War Is A Crime .org

Giving War Too Many Chances

NicolasDavies — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 20:06:31 +0000

As the new year begins, it is important for the U.S. to acknowledge its troubling history of global war-making, especially over the past two-decades, as Nicolas J.S. Davies delineates.

By Nicolas J.S. Davies

The Vocabulary of ‘Veterans’ Day’

Robert Fantina — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 17:56:26 +0000

As the United States gears up for its annual mourning orgy for dead U.S. soldiers, there are some words and terms that are bandied about, that are meant to either comfort the survivors, lighten the impact of U.S. war-making, or possibly both. We will take a few moments to look at three of them.

The Democratic Party is beyond hope: We Need a Mass Movement to Demand Radical Progressive Change

dlindorff — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:07:49 +0000

By Dave Lindorff

The failure of Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff to capture the vacant House seat left in a suburban Atlanta district by the Trump nomination of Republican Rep. Tom Price as Secretary of Health and Human Services shows the disastrous state of the Democratic Party.

Focus: Syria - June 21, 2017

bartolo — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 23:16:16 +0000

Note: Some news listed below have not been confirmed.

U.S.-backed Syrian forces close in on Raqqa from south, with the aim of encircling the city - Reuters

SDF hundreds of meters from besieging the “Islamic state” in its main stronghold or forcing it to withdraw out of it - SOHR

MAP: Military situation Raqqah: There are 800 meters between east and west fronts to completely surround Raqqa city - Berfo كردي on Twitter

MAP: Reports SDF have captured the new bridge from ISIS in Raqqa [close to encircle it] - ScienceOfDiscontent on Twitter

Islamic State organization continues its fierce fight on the fronts of Al-Raqqah and excludes the option of withdrawing - SOHR

VIDEO (English): Video footage shows ferocious fight in Raqqa with several ISIS fighters killed - Kurd Merd on Twitter

VIDEO (French): SDF snipers in Romaniyah targeting an IS position in the Darayeh district with the support of the coalition - CLAUDIA on Twitter

Raqqa: ISIS has recaptured parts of al-Bitani District & al-Sinaa District in Eastern Raqqa and parts of Division 17 Army Base today - WorldOnAlert on Twitter

Raqqa: YPG suffered heavy losses in Raqqa today. ISIS detonated 2 SVBIEDs and killed or wounded 53+ YPG fighters - WorldOnAlert on Twitter

PHOTO: Kurdish YPG forces sent reinforcements to Raqqa fronts, more than 30 tanks - Berfo كردي on Twitter

VIDEO: Yazidi fighters from Sinjar left towards Raqqa to support YPG/YPJ fighters that helped the Yezidis escape from ISIS militants - erica on Twitter

VIDEO: SDF drone dropping leaflets on Raqqa city informing the local population to distance themselves from ISIS terrorists - Afarin Mamosta on Twitter

VIDEO (English subs): Raqqa civilians liberated by SDF: 'Thank God you came, my God protect you and support you' - Sarwan wllatzheri on Twitter

VIDEO (Arabic): Hundreds of ppl managed to escape districts held by IS and reach the freed eastern neighborhoods. IS use them as human shield - CLAUDIA on Twitter

Syrians fear new Raqqa turmoil once Islamic State is defeated - Reuters

Raqqa or Deir Ezzor: Where will Islamic States' last stand be? - Rudaw

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Turkey sends ‘huge’ military reinforcements into northern Syria, headed towards areas south of Azaz - Reuters

14+ training camps, all managed by Turkey SOF, exist in N. Aleppo - several thousand recruits graduated in recent months - Charles Lister on Twitter

Turkey-backed Syrian rebels attack Kobane - ARA News

VIDEO: Good video showing Turkish army convoy arriving in Azaz in Northern Aleppo - WorldOnAlert on Twitter

VIDEO: Raw cellphone footage of Turkish army T-155 Firtina howitzers and ACV-15 armoured vehicles arriving Azaz in Northern Aleppo - WorldOnAlert on Twitter

Erdoğan's top adviser, MP B.Kuzu tells US Sec of State "F.ck you" for Tillerson's statement that Muslim Brotherhood is part of Erdogan govt - ilhan tanir on Twitter

Elite Iranian corps likely flew drone that US downed, officials tell VOA - VOA

Iran has drone base in Palmyra near U.S. troops in Al Tanf - NBC News

New details on US shoot down of Syrian jet - CNNPolitics.com

Record number of women killed in US-led air strikes in Syria and Iraq in May, according to British non-profit Airwars - The Independent

France's Macron says sees no legitimate successor to Syria's Assad - Reuters

Virginia State Senator Richard Black citing American intelligence sources: Syria's Assad will win 90% of votes if election held now - Sputnik

To contact Bartolo email peaceloverblog[at]yahoo[dot]com (replacing [at] with @, [dot] with .)

An anti-war vet in Trumpland: Guns and Religion in a Small Town on Memorial Day

dlindorff — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 14:31:38 +0000

By Michael Uhl

Talk Nation Radio: Ray McGovern on Russia and Syria

davidswanson — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:47:34 +0000

Focus: Syria - June 19, 2017

bartolo — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 23:39:19 +0000

U.S. warplane downs Syrian army jet in Raqqa province - Reuters

Statement: Coalition defends partner forces from Syrian fighter jet attack - U.S. Central Command

Coalition says spoke to Russia several times via deconfliction channel amid the incident downing a Syrian Su-22 jet south of Tabqa - Sputnik

Russia sees US shooting down of Syrian jet as ‘act of aggression’, warns US its fighter jets are now potential target in Syria - The Guardian

Statement of the Russian Defence Ministry concerning downing of the Syrian Su-22 near the town of Resafa - Facebook

US changes disposition of coalition aircraft in Syria after Russian threats - ARA News

Statement (Arabic, English summary): Syrian Min. of Defense confirms US downed a jet, says it was targeting IS - Aron Lund on Twitter: “

SDF regain control on Ja'adin village SE Tabqa after clashes against Assad forces - Raqqa24 on Twitter

SAA claim captured 5 SDF/YPG members during clashes in Jaidin village south of Raqqa Syria - Islamic World Update on Twitter

Clashes break-out between Syrian Army and US-backed forces in west Raqqa, when it attempted to cross SDF front-lines in order to rescue its fallen pilot - almasdarnews.com

U.S.-backed SDF will retaliate if Syrian govt attacks again: spokesman - Reuters

Syrian government forces liberate Rusafa town in southwest Raqqa - almasdarnews.com

Syrian Army opens another front against ISIS, advances from Ithriyah towards Raqqah province: Reports - southfront.org

Syrian Army liberates 14 sites in western Raqqa - almasdarnews.com

Iran launches missiles against ISIS in Deir Ezzor in response to Tehran attacks - Fox News

VIDEO: Iranian missiles hit ISIS targets in Deir Ezzor - southfront.org

Syria, Iraq troops link at border for first time in years - ABC News

Syria, Jordan in talks to reopen border-crossing - almasdarnews.com

Fresh Syria talks set for July 10 in Astana, The meeting is set to coincide with a fresh round of UN-sponsored Syria peace talks that will also begin in Geneva the same day - Al Jazeera

Erdogan calls on US, Saudi Arabia to join Syrian peace talks in Astana - almasdarnews.com

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Syrian Democratic Forces captured two more districts in Raqqa city (VIDEO, PHOTOS) - southfront.org

Deadly raid by ISIS in Raqqa city leaves two SDF fighters dead - almasdarnews.com

US-backed Kurdish forces recapture key Division 17 base in east Raqqa - almasdarnews.com

US setting up military facility in Tabqah town in Syrian province of Raqqah - southfront.org

VIDEOS: ISIS releases more videos of their battle against the SDF in Raqqah city - almasdarnews.co

Analysis: Future of post-ISIS Raqqa remains unclear, without a financial backer the city may have to rely on the Syrian state to restore services - Syria Deeply

Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army further attacks YPG in Eastern Aleppo countryside (VIDEOS) - southfront.org

Interesting claim that Turkish artillery was working along side Ahrar and AQ sneak attack on YPG in Afrin - Gissur Simonarson on Twitter

US-led coalition closely monitoring Turkish training of Syrian militia - VOA

ISIS attacks pro-U.S. militants in southeast Syria near Al-Tanf border crossing, executes eight - almasdarnews.com

To contact Bartolo email peaceloverblog[at]yahoo[dot]com (replacing [at] with @, [dot] with .)

Untrump the World — It Won’t Self-Impeach

davidswanson — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 03:01:59 +0000

Remarks at United National Antiwar Coalition in Richmond, Virginia, June 17, 2017

Did you hear about Trump calling up the mayor of Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay and telling him that, contrary to all appearances, his island is not sinking? I want to focus on one element of this story, namely that the guy believed what he was told, rather than what he saw.

Did you hear about Secretary of War Mattis telling Congress that for the 16th year in a row he would produce a plan for “winning” a war on Afghanistan? Congress either believed it or has been paid to act as if it believes it. Congress members Jones and Garamendi have a bill to defund this endless act of mass-murder. We need a movement that can nonviolently shut down Congressional offices until they do so.

We do have marches in various cities this weekend to ban nuclear bombs, and negotiations underway at the UN to create a treaty that does that. Once most countries on earth have banned nuclear bombs, the US will explain that, as with successful bans on guns, banning weapons is just not physically possible. Your eyes must be fooling you. A large percentage of that small percentage of people in this country who hear about the matter at all will believe what they are told.

Even more will believe what they are not told. Many who care about resisting climate change, completely ignore the growing danger of nuclear apocalypse, because they don’t hear about it — some people even going so far as to wantonly demand greater hostility between the US and Russian governments. What could go wrong?

We need radical reforms in our education system that go beyond ending standardized tests, shrinking classrooms, and training and paying teachers. We need courses taught in every school in the subjects of social change, nonviolent action, and refining practical techniques for the successful recognition of bullshit.