Clara Weiss

Russia has undertaken intensive preparations during the past few months for a possible military strike by Israel and the United States on Iran. According to recent reports, the Russian General Staff expects a war against Iran this summer, with enormous repercussions for not only the Middle East but also the Caucasus.

Russian troops in the Caucasus have been technically upgraded, and a missile division situated on the Caspian Sea has been placed in readiness. The missile cruisers of the Caspian flotilla are now anchored off the coast of Dagestan. The only Russian military base in the South Caucasus, located in Armenia, is also on alert for military intervention. Last autumn, Russia sent its aircraft carrier Kuznetsov to the Syrian port Tartous following the escalation of the conflict in Syria. Experts believe that Russia would support Tehran in the event of war, at least on a military-technical level.

In a commentary in April, General Leonid Ivashov, president of the Academy of Geopolitical Science, wrote that “a war against Iran would be a war against Russia” and he called for a “political-diplomatic alliance” with China and India. Operations were being undertaken throughout the Middle East in order to destabilise the region and proceed against China, Russia and Europe. The war against Iran, Ivashov wrote, would “end up at our borders, destabilise the situation in the North Caucasus and weaken our position in the Caspian region.”

Of central concern for Moscow are the consequences for the South Caucasus in the event of a war against Iran. Armenia is the only ally of the Kremlin in the region and has close economic links with Iran, while neighbouring Georgia and Azerbaijan maintain military and economic ties with the United States and Israel.

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Stephen Lendman

François Hollande, expected to win, and Nicolas Sarkozy.

France replicates most Western societies. Elections give voters little choice at best. Most often there's none. Two dominant parties usually compete. In France, there's three.

On April 22, first round presidential election voting took place. Three main parties competed. Former Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) leader and current president, Nicolas Sarkozy, faced two main challengers

He squared off against Socialist Party's (PS) Francois Hollande and the far right National Front's (FN) Marine Le Pen.

All three represent wealth and power. Popular interests aren't considered. Sarkozy is far to the right of center. Neo-fascist best describes him. Le Pen's even worse.

Sarkozy's hugely unpopular. Voters aren't fooled by demagogic rhetoric calling himself "the people's candidate," wanting workers "to live from (their) labor."

How can they be with fast disappearing jobs. They want leaders committed to creating them. They want banker bailouts and euro straightjacket austerity ended.

One size fits all doesn't work. Uniting 17 dissimilar countries under rigid euro rules failed. Eurozone monetary union was doomed to fail. Nonetheless, it was engineered fraudulently to look workable.

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Stephen Lendman

Ken O'Keefe: "The Samouni Family Children – Survivors of the Israeli Massacre" - January 12, 2011 is a day I will never forget, visiting the Samouni family could not possibly be anything but a life-changing event. Words simply cannot describe the devastation wrought upon this family by a marauding band of Israeli psychopaths, otherwise known as the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Defence Forces.

Israel's 2008-09 Gaza war was one of history's great crimes. Missiles, bombs, shells, and illegal weapons were used against defenseless people. Mass slaughter and destruction followed.

Brazen crimes of war and against humanity were committed. International protection wasn't afforded. Responsible officials remain unaccountable.

Before his fall from grace, Richard Goldstone said:

"(T)here is evidence indicating serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law were committed by Israel during the Gaza conflict, and that Israel committed actions amounting to war crimes, and possibly crimes against humanity."

Over 1,400 Gazans were killed. Around 80% or more were civilians. Thousands of others were injured, many seriously. Extensive civilian infrastructure and private property were destroyed or damaged, including homes, schools, hospitals, mosques, and businesses.

Killing 29 members of one family perhaps was Cast Lead's greatest crime. Bombing their home killed 21. The previous day, IDF soldiers gathered 100 members there. Surviving ones and human rights activists demanded justice. They still do. They were denied.

On May 1, Israel said those responsible won't be prosecuted. The case was closed. Major Dorit Tuval, Deputy Military Advocate for Operational Matters, said civilians "who did not take part in the fighting" weren't killed "in a manner that would indicate criminal responsibility."

He lied! They were willfully targeted and murdered. All Israeli investigations are whitewashed. Justice is denied. It never has a chance. International law prohibits targeting civilians. Doing so is official Israeli policy.

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Philip Giraldi

One of the refreshing aspects of the Ron Paul revolution has been its willingness to re-examine America’s fractured foreign policy and return to the old principles of national interest and constitutionalism to serve as guidelines for how the nation should behave internationally. Paul has been bold enough to assert that foreign aid, which accomplishes little for the recipient and diminishes the donor, should be eliminated. This has offended constituencies that are major beneficiaries of the status quo, including the nation of Israel and its powerful lobby. Paul was also the only congressman to publicly condemn the excesses committed by Israel in its invasion of Gaza in 2009, even going so far as to describe the conditions in the enclave as a “concentration camp,” an extremely courageous act in a legislative body that is accustomed to support Israel, right or wrong, by unanimous voice votes.

Paul’s general contention that America should reduce its profile overseas, should stay out of other people’s quarrels, and should resort to war only when a vital interest is at stake are all sound advice. His demand that wars only be initiated constitutionally, after debate in Congress and a declaration of war, would put a brake on the unending series of little wars and police actions that the U.S. has been involved in since the Second World War.

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