Stephen Lendman's blog

What's Next for Syria?

by Stephen Lendman

Conflict drags on interminably. Dozens or more die daily. Syrian forces outmatch Western-backed death squad terrorists. They're not rebels. They're lawless invaders. 

They're US proxy fighters. They're imported from dozens of countries. They're waging war against sovereign Syrian independence. Don't expect duplicitous Western politicians or media scoundrels to explain.

Venezuela Bashing

by Stephen Lendman

It's not new. It's longstanding. Washington targets Bolivarian principles. They shame American injustice. 

Both countries are constitutional worlds apart. They're polar opposites. Venezuela reflects government of, by and for everyone equitably and fairly. America serves wealth, power and privilege alone.

Helen Thomas: Dead at 92

by Stephen Lendman

On July 20, headlines reported the news. The doyen of the White House House press corps was gone. 

After a long illness, the Gridiron Club and Foundation announced her passing. She ended decades covering presidential press conferences saying, "Thank you, Mr. President."

Israel's Duplicitous Prisoner Release Offer

by Stephen Lendman

Israeli agreements, offers, and other concessions aren't worth the paper they're written on. Pledges made are systematically broken. 

It happens virtually every time. Rogue states operate that way. Israel's one of the worst. It's a democracy in name only. It never was one. It's not now.

Russia Bashing Redux

by Stephen Lendman

At issue is independent governance. Washington tolerates it nowhere. It wants all rivals eliminated. It wants unchallenged global dominance. 

It stops at nothing. It wages political, economic and hot wars achieve it. What America says goes. Washington rules apply. It demands all nations observe them. Outliers aren't tolerated. US aims are hard-wired.

EU Guidelines on Israel: Part II

by Stephen Lendman

A previous article discussed them in detail. They're largely old wine in new bottles. They're more bark than bite. They'll do virtually nothing to help long-suffering Palestinians.

US Courts Approve Indefinite Detention and Torture

by Stephen Lendman

America's a police state. It's ruthless. Iron fist authority rules. International law's quaint and out-of-date. US statute protections aren't worth the paper they're written on. 

Constitutional rights don't matter. They never did for most people. It's truer now than ever. They're null and void. Executive diktat power rules. Congress and federal courts go along. They're complicit. 

America's Surveillance Society

by Stephen Lendman

It's not new. It's longstanding. State-of-the-art technology makes it easy. It's more intrusive than ever. It's lawlessly out-of-control. 

On July 6, The New York Times Times headlined "In Secret, Court Vastly Broadens Powers of NSA," saying:

Bradley Manning: Aiding the Enemy Charge Sticks

by Stephen Lendman

Manning's an American hero. He's no criminal. He's being hung out to dry wrongfully. It's for doing the right thing. He's a 2013 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. 

He exposed US lawlessness. He spoke truth to power. He did so courageously. He challenged American imperial rampaging. Everyone has a right to know.

Snowden: Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

by Stephen Lendman

Swedish Sociology Professor Stefan Svallfors nominated him. He praised his "heroic effort at great personal cost."

He revealed NSA's lawless global spying. He told millions worldwide what they need to know. He did so at great risk. 

New EU Guidelines on Israel

by Stephen Lendman

A previous article discussed them. They pertain to illegal Israeli West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan settlements. They leave besieged Gaza unaddressed. 

Snowden in Russia

by Stephen Lendman

Snowden remains in Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport transit zone limbo. Russia's his safest option. 

Traveling elsewhere's too risky. It's hazardous. He's seeking temporary asylum. Odds are he'll get it.

Targeting Free Expression in Israel

by Stephen Lendman

During previous Knesset session proceedings, MKs Ofir Akunis and Faina Kirshenbaum legislation to limit NGO funding was defeated.

Last week, MKs Ayelet Shaked and Robert Ilatov proposed their version. They call it a "softer version of the NGO bill."

Attacking Syria: Israeli/Turkish Denials Ring Hollow

by Stephen Lendman

A previous article cited two Russia Today reports. One suggested Israeli Dolphin-class submarines attacked Latakia, Syria. 

At issue was targeting Russian-made S-300 air defense missile components and/or Yakhont P-800 missiles.

Lawlessness Remains Official US Policy

by Stephen Lendman

Sweeping mass surveillance continues. It won't stop. It's intensifying. It reflects rogue state governance. It has nothing to do with national security. Claiming it's a red herring.

It's about control. It's to advance America's imperium. It's political and corporate espionage. It's monitoring truth-tellers. It's targeting constitutional rights. 

Israel Waging Undeclared War on Syria

by Stephen Lendman

Israel reflects the worst of rogue state governance. It's contemptuous of international laws, treaties, conventions, its own statutes, and High Court decisions.

It's out-of-control. It's unaccountable. It makes its own rules. It maintains lawless militarized occupation harshness. It force-feeds austerity on its own citizens. It suffocates 1.7 million Gazans. It attacks other countries with impunity.

Napolitano to Head University of California

by Stephen Lendman

On July 12, the Los Angeles Times headlined "Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security chief, to head UC," saying:

Zimmerman: Not Guilty of Cold-Blooded Murder

by Stephen Lendman

When is killing a non-threatening unarmed teenager not murder? When civil rights don't matter. When Jim Crow justice prevails. 

When the victim is black. When mostly white women jurors call cold-blooded murder self-defense. 

Syria Discovers Terrorist-Used Chemical Weapons Factory

by Stephen Lendman

New evidence adds greater credibility to numerous past reports. So-called "rebels" bear responsibility for chemical weapons use. 

They're aided and abetted by Washington, other Western nations, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and other regional rogue states. 

Gitmo Force-Feeding Continues Through Ramadan

by Stephen Lendman

Doing so constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. It inflicts excruciating pain and suffering. It's aggravated assault writ large. It's torture under international law provisions.

It violates human dignity. It reflects disdain for human suffering. It's Josef Mengele-style treatment. Nazi prisoners were coerced. They had no choice. Experiments constituted torture. Obama reflects the worst of cruel despots.

Snowden's Asylum Quest

by Stephen Lendman

Snowden reflects the best of heroic activism. He acted responsibly. He did the right thing. He committed no crimes. He knew the risks and took them. 

Few would do as much. Legions more are needed. Maybe he'll inspire others to come forward. Today they're more than ever needed.

Israel Governs Lawlessly

by Stephen Lendman

Israel reflects the worst of rogue state lawlessness. Netanyahu's a world class thug. Knesset members reflect fascist rule. Ethnic cleansing is official policy. So is slow-motion genocide.

Israelis are increasingly marginalized and denied. Neoliberal harshness harms millions. Israeli Arabs have virtually no rights. Praying to the wrong god is dangerous.

Obama Blocks Snowden's Asylum

by Stephen Lendman

On July 12, Russia Today (RT) headlined "US 'blocks my asylum:' Snowden human rights activists to airport meeting," saying:

Snowden remains stuck. He's in limbo. He's at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. He's in its transit area. A source told Interfax he'll meet with human rights organizations late Friday. 

Wrongheaded Fed Policy

by Stephen Lendman

It's been that way far too long. Bernanke and other Fed governors represent Wall Street. They're hired hands. They take orders and obey. They consistently spurn good policy. 

Greenspan created an earlier mother of all bubbles. Bernanke exceeded the worst of his policies. Day of reckoning time awaits. The fullness of time will decide when.

Rage Against the System: Why It Matters

by Stephen Lendman

Public anger in Egypt, Turkey, Palestine, Brazil, Chile, across Europe, in America against Wall Street, and elsewhere is real. It's visceral. It's deep-seated. It's growing. It reflects what media scoundrels won't explain.

Democracy's more illusion than real. People get the best kind money can buy. Manipulated elections control things. Systemic rule is hardline. Progressive change is verboten.

Ongoing Fighting in Sinai

by Stephen Lendman

Headlines focus on Egypt. Sinai gets little attention. What's ongoing bears close watching.

On July 7, Maan News headlined "Egypt army 'preparing for Sinai operation,' " saying:

Junta-Style Transition in Egypt

by Stephen Lendman

Events remain fluid. They're fast-moving. Interim President Adly Mansour appointed Hazem Beblawi prime minister. He's a technocrat. He's an economics PhD. He and Mansour are pro-Western stooges.

From 1965 - 1980, Beblawi held academic positions at the University of Alexandria and elsewhere. From 1980 - 1983, he was an Industrial Bank of Kuwait manager.

Vilifying Alice Walker Irresponsibly

by Stephen Lendman

Walker's a Georgia sharecropper family daughter. She's the youngest of eight children. At Atlanta's Spellman College, she was one of Howard Zinn's students.

He taught her and others:

"You can't be neutral on a moving train." 

Targeting Iran

by Stephen Lendman

America targets Iran. It does so ruthlessly. It's done it since 1979. It wants its sovereignty destroyed. 

It wants pro-Western puppet leadership instead. It wants its independent government replaced. It wants its oil and gas, stupid. It wants unchallenged regional control.

Washington Ousted Egypt's Morsi

by Stephen Lendman

Previous articles discussed it. So did The New York Times. More on that below.