that traffic

continues in the absence of a market shows

that Kurdistan and the ISIS are convinced

that they will succeed in finding a buyer,

indicating they have the same state supports:

Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The possible division of Iraq into three will

not fail to reshuffle the oil cards. In the

face of the ISIS breakthrough, all oil

companies have reduced their staff. Some

more than others: this is the case of BP,

Royal Deutsch Shell (which employs

Sheikh Moaz al-Khatib, the geologist former

president of the Syrian National Coalition),

Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklýðý

(TPAO) and Chinese companies

(PetroChina, Sinopec and CNOOC).

So the losers are the British, the Turks, and

especially the Chinese, who were by far

Iraq’s largest customer. The winners are

the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The stakes are thus unrelated to a fight for

the “true Islam.”

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A R T I C L E S

[1] “Pentagon orders take over of “Morning

Glory” in Mediterranean Sea”, Voltaire

Network, 17 March 2014.

[2] « Irak, les pages d’histoire effacées »

(Iraq, the pages of history erased), par

Manlio Dinucci, Traduction Marie-Ange

Patrizio, Il Manifesto, Réseau Voltaire, 18

juin 2014.

[3] “Washington Relaunches its Iraq

Partition Project”, by Thierry Meyssan,

Translation Roger Lagassé, Voltaire

Network, 19 June 2014.

[4] « La balkanisation de l’Irak » (The

Balkanization of Iraq), par Manlio Dinucci,

Traduction Marie-Ange Patrizio, Il

Manifesto, Réseau Voltaire, 17 juin 2014.

Translation: Roger Lagassé

23 June 2014

Thierry Meyssan French intellectual,

founder and chairman of Voltaire Network

and the Axis for Peace Conference. His

columns specializing in international

relations feature in daily newspapers and

weekly magazines in Arabic, Spanish and

Russian. His last two books published in

English: 9/11 the Big Lie and Pentagate.

Source: Al-Watan (Syria)

WASHINGTON IS ESCALATING THE ORCHESTRATED UKRAINIAN

“CRISIS” TO WARBy Paul Craig Roberts

Despite the conclusion by US intelligence

that there is no evidence of Russian

involvement in the destruction of the

Malaysian airliner and all lives onboard,

Washington is escalating the crisis and

shepherding it toward war.

Twenty-two US senators have

introduced into the 113th Congress,

Second Session, a bill, S.2277, “To

prevent further Russian aggression

toward Ukraine and other sovereign

states in Europe and Eurasia, and for

other purposes.” https://

beta.congress.gov/113/bills/s2277/

BILLS-113s2277is.pdf The bill is before

the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Note that prior to any evidence of any

Russian aggression, there are already 22

senators lined up in behalf of preventing

further Russian aggression.

Accompanying this preparatory

propaganda move to create a framework

for war, hot or cold with Russia, NATO

commander General Philip Breedlove

announced his plan for a deployment of

massive military means in Eastern Europe

that would permit lightning responses

against Russia in order to protect Europe

from Russian aggression.

There we have it again: Russian

Aggression. Repeat it enough and it

becomes real.

The existence of “Russian aggression”

is assumed, not demonstrated. Neither

Breedlove nor the senators make any

reference to Russian war plans for an

attack on Europe or any other countries.

There are no references to Russian

position papers and documents setting

forth a Russian expansionist ideology or

a belief declared by Moscow that

Russians are “exceptional, indispensable

people” with the right to exercise

hegemony over the world. No evidence

is presented that Russia has infiltrated the

communication systems of the entire

world for spy purposes. There is no

evidence that Putin has Obama’s or

Obama’s daughters’ private cell phone

conversations or that Russia downloads

US corporate secrets for the benefit of

Russian businesses.

Nevertheless, the NATO commander

and US senators see an urgent need to

create blitzkrieg capability for NATO on

Russia’s borders.

Senate bill 2277 consists of three titles:

“Reinvigorating the Nato Alliance,”

“Deterring Further Russian Aggression

in Europe,” and “Hardening Ukraine and

other European and Eurasian States

Against Russian Aggression.” Who do

you think wrote this bill? Hint: it wasn’t

the senators or their staffs.

Title I deals with strengthening US force

posture in Europe and Eurasia and

strengthening the NATO alliance, with

accelerating the construction of ABM

(anti-ballistic missile) bases on Russia’s

borders so as to degrade the Russian

strategic nuclear deterrent, and to

provide more money for Poland and the

Baltic states and strengthen US-German

cooperation on global security issues, that

is, to make certain that the German

military is incorporated as part of the US

empire military force.

Title II is about confronting “Russian

aggression in Europe” with sanctions and

with financial and diplomatic “support

for Russian democracy and civil society

organizations,” which means to pump

billions of dollars into NGOs (non-

governmental organizations) that can be

used to destabilize Russia in the way that

Washington used the NGOs it funded in

Ukraine to overthrow the elected

government. For 20 years Russian

government negligence permitted

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Washington to organize fifth columns

inside Russia that pose as human rights

organizations, etc.

Title III deals with military and

intelligence assistance for Ukraine,

putting Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova

on a NATO track, expediting US natural

gas exports in order to erase European

and Eurasian energy dependence on

Russia, preventing recognition of Crimea

as again a part of Russia, expanding

broadcasting (propaganda) into Russian

areas, and again “support for democracy

and civil society organizations in

countries of the former Soviet Union,”

which means to use money to subvert

the Russian federation.

However you look at this, it comprises a

declaration of war. Moreover, these

provocative and expensive moves are

presented as necessary to counter

Russian aggression for which there is

no evidence.

How do we characterize a bill that is not

merely thoughtless, unnecessary, and

dangerous, but also more Orwellian than

Orwell? I am open to suggestions.

Ukraine as it currently exists is an

ahistorical state with artificial boundaries.

Ukraine presently consists of part of

what was once a larger entity plus former

Russian provinces added to the Ukrainian

Soviet Republic by Soviet leaders. When

the Soviet Union collapsed and Russia

permitted Ukraine’s independence, under

US pressure Russia mistakenly permitted

Ukraine to take with it the former Russian

provinces.

When Washington executed its coup in

Kiev last year, the Russophobes who

grabbed power began threatening in word

and deed the Russian populations in

eastern and southern Ukraine. The

Crimeans voted to reunite with Russia

and were accepted. This reunification

was grossly misrepresented by Western

propaganda. When other former Russian

provinces voted likewise, the Russian

government, kowtowing to Western

propaganda, did not grant their requests.

Instead, Russian president Putin called

for Kiev and the former Russian

provinces to work out an agreement that

would keep the provinces within Ukraine.

Kiev and its Washington master did not

listen. Instead, Kiev launched military

attacks on the provinces and was

conducting bombing attacks on the

provinces at the moment the Malaysian

airliner was downed.

Washington and its European vassals

have consistently misrepresented the

situation in Ukraine and denied their

responsibility for the violence, instead

placing all blame on Russia. But it is not

Russia that is conducting bombing raids

and attacking provinces with troops,

tanks, and artillery. Just as Israel’s current

military assault against Palestinian

civilians fails to evoke criticism from

Washington, European governments, and

the Western media, Kiev’s assault on the

former Russian provinces goes

unreported and uncriticized. Indeed, it

appears that few Americans are even

aware that Kiev is attacking civilian areas

of the provinces that wish to return to

their mother country.

Sanctions should be imposed on Kiev,

from which the military violence

originates. Instead, Kiev is receiving

financial and military support, and

sanctions are placed on Russia which is

not militarily involved in the situation.

When the outbreak of violence against

the former Russian provinces began, the

Russian Duma voted Putin the power to

intervene militarily. Instead of using this

power, Putin requested that the Duma

rescind the power, which the Duma did.

Putin preferred to deal with the problem

diplomatically in a reasonable and

unprovocative manner.

Putin has received neither respect nor

appreciation for encouraging a non-

violent resolution of the unfortunate

Ukrainian situation created by

Washington’s coup against a

democratically elected government that

was only months away from a chance

to elect a different government.

The sanctions that Washington has applied

and that Washington is pressuring its

European puppets to join send the wrong

information to Kiev. It tells Kiev that the

West approves and encourages Kiev’s

determination to resolve its differences

with the former Russian provinces with

violence rather than with negotiation.

This means war will continue, and that

is clearly Washington’s intent. The latest

reports are that US military advisors will

soon be in Ukraine to aid the conquest

of the former Russian provinces that are

in revolt.

The presstitute nature of the Western

media ensures that the bulk of the

American and European populations will

remain in the grip of Washington’s anti-

Russian propaganda.

At some point the Russian government

will have to face the fact that it doesn’t

have “Western partners.” Russia has

Western enemies who are being

organized to isolate Russia, to injure

Russia economically and diplomatically,

to surround Russia militarily, to destabilize

Russia by calling the American-funded

NGOs into the streets, and in the absence

of a coup that installs an American puppet

in Moscow to attack Russia with nuclear

weapons.

I respect Putin’s reliance on diplomacy

and good will in the place of force. The

problem with Putin’s approach is that

Washington has no good will, so there is

no reciprocity.

Washington has an agenda. Europe

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consists of captive nations, and these nations

are without leaders capable of breaking free

of Washington’s agenda.

I hope that I am wrong, but I think Putin

has miscalculated. If Putin had accepted

the former Russian provinces requests to

reunite with Russia, the conflict in Ukraine

would be over. I am certain that Europe

would not have joined Washington in any

invasion with the purpose of recovering for

Ukraine former provinces of Russia herself.

When Washington says that Putin is

responsible for downing the Malaysian

airliner, Washington is correct in a way that

Washington doesn’t suspect. Had Putin

completed the task begun with Crimea and

reunited the Russian provinces with Russia,

there would have been no war during which

an airliner could have been downed,

whether by accident or as a plot to

demonize Russia. Ukraine has no capability

of confronting Russia militarily and had no

alternative to accepting the reunification of

the Russian territories.

Europe would have witnessed a decisive

Russian decision and would have put a great

distance between itself and Washington’s

provocative agenda. This European

response would have precluded

Washington’s ability to gradually escalate

the crisis by gradually turning the

temperature higher without the European

frog jumping out of the pot.

In its dealings with Washington Europe

has grown accustomed to the efficacy

of bribes, threats, and coercion. Captive

nations are inured to diplomacy’s

impotence. Europeans see diplomacy as

the weak card played by the weak party.

And, of course, all the Europeans want

is money, which Washington prints with

abandon.

Russia and China are disadvantaged in

their conflict with Washington. Russia

and China have emerged from tyranny.

People in both countries were influenced

by American cold war propaganda. Both

countries have educated people who think

that America has freedom, democracy,

justice, civil liberty, economic wellbeing

and is a welcoming friend of other

countries that want the same thing.

This is a dangerous delusion. Washington

has an agenda. Washington has put in

place a police state to suppress its own

population, and Washington believes that

history has conveyed the right to

Washington to exercise hegemony over

the world. Last year President Obama

declared to the world that he sincerely

believes that America is the exceptional

nation on whose leadership the world

depends.

In other words, all other countries and

peoples are unexceptional. Their voices

are unimportant. Their aspirations are

best served by Washington’s leadership.

Those who disagree–Russia, China, Iran,

and the new entity ISIL–are regarded by

Washington as obstacles to history’s

purpose. Anything, whether an idea or a

country, that is in the way of Washington

is in the way of History’s Purpose and

must be run over.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries

Europe faced the determination of the

French Revolution to impose Liberty,

Equality, Fraternity upon Europe. Today

Washington’s ambition is larger. The

ambition is to impose Washington’s

hegemony on the entire world.

Unless Russia and China submit, this

means war.

25 July, 2014

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant

Secretary of the Treasury for Economic

Policy and associate editor of the Wall

Street Journal.

Source: Paulcraigroberts.org

By Nile Bowie

CAN THE BRICS REFORM GLOBAL POWER RELATIONS?

The latest meeting of the BRICS

countries, held in Brazil’s northeastern

city of Fortaleza last week, represents

the bloc’s most significant step towards

its aim of building a new, multilateral

development framework.

After two years of negotiations, the

geoeconomic grouping of emerging

markets known as the BRICS – Brazil,

China, India, Russia and South Africa –

has broken new ground by launching a

development bank intended to challenge

Western-dominated multilateral lending

institutions such as the IMF and World

Bank.

The New Development Bank (NDB) will

be headquartered in Shanghai, and will

primarily serve to facilitate sustainable

development and large-scale

infrastructure modernization within

BRICS countries, which will each

allocate an equal share of $50 billion

startup capital with the aim of reaching

$100 billion.

NDB loans would not be exclusively for

BRICS governments, but would also be

extended to other low- and middle-

income countries that contribute to the

capital base. It is this capital base which

will finance the construction of mega-

projects involving electricity supply grids,

telecommunications networks, roads and

bridges, power stations, shipping

infrastructure and ports, and water

treatment facilities.

In addition to the development bank, the

BRICS group will also establish a

contingency reserve currency pool worth

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raise liquidity protections and collectively

hedge against economic challenges.

Though member countries will contribute

an equal amount of startup capital to the

NDB, China will have a 41 percent stake

in financing the currency pool, with

other members taking on smaller

percentages.

BRICS countries represent 41.6 percent

of world’s total population, 19.6 percent

of global GDP, and 16.9 percent of total

global trade, making the five-member

community the world’s largest market.

Despite extensive economic clout, the

BRICS countries together wield only

about 11 percent of the votes at the IMF,

an institution that is widely viewed as

disproportionately influenced by the

developed West to the detriment of the

Global South.

The BRICS project is not simply about

emerging economic powerhouses

striving for a wider international role that

traditional Western institutions have thus

far denied. Rather, it is an attempt by the

Global South to articulate an alternative

multilateral global order intended to be

more equitable, inclusive, dynamic, and

suitable to 21st Century realities.

As developed economies find

themselves today mired in austerity

policies, and struggling to tackle

unemployment wrought by hollowed-out

industrial sectors, trade between

economies in the Global South now

exceeds trade between emerging and

developed economies by some $2.2

trillion, more than one-quarter of global

trade. China, Brazil, and India have also

begun to displace western nations as

large-scale donors throughout Africa and

other low-income countries.

The growing role of developing countries

in international institutions signifies how

the global political landscape is shifting

in favor of a multipolar order. The

determination of emerging countries to

independently pursue institution-building

has been brought on by policies of

western financial bodies that attach

intrusive conditionalities to loans and deny

equal voting rights to developing states.

Countries that borrow from institutions

such as the IMF are forced to enact

structural adjustment policies that scale

back on public and social spending, and

pressure countries to hurriedly reduce

subsidies that would better be phased out

gradually. Loan conditionalities have also

been known to disproportionately favor

the private sector and reduce a country’s

ability to hedge against speculative

capital.

The bloc’s push toward institution-

building to advance an alternative

development vision has been hastened in

recent times by several contentious

flashpoints in global politics, primarily

between Russia and China on one side,

and the United States and European Union

on the other.

Relations between Moscow and

Washington have reached their lowest

point since the end of the Cold War, while

the US has spearheaded punitive

sanctions against Russia for its purported

role in the Ukrainian conflict. China has

also expressed displeasure with US

efforts to refocus its naval presence to

the Asia Pacific region, which Beijing

views as efforts by the US to interfere in

the region’s complex territorial disputes.

The increasing pressure from western

capitals on Moscow and Beijing, who also

take joint positions on issues in the UN

Security Council, has prompted both

countries to deepen their involvement in

the multipolar project. Russia and China

now intend to more forcefully utilize the

BRICS framework to facilitate the

exchange of knowledge and technology,

and diversify political and trade relations

with countries throughout the Global

South.

The BRICS group will not be solely an

economic community, but due to

increasingly tense relations with the West,

the five-member bloc is increasingly more

disposed to cooperate politically to adopt

common positions and coordinate joint

efforts toward tackling regional issues

at the UN level. In contrast to western

leanings toward interventionism, the core

principles of BRICS foreign policy

thinking centers on respect for

sovereignty and non-interference in the

internal affairs of countries.

In a recent interview with news agency

ITAR-TASS, Russian President Vladimir

Putin articulated his intentions to deepen

both economic and political cooperation

among the BRICS group, primarily by

addressing the bloc’s common position

against unilateral military interventions

and economic sanctions that violate

international law, pledging closer

coordination and high level consultations

between the group’s foreign ministries

to jointly forge political and diplomatic

settlements.

Washington’s calls for heavy economic

sanctions on Russian industries and

sectorial trade have been met with

opposition by most EU states, which are

largely dependent on Moscow for their

energy needs. European states are also

wary that sectorial sanctions against

Russia will drastically drive up gas prices.

Putin has said that any economic

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sanctions on Russia will eventually

boomerang back to harm US interests,

and called on BRICS countries to

introduce “a system of measures that

would help prevent the harassment of

countries that do not agree with some

foreign policy decisions made by the

United States and their allies, but would

promote a civilized dialogue on all points

at issue based on mutual respect.”

The primary interest of the BRICS

countries is to begin the gradual process

of reforming the international monetary

and financial system, which remains

heavily dependent on US monetary

policy. The emerging multipolar

alternative being championed by

developing states, with varying degrees

of antipathy toward Washington, is

propelled forward by perceptions that

global management on the basis of

genuine and equal partnership cannot be

realized under current political and

economic conditions.

The BRICS countries face an uphill

battle, and have yet to firmly establish

internal decision-making mechanisms.

There are hurdles to address before the

bank begins lending in 2016. The NDB

can play an important role in channeling

capital into industrial assets rather than

into bubbles and financial markets, thus

improving investment confidence,

reducing risk, and advancing a

productivity-focused development

agenda.

The failure of western-dominated

institutions to address their

asymmetric influence over global

political and economic affairs is the

primary factor that has given rise to

an alliance of developing countries

intending to correct this imbalance.

One can only hope they work toward

bringing about a more equitable and

just world order.

18 July 2014

Nile Bowie is a columnist with Russia

Today, and a research associate with

the International Movement for a Just

World (JUST).

A VOICE FROM KASSAB

By Judith Bello

I was with a group of 5 Americans, 3

Canadians and an Irishman who went to

observe the Syrian election, but there were

other observers from Asia, Africa and South

America. On the way there, I thought about

having a particular angle to report from,

and I decided that since there weren’t many

women observers that I would talk to other

women and try to get their perspective on

the election, but also on life in Syria before

and after the war. I wanted to look at the

issues from a less politicized perspective

than most of what you hear and read on

the subject of the war in Syria, and Assad’s

election.

I did meet and interview number of women

in Syria, and I found myself in contact with

another woman when I got back, an

American named Lilly Martin living in Syria

with her Syrian husband. When I heard

that Lilly had a house in the town of Kassab

that had been destroyed during the recent

period of occupation by ‘rebel’ forces

(actually, al Nusra Front I think) , I wanted

to know more. Kassab, an Armenian town

near the Turkish border, was occupied

during March of this year and only liberated

by the Syrian Army a few days ago. I asked

Lilly via email if she would be willing to do

a written interview through email and she

agreed.

Because Lilly is a middle class American

and has lived much of her life in this country,

her voice is familiar. She says that she had

not considered herself an ‘activist’ since the

Vietnam War. She says she had not thought

of herself as a feminist before now. But,

she says this war has changed her. Not

everyone will agree with Lilly’s perspective,

but it is honest, and not unfamiliar. I am

very grateful to her for sharing her insights

and experiences. What follows are my

questions and Lilly’s answers.

Judy: How did you come to live in Syria?

Lilly: I married in 1978 in California a young

kid my same age who was originally from

Syria, but had migrated to USA and had left

Syria in 1970. We were married and living

in California from 1978 to 1994. He was in

the real estate business and I was a medical

professional. We had 2 sons born in CA,

then moved to Syria to be close to his parents

and siblings. My parents had died, and my

only brother was living in Singapore

teaching.

Judy: How long have you lived in Kassab

and did you live in Syria before that?

Lilly: I have lived in the city of Latakia

from 1994 until present. Latakia is a mid-

size city, it is a beach resort for summer

tourism and a Port for shipping. I visited

Latakia first in 1986, then in 1990, and

finally moved here in 1994. The home I

lost in Kassab is my summer house, as

Kassab is a high mountain village, and many

people have a summer house there. Kassab

is about 2000 pop and is Armenian, but the

summer-house-people are of other sects.

Kassab used to be a frequent summer spot

for Saudi and Kuwaiti families seeking cool

breezes. They would drive up from

“Arabia”.

Judy: What was your life like in Kassab

before the war?

Lilly : My life in Latakia from 1994 to

continued next page

March 2011 was wonderful. I had a great

group of friends, they were all females,

some Syria and some western women. We

had regular meetings and I called them ‘The

Ladies Club’. That ‘club’ was broken up

by this war, because some of the ladies

backed the ‘revolution’ and some did not.

I did not, so we have never met again, after

a famous Christmas party in 2011, where I

simply stated, “My Christmas prayer is: God

please stop the terrorists”. Half the group

attacked me viciously, they said that there

were no terrorists, only freedom fighters.

When I said, “But, they are making bombs

and throwing them everywhere

indiscriminately!” They countered, “They

have to defend themselves.” I never did

get their logic of throwing a bomb into a

shopping center in order to defend

themselves.

My kids had free education, and really a

good education system in both Arabic and

English, mandatory. My kids went to

University for FREE, which is the right of

all Syria students, as long as the grades are

kept up. We had free medical, hospital,

surgeries, etc. Medicines were so cheap,

because Syria was a large manufacturer of

pharmaceuticals, with export to over 32

countries. Free education and Free

medical. What more do you want?

Latakia is a easy-going place, there are no

dress codes or restrictions here. Everyone

got along and in 1994-March 2011 there

were no uprising, no riots, no sectarian

strife. The government and police were

strong, so criminal activity was very low,

no one had hand guns other than police and

Army. No robberies, no car-jackings, no

armed robbery, no bank robbery. There

was regular crime, like thieves coming in

when people were away, and a car theft,

but nothing which involved a gun. No one

had a gun.

Judy: Did you or your loved ones ever have

any problem with the government in Syria

Lilly: I never had any problem with the

government. My husband, and all of his

family members, are NOT civil servants,

or connected to the government in anyway.

My husband is a self-employed

businessman. We didn’t have anyone who

was in prison, or in any trouble. It was my

general impression that there was nothing

to be afraid of, if you obeyed the laws, just

I would have if I was still living in USA.

Judy: What did you think was happening

at the beginning of the insurgency and where

did you think it would lead?

Lilly: We all watched the revolution in Egypt.

We wondered if it was coming to Syria?

We all shook our heads and guessed that it

would NOT. I had friends who were a

couple of retired teachers from Canada,

who had asked to come to visit Syria in

January 2011. We all debated as to whether

there could be any disturbances, and we all

concluded that there was nothing going to

happen. They came and we did my famous

‘walking-tour’ of Damascus. They went

home and our revolution began March 2011.

From our home, watching TV we watched

the coverage of Deraa March 201 unfold.

Deraa is a very small and insignificant town.

It is so small and remote, I would venture a

guess that 90% of Syrians had never visited

it. I know that the Latakian people had no

relationship to Deraa, they were about 8

hours drive time between the 2 and there

was no exchanges between the 2 places.

Deraa was famous for archeology, and

farming, and not much else.

At first, we guessed it must really be an

uprising. An actual uprising of disgruntled

people . People who felt oppressed or

grievances of some sort. Then we

wondered why were their so many soldiers

and policemen being killed? How could

the BBC report a soldiers funeral as coming

under fire from other soldiers? That made

no sense. Who were these snipers on roofs?

Once they showed the Omari Mosque was

a store-room for weapons, then we

understood the true story. This was a

foreign attack, but disguised as a popular

uprising.

If it was really an uprising, then we should

see it come to Latakia eventually. It did, on

April 1, 2011. That was the first day. The

mayor and other dignitaries went out to the

protesters and asked them “WHAT” do you

all want? They said in reply, “FREEDOM”.

The mayor asked, “WHAT does that

mean?” No reply. I saw the protesters.

They were drug addicts and weird looking

people, and they didn’t all look like there

were even from Latakia. Outside agitators,

bused in to create trouble. However, there

were some genuine intellectuals, how were

duped into promoting the cause, which they

later dropped when it went to armed

rebellion.

People would protest, they would destroy

shops, they killed innocent civilians, they

killed soldiers, and police. Next came the

President on TV announcing that they

would abolish the emergency law, and they

would send all police and soldiers to watch

the protests, but strictly unarmed. The

President thought that the western media

was showing the Syrian police and soldiers

as brutal, so by taking away the weapons,

there could be no excesses. I’ll never forget

that day, the day they were not allowed to

carry a weapon, just to stand and watch.

My friend’s son in the Police force, stood

and watched, and the peaceful protesters

cut him up with axes. He was buried in a

plastic garbage bag. That was April 2011,

from that day on we knew this was really

awful, and had nothing to do with freedom

or democracy.

Judy: Were you aware of a part of the

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15

population that was not being well served

by the government and who could be used

to spearhead a regional proxy war?

Lilly: The government in Syria was, and

is secular. The President is a minority, but

most of his cabinet of ministers are Sunni,

the majority. The Defense Minister, who is

directly responsible for the Military, was a

Christian, until the terrorists blew him up in

Damascus, and now he is a Sunni. The

Syrian government has never been a “Alowi

Elite”, or a “Minority Rule”. Those are

media mantra, but are not fact.

My husband and all his relatives are Sunni,

the majority, which is about 60% of the

country. Alowi are about 20%, Christians

are about 15%, there are about 5% which

are Shite. Syria is famous for having 18

sects. The first sectarian strife was

instigated by the Ottoman Turks in 1860.

The second sectarian strife was 1980’s in

Hama, instigated by Muslim Brotherhood.

During the years I have been here there

was no sectarian strife.

Every Syrian is the same under law.

Corruption does exist, as it does all over the

middle east, but it was dispersed among all

sects. The reason for this secular

government was due to the Ba’ath Party

being the sole ruling party until 2012, when

the new constitution abolished the one party

rule. The Ba’ath party was strictly secular,

and members and supporters of the Ba’ath

party are among all various sects. It is still

the largest and strongest party. It will take

years to build confidence in other parties.

There was no “under-served, oppressed,

unrepresented” portion of Syrian society.

The western media mantra is the SUNNI

majority rose up because they had been

downtrodden too long. This is the SUNNI

fantasy. My family are Sunni, and from

the average types, nothing spectacular or

different. There is a self-deluded paranoia

here, among under-educated and bigoted

Sunnis, who say all their problems are

because the Alowis have all the breaks. No

one asks the Sunnis why do they refuse to

take advantage of the FREE education?

They decided that they will do a revolution,

strip everything hard earned from their

minority neighbors, and then the yogurt

maker will be appointed Prime Minster. This

is their fantasy.

There is a huge cultural difference between

Sunni families and Alowi families here on

the coast, which is the Alowi highest

concentration. You find the Alowi families

living on an orange farm, the mother and

father are tending to the trees, meanwhile

their kids are studying to be a Doctor,

Lawyer and Engineer. Down in the city of

Latakia, you find the Sunni families

complaining that their kids have to study so

much, and they have to pay for private

tutors because their kids are not self

motivated, and want to drop out of school.

These people are my relatives, and have

been through 36 years of marriage. They

need a lot of work, and they need to do it

alone.

It was the Sunni population which fostered

and participated in the rebellion. It didn’t

take much outside agitation to get them into

the streets and demanding that the country

should be Sunni only, with all Christians

shipped out to Beirut, and all Alowis

slaughtered. That was the Free Syrian

Army’s first banners and slogans. The Free

Syrian Army was and is exclusively Sunni.

If you can find one FSA soldier who is

from any sect other than Sunni, I will give

you $100.00 The FSA is a bigoted, sectarian

terrorist group, who preys upon the

uneducated, and undereducated bigoted

people who want to blame all their woes

on the government and their minority

neighbors.

The problem with this plan of revolution

was that it had very little support on the

ground. The vast majority of Sunnis did

not buy it or accept it or support it.

Judy: What do you think is the role of the

US in the current war against Syria?

Lilly: The US is the founder, inventor and

the prime driver of the attack on the Syrian

people for the purpose of regime change.

The CIA admits they started planning and

funding this many years ago. I can

understand their wish for regime change,

as Syria is a pro-Palestinian resistance

supporter. Those goals are not compatible

with US. However, once they started their

plans, and got to the point that they could

see their was no ground support for the

removal of the President, they should have

switched gears and given up on the attack,

and found another plan. But, the evil part is

to continue killing innocent unarmed

civilians, only because they refuse to be

traitors and refuse to stop fighting terrorists.

This is a moral low point for USA foreign

policy.

The funding comes from Saudi Arabia, who

is forced to fund by black-mail. In other

words, if they don’t fund terrorism, their

Royal family would be taken out over night,

in the cause of human rights, and a new

form of government instituted by USA.

This could still happen. The Saudis have to

be very docile, if they act too strong, the

US will cut them down to size. The Army

and military in Saudi Arabia are all in the

hands of USA.

Judy: Did the people of Kassab have much

social or economic commerce with people

on the other side of the border in Turkey

before the war?

Lilly : The border crossing at Kassab was

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very busy before the war. Trucks of

Turkish merchandise coming in, Syrian

dress shop owners going to Turkey for

merchandise orders from their factories,

shoes coming in from Turkey, sugar and

tea going to Turkey from Syria (cheaper in

Syria). The back and forth business

exchanges were daily. As far as tourism,

the Syrians went to Turkey all summer long

on bus trips, going to shops, going to

restaurants, to resorts. My own family took

our summer vacation every year in Turkey.

We loved it.

Judy: Were there problems with terrorists

in Kassab before they took over the town a

few months ago?

Lilly : The road from Latakia to Kassab

had remained open all during the war.

People were constantly coming and going

between the two all during the war. Even

on March 21, the day of invasion, there

were people in Kassab visiting there. There

was a place to the EAST of Kassab, towards

Idlib, Qasta Maaf, Selma, Ferloq, Rabia, all

those areas to the EAST of Kassab had

experienced problems with terrorists. But,

the coast and Kassab were OK and there

had been no previous attacks. It was a

shock and mystery why they would burst

into Kassab on March 21, 2014. I still don’t

see the military target or strategy. From

the other side, I can’t see why they did it.

Massacring 88 unarmed civilians and

beheading 13. Why? For what reason?

Because they were Christians?

Judy: Were there internal divisions in or

around Kassab where people were taking

divisive political or military stances within

the community?

Lilly : There was nothing whatsoever

political going on in Kassab. 2,000

Armenians, Syrian citizens, who are

Christian. They were all small farmers,

apples and peaches. Some owned tiny

grocery shops, some owned hand soap

factories, small sized, for the production of

Olive Oil and Bay leaf hand soap bars. There

were no parties, no protests, nothing. The

Syrian Christians are all of one mind, which

is in support of peace, safety, support of

the government. I have never seen any

Syrian Christian say anything about

supporting any rebellion. There could be

some Syrian Christians in USA who may

be supporting regime change, but not inside

Syria. Christians here see the rebellion as

100% Sunni and they have no place in it.

Judy : Were people killed when Kassab was

overrun or did most people escape before

the terrorists came in?

Lilly: 6 am, March 21, 2014 the terrorists

burst in, according to survivors (I have their

names and testimony) the terrorists were a

combination of foreigners, with a few

Syrians included. This would be classic

Free Syrian Army. They are Syrians

working with various Al Qaeda. 88

unarmed civilians killed immediately,

with 13 of those beheaded. The

survivors ran to Latakia in cars, etc. The

survivors are still sleeping here at the

Armenian church in Latakia (I spoke by

cell phone to their media person this

morning) 22 very elderly survivors were

kidnapped and taken by force to Turkey,

were they were treated well in a small

village 23 kilometers north of Kassab.

11 of them have been brought back to

Latakia, via Lebanon and we are waiting

for the other 11.

Judy: Have you been suffering other

problems due to the war before or since

the terrorist invasion of Kassab? Have

there been shortages of food or gas and

oil, for instance.

Lilly: Since the war began, March 2011,

the prices of normal everyday items of

life have risen by 8 times. If an item had

cost 100 lira, it is now 800 lira. I am

referring to everything you eat, drink, or

clothes. Many medicines are no longer

available. You would have to go to

Lebanon to find them, and at US prices.

Gas, food and supplies are available, but

at prices many cannot bear. Syria has

never had a welfare program, like money

given to the poor. So the poor are

suffering.

For example: my husband sells

bulldozers. He has not sold one bulldozer

since March 2011. We have been living

off savings, with no income at all in this

period. We are a typical family.

Government employees still have their

paychecks, so this helps many. Self

employed people have been hit, and

especially factory workers, since all the

various factories were destroyed by

FSA.

At certain times we were staying inside

city limits, it was too dangerous to travel.

Right now, the roads from Latakia to

Homs to Damascus are all open and OK.

There is no travel from Latakia to Aleppo,

that is all terrorist lands.

Judy: What are the conditions under

which refugees in Latakia live?

Lilly: The survivors of Kassab have

been and still are sleeping at the Armenian

church in Latakia. The church is modern

and has water, kitchen, toilets and plenty

of space. It is a church, school and

cultural center all in one. It was

renovated about 5 years ago, thank God

for that, it has been put to use. The

refugees are well cared for and have

funds donated and are OK for the

persent, but they will need a lot to repair

and rebuild their homes in Kassab. Many

homes have been looted and destroyed.

Some are burnt up, some demolished.

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Judy: How have the conditions of the

war affected the circumstances of

women and children in general in Syria?

Lilly: Women and children have suffered

a great deal. But the biggest suffering has

been those that LEFT Syria to stay in

Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. I will discuss

the females and kids outside of Syria later

with you. The suffering of those inside

Syria, internally displaced, has been real,

but not much more than males. We have

many internally displaced refugees from

Aleppo here in Latakia. They have food,

shelter, medicines, and the kids are all in

school. They are suffering because they

can’t go home. They can’t have a normal

income.

Judy: I saw a lot of martyrs images in

and around Tartous when I was there .

Are many of the men in your community

engaged in the fighting as members of

the military?

Lilly: The Syrian Army was ranked #16

in the world prior to the war. It consisted

of 600,000 soldiers. I know many have

died, the official count is 25,000 soldiers

dead. The Syrian Army consists of

young men 18 and over, healthy and not

currently enrolled in University. It is a

compulsory duty. The Syrian Army

soldiers are from all 18 different sects.

They are not “Assad loyalist” any more

that the US military are “Obama regime

loyalist”. Uniformed soldiers in a national

Army are fighting for their country and

family, but not necessarily for their leader

or political ideology. The typical

American soldier and the typical Syrian

soldier are similar. You wear and uniform

and shoot a gun and no one ever asks

you for your political analysis.

The Syrian soldiers who have died in the

war are from every family in every

community across Syria. Everyone has

lost someone.

Judy: How did you feel about the election?

What are your thoughts on Bashar

Assad’s continued Presidency?

Lilly: I was very excited about the

election, I observed my local poll and

took photos and wrote a report. I had

been expecting the current President to

make a big move toward free elections

back in 2007. I could tell when he came

to office in 200 he wanted to make

changes. He was very slow, but I am

sure he had advisors who cautioned to

go slow. Syria is so conservative, they

move slow. I know that the majority of

people support him.

There are people who boycotted the

election, they are mainly these bigoted,

sectarian types. If they wanted a Sunni

President, they could have all voted for

Dr. Hassan al Nouri, but only 500,000

did. If you ask any of the revolutionaries

who do they want leading, they have no

candidate, no ideas, no goals. They are

just dead-heads as far as I am concerned.

All they needed to do was to present a

vision of what they wanted for Syria

should the regime fall. If their vision

proposed was acceptable to many, it

would have happened. But they never

had a vision, or any plan. They are the

blind leading the blind and wondering

why everyone voted for President Assad.

Judy: Do you feel safe going home?

Lilly: I won’t feel safe returning to

Kassab, to check on my home there,

until all the Armenians go. I will tag-

along with them. I would be afraid of

left over bombs, or dead bodies laying

around. I am a bit afraid really. But at

some point the all clear will be given and

I will go. I have to.

Judy: Will you be given any assistance

with rebuilding?

Lilly: The government has already said

there will be funds provided for rebuilding

the whole of the country. The exact

amounts, and how and when, those are

in the works. Syria entered into the war

with zero debts. They have paid for

many weapons and various supplies, they

were not given any gifts, they paid for

everything, but still have not taken any

loans from anyone. This was their goal,

to be able to spend their own money

without asking for loans, which could

make you feel tied up later, beholden.

Judy: Is there anything else you would

like to share with people about what is

going on in Syria right now?

Lilly: The main thing is for the various

countries funding and supporting the attack

on Syria to stop. That means the London

11 group (formerly known as the Friends

of Syria) should be dissolved. There should

be no more paychecks and weapons sent

to terrorists to fight inside Syria. The Rat

Line from Benghazi to Iskenderun, Turkey

should be shut. The borders along Turkey,

Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan should be well

guarded and terrorists should be prevented

from coming in. if the various sponsors

and supporters will stop immediately, Syrian

can slowly recover, clean up and re-build.

In the consideration of humanitarian issues,

I would ask that all nations formerly against

Syria cease and desist and let’s discuss

ways to make Syria a better place through

the UN and other peaceful means.

17 June, 2014

Judy Bello has traveled to Iran, Iraq,

Pakistan and now Syria seeking to bridge

cultural barriers to understanding and

network with others to build a more

peaceful and more just society.

Source: Countercurrents.org

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