Neglect, abuse, torture: The West is ignoring the fate of Palestinians stuck in Israeli jails Eva BartlettApril 28, 2024 April 27, 2024, RT.com -Eva Karene Bartlett For over six months, the world has watched the devastating Israeli campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, which has killed over 34,000 people so far (including over 16,000 children). Fewer are aware, however, of the nearly 10,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, many of whom have been repeatedly arrested and held for prolonged, indefinite periods. These include children, university students, medics, doctors, and journalists, among others. While these numbers have increased dramatically in just over half a year, media coverage is scant, with the exception of some reporting on Layan Naser, one of the Christian university students re-imprisoned earlier this month. She was taken by Israeli troops from her family’s home in the early morning, with her parents held at gunpoint. But this is not an isolated phenomenon, she’s just one of many Palestinian students similarly abducted, ostensibly in the name of security, for taking part in campus activism. On April 7, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs condemned the latest kidnappings of Layan Kayed and Layan Naser, two young women who have previously been targeted and imprisoned, along with multiple others. Justifying endless incarceration The greater issue is that, as of April 17, which is Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, over 9,500 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons – roughly one third of whom are imprisoned under what is termed ”administrative detention” – a procedure that allows the Israeli military to hold people based on secret evidence, indefinitely and without trial. Some 3,000 Gazan Palestinians have been detained by Israel since the current war on Gaza started last October – a number revealed by an investigation by Palestinian NGO Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. According to Al Mezan, this includes “women, children, elderly people, as well as professionals such as doctors, nurses, teachers and journalists.” Out of the estimated 3,000 detainees, 1,650 Gazans are held under the Unlawful Combatants Law – a draconian law similar to administrative detention but specific to Gazan Palestinians. They are also imprisoned without charge or legal representation, suspected of being “unlawful combatants.” They are, Al Mezan notes, “held in total isolation from the outside world” and “are neither granted the status of prisoners of war under the Third Geneva Convention, nor afforded the protections of civilian detainees under the Fourth Geneva Convention.” Another 300 (including ten children) not currently detained under the Unlawful Combatants Law are being imprisoned pending investigation. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, according to the Commission of Detainees Affairs, as of April 16 8,270 Palestinians have been arrested, including 275 women, 520 children, 66 journalists (with 45 still in custody, 23 of whom are in administrative detention). Of these, 80 women (not including women from Gaza) and over 200 minors are imprisoned. The total number held under administrative detention is more than 3,660, including more than 40 children. Since last October 7, 16 West Bank Palestinian captives have died in Israeli prison due to ”systematic measures of torture, medical crimes, the policy of starvation and many other violations and assaults conducted against male and female detainees, minors and elderly detainees,” according to a report by NGO the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports 27 Palestinians from Gaza have died since October 7: “The detainees died at the Sde Teiman and Anatot facilities or during questioning in Israeli territory.” The same article refers to a UNRWA report published by The New York Times recently, which states that detainees released to Gaza testified that they were beaten, robbed, stripped and sexually assaulted, and had access to doctors and lawyers denied. Israeli Guantanamos Reports of torture of incarcerated Palestinians (including children) have been published over the years, with more emerging in recent months. Israeli rights group B’Tselem notes that “Every year, Israel arrests and detains hundreds of Palestinian minors, while routinely and systemically violating their rights: during the arrest [and] under interrogation.” In March, the executive director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) expressed extreme concern, stating that the nearly 10,000 imprisoned Palestinians is, “a 200% increase from any normal year” and that, since last October, at least 27 Palestinians have died in Israeli prison camps inside Gaza. Prisoners include children and the elderly, including an 82-year-old grandmother. These detention camps, from what I saw in January 2009 in Gaza, are large areas bulldozed flat, without tents or shelter. Former inmates describe them as “open-air cages,” where prisoners are “handcuffed and blindfolded 24 hours a day.” There are numerous new testimonies of Palestinians mistreated in Israeli detention. Examples include one elderly man from southern Gaza alleged to have been tortured so badly that his leg became infected and after seven days of medical negligence, had to be amputated. Another 60-year-old man is said to have been held for over 50 days, and beaten severely during that time. Human-rights groups continue to document such accounts and to speak out. Sufian Abu Salah (H.A.) from Khan Younis. He was arrested and abducted by the 'Israeli' occupation forces – this morning he was released by his jailers, having had one of his legs amputated. #israeliterror #Torture pic.twitter.com/3NVQUKh3nS — Brutally Remastered 🇵🇸🇳🇿🇵🇸 (@DannysInferno) April 15, 2024 Already in February, organizations like Adalah, HaMoked, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, submitted a plea to the UN Special Rapporteur (SR) on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, “urging the SR to take immediate action to halt the systematic abuse, torture, and ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons and detention facilities.” Al Mezan reports visiting 40 Palestinian detainees in Ashkelon and Ofer prisons, whose testimonies include being brutally beaten and deliberately starved as a form of torture and collective punishment. One 19-year-old told Al Mezan that “three of his fingernails were removed with pliers during interrogation” and he was, “handcuffed and bound in stress positions for long periods – three times over three days of interrogation.” Al Mezan reports all detainees “suffer from acute emaciation, fatigue and back curvature due to being forced to bend their backs and heads while walking,” and that the NGO’s lawyer who spoke with these prisoners stated he had never seen such poor prison conditions in 20 years of working with detainees. More recently, Haaretz reported on a doctor’s treatment of Palestinians in a field hospital in Israel and of horrific conditions: “Just this week, two prisoners had their legs amputated due to handcuff injuries, which unfortunately is a routine event.” According to him, all patients have all four limbs cuffed and are blindfolded and fed through a straw, meaning “even young and healthy patients lose weight after a week or two of hospitalization.” Now, compare this situation to cases when similar reports or claims come from a state targeted by Washington for regime change or designated as “rogue” or as an “adversary.” In such cases, the claims are often taken at face value, extrapolated, amplified and widely broadcast. For example, in 2017 Western media latched onto claims of a “slaughterhouse” in the town of Saydnaya, Syria, where there were supposed “mass hangings” by the Syrian government. These accusations were uncritically endorsed by legacy media, despite having numerous fallacies and not being based on primary sources. As noted at the time, Amnesty International admits that since no photos, videos or concrete testimony exist of Saydnaya Prison, they were forced to devise “unique ways with interactive 3D models and digital technology, animations and audio software” and liaised with West-based NGOs that support efforts to overthrow the Syrian government to craft their report, which gained media traction because it supported the NATO narrative on Syria. When it comes to Palestinian prisoners and their reports of being tortured, starved, and denied urgently-needed medical care while in Israeli detention or prisons, such level of effort and media coverage is nowhere to be seen – likely because of the political inconvenience this would cause to Washington and its allies. My Related: -In the 8 months I spent in hard-hit areas of the West Bank in 2007, I saw many instances of Israeli soldiers abducting, attempting to abduct Palestinian civilians. I detailed some of these in a 2017 article, Abduct, imprison, repeat: Israel systematically imprisons Palestinians on false or no charges Excerpt: “Being ripped out of your sleep and home by the Israeli Army is a norm. In 2007, in a village under constant lockdown and invasion by the Israeli Army, I experienced these night raids. In darkness, Israeli soldiers fired flares in the street and at homes, tear gas, sound bombs, and of course live ammunition at and inside Palestinian homes. The psychological terror the village residents felt would have been immense, and endless. The day raids are equally brutal. One youth’s spleen was destroyed by the bullet which narrowly missed his heart, as invading Israeli soldiers shot him outside his grandmother’s home.” -(From 2007) Nablus After the Israeli Military Invasion “…on Thursday evening, Israeli soldiers took captive a Palestinian Medical Relief (PRM) volunteer who had been part of a group escorting civilians to their old city homes. Initially detaining the medic by asking for his ID, the soldiers further detained him by keeping the ID. Soldiers took the medic into the home they were occupying, holding him inside for over 30 minutes before he reappeared blindfolded and handcuffed at the door of the building. He was then made to squat in front of the building for approximately another 20 to 30 minutes while soldiers changed shifts. The targeted arrest and detention of medics is common and is a form of collective punishment for these volunteers providing essential emergency services to wounded Palestinians. Volunteer medics typically are young Palestinian men, who the IOF routinely accuse of having involvement with militant groups. When not arrested, medics and ambulances are still routinely denied access to emergency areas, denying the wounded emergency attention, a tactic which can result in the deaths of the injured. On Friday morning, one paramedic, age 23, was shot in the shoulder while on duty…” –Deconstructing the NATO Narrative on Syria https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2024/04/28/neglect-abuse-torture-the-west-is-ignoring-the-fate-of-palestinians-stuck-in-israeli-jails/

Slaughter in Gaza and Lebanon as War with Iran Approaches. “These psychos must be stopped”. Caitlin Johnstone Israel appears to have begun its long-planned ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza, with the IDF dropping bombs, issuing evacuation orders for multiple hospitals, attacking civilians with sniper drones, and besieging civilian populations in order to force tens of thousands of people to either move south or die. Israel has reportedly been dropping leaflets on the Jabalia refugee camp ordering people to leave, and then shooting anyone who tries to. Since the 7th of October last year, Israel has committed roughly 100 October sevenths in Gaza; scores of American medical workers who volunteered in the enclave signed an open letter to president Biden estimating the real death toll from Israel’s onslaught at over 118,000. Israel has also committed about two October sevenths in Lebanon during that time, with the majority of the 2,100 Israeli killings in that country coming just in the last few weeks. As Israeli murderousness ramps up in both Gaza and Lebanon, Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a statement addressed to the Lebanese people telling them that they need to somehow defeat Hezbollah in order to “save Lebanon before it plunges into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza.” Israeli officials have been saying they’re going to destroy Lebanon like they destroyed Gaza for months. Back in December Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant said, “Every person in Lebanon can take the map, the aerial photograph of Gaza, place it on an aerial photograph of Beirut, and ask themselves if this is what they want to happen there.” Now Netanyahu himself is saying this. Notably, Netanyahu’s statement was delivered in English, with English subtitles. This wasn’t actually a plea made to the people of Lebanon, it was propaganda made for western consumption. Netanyahu does not actually believe the Lebanese people are going to take up arms against Hezbollah to stop their country from being destroyed, he’s just creating a narrative to justify what he already plans on doing to Lebanon. And the US is encouraging Israel to move forward. On Tuesday State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller told the press that the Biden administration no longer supports a ceasefire with Hezbollah, saying “We support Israel’s efforts to degrade Hezbollah’s capability” instead. Two weeks ago CNN reported that the administration has also essentially given up on a ceasefire in Gaza. And we haven’t even talked about Iran yet. NBC News reports that US military officials have been discussing directly joining in Israel’s planned attack on Iran, potentially launching their own airstrikes on the Iranian military whenever Israel begins its attack. Whether the US joins with Israel in its coming attack or not, Iran has already made it clear that it will retaliate against any further aggressions by Israel, and Israel has made it clear that if Iran strikes back it’s going to ramp up its aggressions and perhaps start attacking Iranian energy infrastructure. If this blows up into full-scale war, as looks increasingly likely, it’s inevitable that the US will come to Israel’s defense. Axios and its Israeli intelligence insider Barak Ravid have a new report out on how super duper frustrated the Biden administration is becoming with Israeli warmongering. In typical Axios fashion the outlet reports that the White House is becoming “increasingly distrustful” of Israel’s planned military operations against Iran and Lebanon, but that, in typical Biden administration fashion, its American sources admit that the US “would very likely help Israel defend itself regardless” of whatever happens. Whoever wins the US election in November appears to be committed to riding with Israel down this path into the depths of hell. In an interview with 60 Minutes, Vice President Kamala Harris defended the Biden administration’s genocidal support for Israel, saying the weapons it has been giving them “allow Israel to defend itself.” She also named Iran as the number one enemy of the United States. In an appearance on The View, Harris was asked what she would have done differently from President Biden, and she said “There is not a thing that comes to mind.” Then later she added, “You asked me what is the difference between Joe Biden and me, that will be one of the differences: I’m going to have a Republican in my Cabinet.” And lest you make the mistake of thinking Trump would be any better, last week the former president said that Israel should attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, and criticized the Biden administration for not being sufficiently aggressive on this front. “They asked [Biden], what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran?” Trump said at a campaign event on Friday. “And he goes, ‘As long as they don’t hit the nuclear stuff.’ That’s the thing you want to hit, right? I said I think he’s got that one wrong.” Anyone who still says Trump is a peacemaker is a damn fool. Statements like this are in full alignment with the absolute worst warmongers in Washington like John Bolton or Lindsey Graham. Anyway, that’s where we’re at right now. That’s the trajectory the US empire has us on. An active genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, the threat of another extermination campaign in Lebanon, and acceleration toward a direct war of unimaginable horror with Iran. These psychos must be stopped. * Click the share button below to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles. Birds Not Bombs: Let’s Fight for a World of Peace, Not War Featured image: Slaughterhouse – by Mr. Fish https://www.globalresearch.ca/slaughter-gaza-lebanon-war-iran-approaches/5869715

Palestine and the People of the World. 124 Nations endorsed the UN General Assembly Resolution to End the Illegal Israeli Occupation of Palestine Israel’s wanton aggression against Lebanon has overshadowed an important decision made by the UN General Assembly linked to the violence and wars that mark our present moment in history. On Wednesday, 18th September 2024, 124 nations voted in favour of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution to end the illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in Palestine. The resolution was prompted by a ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest judicial body, which had ordered Israel to withdraw from Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). The ICJ decision of 19th July 2024 was undoubtedly influenced by Israel’s blatant genocide in Gaza and its massacres in the West Bank. The UN General Assembly gave Tel Aviv 12 months to withdraw from the OPT. Given Israel’s track record, no one should expect Israel to abide by the UNGA’s resolution. Nonetheless, the 124 nations that endorsed the resolution should go all out to ensure that the resolution is implemented. They represent almost two-thirds of the total membership of the UN. Their vote, viewed collectively, is the voice of the vast majority of the human family. The huge public gatherings held in so many different parts of the world in the course of the last one year against Israel’s genocide and for the right of the Palestinians to establish their own sovereign, independent state in accordance with UN resolutions attest to the overwhelming support that the Palestinian quest for self- determination enjoys among the people of the world. The 124 member states of the UN that endorsed the 18th September resolution should remember that the ICJ decision that underscores the UNGA resolution requires member states not to recognize “the unlawful presence of Israel in the OPT” and not to render aid or assistance to Israel in maintaining its illegal occupation. Translated into tangible action, the 124 states should appeal to the five veto wielding members of the UN Security Council not to use the veto to repudiate the UNGA vote when the issue is brought to the Council for its endorsement. Needless to say, the resolution can only be enforced by the Council. If there is any indication that the veto is going to be used to deny the will of the majority of the UN membership, the endorsers of the UNGA resolution should meet and set up a committee that will explore ways and means by which the resolution can be rendered meaningful. Countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil can be part of such a committee. The UN Secretary-General will also be a crucial member of the Committee. Apart from organizing a permanent ceasefire, the Committee can also ensure that food, fuel, medicines and other essentials are readily available to the people of Gaza and other parts of Palestine. The proposed Committee should also facilitate the release of all hostages presently held by Hamas. Most of all, the Committee should lay out a framework for the resolution of all conflicts between Israel and Palestine and Israel and its neighbours. The Committee’s final recommendations should be presented to the UNGA for its approval. The UNGA’s approval would signal that the General Assembly —and not the Security Council— is the body within the UN that decides on fundamental issues of war and peace. This is the empowerment of the General Assembly that we should work towards. An empowered GA will give hope to people everywhere. * Click the share button below to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles. Birds Not Bombs: Let’s Fight for a World of Peace, Not War Dr. Chandra Muzaffar is President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Malaysia. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Featured image is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 https://www.globalresearch.ca/palestine-people-world/5869797

Israel’s Air Defense and the Weakness of the U.S. Navy. “Damage Control Project” of Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces These lines were written on CNN, the voice of the Democratic Party close to the US neocons, at a time when US President Biden announced that he had not yet received a guarantee that Israel would not target nuclear facilities in a possible counter-attack on Iran. This is clearly an expression of the US being held hostage by Netanyahu. In this case, we can say that the world is under Israel’s mortgage until the US presidential elections on November 5, 2024. If Iran’s nuclear facilities are hit, it goes without saying that this crisis will grow very large and humanity will face multi-dimensional crises. It is possible to say that this situation will bring about the collapse of the US faster than the collapse of the Roman Empire. Iran’s Attack on Selected Targets on October 1 After Iran’s attack on Israel with around 300 missiles and drones on April 14, 2024, the second attack with 180 ballistic missiles on October 1, 2024 revealed the serious vulnerabilities of Israel’s air defense system again. The strategic Nevatim and Hatzerim air bases were hit in this attack. Today, Israel has a progressive air defense system supported by the US. The Iron Dome Low Altitude Air Defense System; the David’s Sling Medium/High-Altitude Ballistic Missile Defense System and the Arrow 2/3 High Altitude Ballistic Missile Defense System operate in conjunction with the central command and control system (IMDO). This system is also supported by the American Patriot and THAAD systems and the high precision and range X-band radars located in the Necef Desert, Keren and Kürecik Malatya. . How will strike on Nevatim air base affect Israel's military ops? Image shows the Israel’s Nevatim Airbase and the Commanding Officer of the base, Brig. Gen. Yotam Sigler. (Image by Tugce Atmaca/Türkiye Today) . US Navy and Israeli Air Defense The Pentagon announced that 81 UAVs and 6 ballistic missiles were shot down by American air defense efforts in the April 14 attack. Following the October 1 attack, the Pentagon announced that a dozen of the 180 missiles were shot down by two of the three American destroyers in the Mediterranean (USS Bulkeley and USS Cole). Four of these ships, which have the Arleigh Burke class SM 3 high altitude ballistic missile defense system, are permanently stationed at the US naval base in Cadiz/Rota, Spain. These ships are dynamically assigned and deployed to the crisis region when the ballistic missile threat to US allies and friends increases. When necessary, the ships in question, which serve in the Eastern Mediterranean, receive detection and tracking information for exo-atmospheric prevention from the American X-Band radars located in Malatya/Kürecik and Keren in the Necef Desert. One of the main information inputs and cross-tell stations of the Aegis command and control system of the ships in question, which are connected to the NATO Ballistic Missile Defense System, in Europe and the Mediterranean basin is the “Kürecik Radar” in Malatya. This radar was brought to our country through the NATO Agreement. However, it is completely American property and Turkiye has no discretion regarding its operation. They work online with the American Aegis destroyers serving in the Eastern Mediterranean. With this information, it is possible to shoot down Iranian missiles aimed at Israel at an early stage. Therefore, on the one hand, saying that “Israel’s target is Turkey” and on the other hand, transmitting information to American warships protecting Israel via the Americans’ X Band radar in Kürecik is a very contradictory, even oxymoronic situation. Decrease in American Naval Support to Israel In the October 1 attack, we see that the US provided support to Israel with roughly 50% fewer ships compared to the April 14 attack. Most importantly, there was no American aircraft carrier strike group in the Mediterranean when the October 1 attacks took place. The USS Truman aircraft carrier strike group only entered the Mediterranean from Gibraltar on the morning of October 3, 2024. This group also includes an Aegis-class cruiser and 2 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers that can support Israeli air defense. On the other hand, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which was supposed to be in the Pacific theater of operations and was dispatched to the region for Israel, was in the Arabian Sea during the October 1 attack. Keeping this group at the entrance to the Persian Gulf for the purpose of deterring Iran rather than preventing air attacks against Israel is a preference of American decision-makers. However, what is striking is the small number of American ships sent to support the defense of Israel. It was expected that Iran would attack Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh. The assassination of Lebanese Shiite leader Nasrallah last week increased this possibility. However, there has been no change in the number of American warships. The arrival of the USS Truman aircraft carrier coup group in the Eastern Mediterranean will only occur as these lines are being read on 6th October, five days after the October 1 attacks. Let us remind that the record number of ships in terms of military support and assistance to Israel was set in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The US had a presence in the Eastern Mediterranean with 60 ships during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. . undefined The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) (From the Public Domain) . American Sea Power Is in Weakness The fact that the US had only three Aegis class (Arleigh Burke) destroyers with air defense capability in the Eastern Mediterranean during the October 1 Iranian attack is not a strategic choice but rather a weakness in its navy. As of September 30, the day before the October 1 attack, the US Navy’s combat force was 297 ships, (237 combat ships and 60 auxiliary ships). Of these ships, 76 combat ships and 30 auxiliary ships (106 ships in total) were deployed. However, 71 of these 106 ships were underway. US sources do not specify how many of these ships were combatants and how many were auxiliary ships. If we assume, as a rough estimate, that 55 ships were combat ships and 16 were auxiliary ships, we understand why there were only 3 Aegis-class destroyers in the Mediterranean when the October 1 attack took place. The fact that 106 ships out of a total of 295 were deployed is an indication of how low the ships’ combat readiness was. In addition to the fact that it will take years to raise the combat readiness of the remaining ships, let us remember that the warships held in the American reserve fleets to be used in mobilization are on average over 40 years old and in poor condition. Damage Control Project of the Commander of the United States Naval Forces Image: ADM Lisa M. Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations (From the Public Domain) undefined At the end of her one-year term as force commander, US Navy Commander Admiral Lisa Franchetti prepared a road map (navigation plan) titled NAVPLAN 24 in September 2024. This report summarizes the difficult period that the US naval force is in, by its highest-level executive. Franchetti, the 33rd Chief of Naval Forces (CNO), has the following action plan in his sailing plan, which he calls Project 33: “We cannot create a larger conventional navy in a few years, or focus solely on numbers without the right capabilities to win the struggle for sea control… But even without these resources, we will develop our war readiness, capabilities and capacity. We must understand that the navy faces serious financial and industrial constraints.” The most important emphasis in the report is that they are preparing to fight China in 2027. This issue is included in the Sailing Plan as follows: “The President of the People’s Republic of China has ordered his forces to be ready for war by 2027. We will be more ready.’’ Franchetti, who said that they would be more ready with an extremely childish expression, later added: ‘’The defense industry of the People’s Republic of China is currently in a war footing with the largest shipbuilding infrastructure in the world, which is currently under the command of the navy.’’ However, the fact that the US Naval Forces Commander focused on President Xi Jinping’s discourse in such an important document is a serious example of weakness. A naval power that claims to dominate the oceans and seas since 1945 accepts its rival taking the initiative to choose the time of war. Then let’s ask, for example, what will happen if the US-Iran war starts and China decides to go to war before 2027? The Problem of Increasing the Level of War Readiness Another striking issue in the document is that the target is to increase the current force to 80% combat readiness. This means if 106 of the 297 ships currently available are deployed, the combat readiness level is around 35%. If we accept that some of the ships in the port at their home bases will be made ready for combat in a short time, we can accept that the readiness level will be around 50% with the highest optimism. Admiral Franchetti aims to increase this level to 80% in the next three years. We are really faced with a picture that is very contrary to the history of the US Navy. As it is understood from both the document and Franchetti’s statements, the real problem is the maintenance and repair problem of the ships. Warships at the end of deployments and tasking cycle they go through maintenance/ overhaul period and upon completion the combat training cycle starts before the ship totally becomes combat ready. This process, which would take 12-15 months if everything worked normally, no longer works in the US. According to Franchetti’s statement in the navigation plan, the maintenance of surface fleets (cruisers, destroyers, amphibious ships and corvettes) is currently about 2,700 days behind, or almost seven years. This is an incredible delay. The Role Model of the US Navy: Ukraine and the Houthis The document very interestingly refers to the asymmetric naval successes of the fleetless Ukraine and the bare foot Houthi fighters in the Black and Red Seas, implying that the weakness of the navy will be offset by unmanned vehicles and robotic systems. In order to prepare for a conflict with China in the Pacific in 2027, the report emphasizes a new class of unmanned systems to create low-cost, lethal air and surface systems that would disrupt an invasion beyond Taiwan. However, he does not mention that the US is an ocean state and that they will need large-tonnage platforms that can navigate the ocean to move from the CONUS to areas of interest. For example, the foundation of American naval power depends on bases and the support of these bases in wartime. Only in this way can warships in distant areas receive fuel, ammunition and personnel support. This support also needs to be created in the homeland. However, how that logistical support will be provided from the homeland to these bases? The American merchant fleet is insufficient. They have only 200 ships flying their own flag. The US auxiliary ship fleet, MSC (Military Sealift Command), also has very limited resources. They have 19 offshore logistics support and fuel supply tankers; 14 ammunition transporters; 15 military supply transporters; 21 pre-positioned stockpiling supply ships in overseas bases and around 60 foreign-flagged leased ships. Last month, 17 of these were put into reserve status due to lack of personnel. Half of the rest are not ready for action anyway. This fleet is not even sufficient for their own needs, let alone their allies. It is clear that these numbers will be extremely insufficient in a two-front war with China and Russia on the Atlantic/European and Asia/Pacific fronts. The combat vehicles of just one mechanized division weigh over 100 thousand tons. According to NATO’s cold war plans, the amount of cargo that needed to be reinforced from the US for supplementary supplies in the first months of a war in Europe was around 25 million tons. The military operation requirement was 100 million barrels of petroleum products. Now let’s add the Pacific theater of operations to this picture, where the distances are much longer. We are faced with a terribly difficult picture. Because the most important US allies in the Pacific, such as Japan, Australia and South Korea, do not have oil. At least they are dependent on the US for fuel. Let’s add the war that will continue with Russia in Europe to this situation. I am not even mentioning the sea lift that will last for months in the Pacific and the Atlantic, and therefore the need to protect these convoys against a three-dimensional threat. Except for 11 nuclear aircraft carriers, every ship needs to refuel at sea several times during ocean crossings. However, they do not have enough ships. MSC ships also do not have surface or air defense systems to defend themselves. Under these conditions, it is not clear how the Pacific front will be supported if war breaks out with China tomorrow. American Sea Power Is Chronically Insufficient In June 2023, the American Congress approved the naval target of 381 ships. In addition, it is aimed to have 397 ships by 2053. However, today, in order to complete the 381 ship target by 2030, a 20% budget increase is needed, which is not possible under today’s debt stock burden. Today, the backbone of American naval power is nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN), other than nuclear aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). However, today, nearly 40% of submarines are under repair and the delays in repair are enormous. If aircraft carriers operate in waters close to the continent – ​​for example, in the South or East China Sea – they are likely to be hit by hypersonic and ballistic missiles. In short, the US is unprepared for a major power conflict which is developing. If a conflict with China were to break out tomorrow, the American Navy would have very little chance of winning because it is not ready. The logistical difficulties of building and sustaining American naval power in the short and medium terms are incredible. If the problem of replenishing existing weapons and ammunition stocks is added to this, the seriousness of the situation becomes apparent. Image: This photograph of Seth Cropsey was taken at the Army-Navy Club in Washington, D.C. on March 25, 2024. (Licensed under CC0) undefined According to former American Undersecretary of the Navy Seth Cropsey, if the US does not increase the production of the weapons it will need in the Indo-Pacific, especially hypersonic cruise and ballistic missiles and short-range anti-ship weapons, it will lose a war for Taiwan in weeks. In its current state, the US Navy cannot maintain its bases and allies in the Indo-Pacific Oceans and its transoceanic logistical support line. The parameters of the US-USA balance in the Cold War and today’s US-China balance are extremely different. The USSR could not defeat the US because the American Navy’s enormous size of 600 ships confined the Soviets to the continent and weakened them. China, on the other hand, is far more advanced at sea than the US naval power today. China has the advantage in terms of both its geographical location, naval power and number of anti-ship missiles. The conditions are more in its favor than ever to bring this to a dynamic conclusion. The US is weakening its power in the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf because of Israel. China, on the other hand, will use every opportunity to protect and develop its own geopolitical interests, especially in Taiwan and the South China Sea, as long as the Israel-Iran crisis continues. * Click the share button below to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles. Birds Not Bombs: Let’s Fight for a World of Peace, Not War Ret Admiral Cem Gürdeniz, Writer, Geopolitical Expert, Theorist and creator of the Turkish Bluehomeland (Mavi Vatan) doctrine. He served as the Chief of Strategy Department and then the head of Plans and Policy Division in Turkish Naval Forces Headquarters. As his combat duties, he has served as the commander of Amphibious Ships Group and Mine Fleet between 2007 and 2009. He retired in 2012. He established Hamit Naci Blue Homeland Foundation in 2021. He has published numerous books on geopolitics, maritime strategy, maritime history and maritime culture. He is also a honorary member of ATASAM. He is a regular contributor to Global Research. Featured image: The Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) transits the South China Sea. Reagan is part of Task Force 70/Carrier Strike Group 5, conducting underway operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rawad Madanat) Related Articles from our Archives https://www.globalresearch.ca/iran-israel-tension-weakness-american-navy/5869826

The most precarious place in the world to be a child: Israel’s year of war on children [email protected] October 7, 2024 childhood trauma, education in gaza, genocide, unrwa Palestinian children wait to receive the distributed aid, in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on June 30, 2024 (Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images) Israel’s onslaught against the Palestinian people has systematically targeted children in both Gaza and the West Bank. The result is a war against an entire generation. By Tareq S. Hajjaj and Qassam Muaddi, reposted from Mondoweiss A year into the genocide in Gaza and the intensifying military and settler onslaught in the West Bank, children have been the most consistently targeted group by Israel in all of historic Palestine. Every year at around this time, the new school year is well underway in the Gaza Strip and university students are starting their first semesters. But since October of last year, not only is there no more school, but all education in the Gaza Strip has been decimated. This is to say nothing of the systematic killing of children throughout the war — UN chief Antonio Guterres said Gaza had become a “graveyard for children” only a month into the genocidal war. Added to that are the long-term mental and health effects children will experience as a result of exposure to disease, chronic malnutrition, and relentless violence. While paling in comparison to Gaza, children in the West Bank have also been targeted by Israeli forces and settlers with alarming regularity. Since October 7, the killing and maiming of Palestinian children by Israeli forces and settlers has skyrocketed according to human rights groups, leading to the deaths of at least 140 Palestinian minors under the age of 18 in the space of 11 months — at a rate of one child killed every other day. While the effects of Israel’s war in Gaza have understandably garnered the most global attention, the Israeli violations against Palestinian childhood in both the West Bank and Gaza have made it clear that Israel has launched a war against an entire generation across Palestine. Israeli army attacks the school Palestinians take shelter in, Gaza Strip, September 21, 2024 (AA Photo) Israeli army attacks the school Palestinians take shelter in, Gaza Strip, September 21, 2024 (AA Photo) (AA Photo) Childhood under the gun in Gaza On July 29, the Gaza-based Ministry of Education announced that 39,000 high school students from the Gaza Strip did not take the Tawjihi exam this year, with 10,000 of them killed alongside 400 school teachers. The Government Media Office said that since the beginning of the war on Gaza, the Israeli army had completely destroyed 125 schools and universities and partially destroyed 336 schools and universities. The assault on education is mirrored in the genocidal onslaught on all other sectors that make society in Gaza function, from healthcare to food systems to waste management facilities. But one of the most insidious parts of targeting the educational sector is that it aims to erase children’s future. Sharif Alaa is one of many students originally from al-Shuja’iyya in Gaza City who are now living in the Mawasi “safe zone” in Khan Younis after seven rounds of displacement. At around this time last year in his old neighborhood in Gaza, he was starting his last year of high school and looking forward to applying to university the following year. Sharif studied well throughout the past year, even amid the genocide, in order to get a high score that would enable him to specialize in the sciences. Sharif clung to his dream even when it seemed impossible given the circumstances, continuing to study throughout his multiple displacements. He held onto hope that at least some students would be allowed to take the exams in certain areas declared “safe” in Gaza. But he never saw the inside of an exam hall. He listened to the annual radio announcements over the summer with great pain as the high school tawjihi results excluded the Gaza Strip for the first time in their history. Instead of announcing the results of the students who passed, the Gaza Ministry of Education announced the number of martyred students and teachers in the Gaza Strip. “They destroyed my future without even harming me physically. So what about those who are injured? I feel indescribable pain because I lost my future. I was waiting to enter a new chapter of my life, and now it’s gone,” Sharif told Mondoweiss. Ironically, Sharif spent much of his time in school compounds that had been converted into shelters throughout the war, first in northern Gaza, then in the south. “Schools have lost their value as a place of education,” Sharif said. “They’ve become a place of displacement and loss of home and security.” “These chairs, these tables, they were used for learning,” Sharif went one. “The school’s mornings were filled with national anthems…Now, classrooms are used as bedrooms housing several families, and people light wood in them to cook their food. This is no longer a school.” On August 1, UNRWA launched an educational program for children to make up for parts of the school year they had missed. At the very least, it aimed to provide a safe space for children to play, learn, grow, and reunite with old friends. “In its first phase, UNRWA will expand the ongoing psychosocial support activities, focusing on arts, music, and sports — as well as raising awareness on the risks of explosive ordinance,” UNRWA said in a press release. “Children in Gaza are traumatized and shocked,” Scott Anderson, UNRWA Director in Gaza, said in the statement. “We are launching the back to learning program today to help children cope and just be children.” Injured Palestinians including children are brought to Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat Refugee Camp for treatment after Israeli army attacked a house belonging to the Allouh family in Al-Dawa area in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on September 9, 2024. Injured Palestinian children are brought to Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat Refugee Camp for treatment after Israeli army attacked Deir al-Balah, Gaza on September 9, 2024. (Hassan Jedi – Anadolu Agency) Precarious childhood in the West Bank In the West Bank, the conditions of Palestinian children’s safety have been deteriorating even a full year before October 7. But as of the start of the war last year, these conditions have plummeted. According to a study published by Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) on September 9, Israeli forces or settlers killed at least 140 Palestinian minors under the age of 18 in the space of 11 months — at a rate of one child killed every two days. The latest of these victims was Bana Baker Laboum, 13, killed on September 6 during an attack by Israeli settlers on her village of Qaryout, southeast of Nablus. She was killed two days before the beginning of the school year. According to testimonies by her family and residents, Bana was in her bedroom when Israeli settlers rampaged through the southern part of the village, opening fire on Palestinian houses. One of the bullets hit her in the chest. She was hospitalized at the Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, where she was later pronounced dead. At Bana’s school in Qaryout, a portrait of her in the middle of a wreath of flowers filled her place on her classroom bench. Her classmate described Bana as “a very kind heart, always ready to comfort those who cried when seeing images of people suffering in Gaza.” Speaking to the local Palestinian Fajer TV amidst tears, Bana’s classmate said that “she was in her room preparing her books, and she had planned to go out later that day to buy more things for the beginning of school.” Her English language teacher and supervisor of the school’s girl scout group, described her as “a very polite, joyful, and bookish girl.” Her father, Amjad Baker Laboum, told Palestine TV that “I look at her classmates and I see Bana in each one of them.” Students enter their tent school, in which their teacher Alaa Abu Mustafa, whose house was destroyed in the Israeli army’s attacks, gives them education in Khan Yunis, Gaza on September 03, 2024. [ Hani Alshaer – Anadolu Agency] A handful of students enter their tent school, in which their teacher Alaa Abu Mustafa, whose house was destroyed in the Israeli army’s attacks, gives them education in Khan Yunis, Gaza on September 03, 2024. [ Hani Alshaer – Anadolu Agency] (Hani Alshaer – Anadolu Agency) Children targeted before October 7 While children in the Gaza Strip are forced to miss the beginning of the school year for the second time since the war began, the return to classes in the West Bank has been marked by increasing insecurity and fear as of two years ago, especially in areas most targeted by Israeli violence. Already in December 2023, UNICEF reported that the killing of Palestinian children in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, had reached “unprecedented levels.” In the last 12 weeks of 2023, Israel had already killed 83 Palestinian children in the West Bank, more than double the number of children killed in all of 2022, which was already considered one of the deadliest years for Palestinian children. More than 576 children had been injured in the same period. “Living with a near-constant feeling of fear and grief is, sadly, all too common for children affected,” UNICEF stated. “Many children report that fear has become a part of their daily life, with many scared even walking to school or playing outside due to the threat of shootings.” Since the beginning of 2024, the killing and maiming of children has only increased with each new Israeli military campaign. In the latest major Israeli assault on West Bank cities, dubbed “Operation Summer Camps” in late August, Israeli forces killed 11 children and minors, aged between 13 and 17. Most of them were from Tulkarem, Tubas, and Jenin, where the heaviest part of Israel’s military operations in the West Bank have been concentrated as of October of last year. “Israeli forces are killing Palestinian children with calculated brutality and cruelty all throughout the occupied Palestinian territory,” DCIP director Khaled Quzmar said in a statement. Palestinian children walk near a damaged car following an Israeli raid, in Tulkarm, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Palestinian children walk near a damaged car following an Israeli raid, in Tulkarm, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank (photo) Said Abu Eqtaish, also from DCIP, said that “not a single person has been held accountable for the killing of these children, emboldening Israeli forces to continue killing with impunity.” Death and maiming is only the most visible part of the impact of Israeli violence on Palestinian children in the West Bank. “Children’s school performance has dropped dramatically, as many of them haven’t been going to school regularly because of the repeated raids,” Nehaya al-Jundi, a mother and director of the handicapped children rehabilitation center in Nur Shams refugee camp, told Mondoweiss. “Many suffer from distraction, uncontrolled fear, and involuntary urination, and for the mentally handicapped ones it is harder, because they don’t understand what happens around them.” Nur Shams has been one of the hardest-hit areas in Israel’s relentless military campaign last August, which caused the widespread destruction of the camp’s civilian infrastructure. “My daughter understands what happens in the camp, which makes it difficult to protect her from the reality,” Al-Jundi said. “Although she adapts and understands, she can’t hide her fear, which is constant.” “For us mothers, it is difficult to protect our children from the trauma, because we are traumatized ourselves,” she added. “The most difficult trauma for children is the lack of safety, including inside their homes, as many of them have witnessed raids to their homes, and the arrest, and even the killing, of family members.” As Israel’s crackdown on Palestinians in the West Bank continues to escalate amid expectations of a repeat of the “Gaza model,” Palestinian children continue to be the most vulnerable sector to Israeli violence, bearing the heaviest part of its impact. According to the DCIP report, a full 20% of children killed in the West Bank between 2000 and 2024 were slain after October 7. Meanwhile, Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip continue to be killed on a daily basis, and the massacres show no sign of stopping. Those who survive are deprived of education, exposed to diseases and starvation, orphaned with no surviving parents, and traumatized. The result has been a year of war against children that has made Palestine the most precarious place in the world to be a child. Tareq S. Hajjaj is the Mondoweiss Gaza Correspondent, and a member of the Palestinian Writers Union. He studied English Literature at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. He has reported for Elbadi, Middle East Eye, and Al Monitor. Follow him on Twitter at @Tareqshajjaj. Qassam Muaddi is the Palestine Staff Writer for Mondoweiss. Follow him on Twitter/X at @QassaMMuaddi. RELATED READING: I’m a pediatrician. The scars I saw on Gaza’s children will take generations to heal. ‘Disappeared, buried, detained’: The horrors of Gaza’s missing children ‘Suffering horrifically’: 10 months of Israel’s ‘war on children’ in Gaza More dead children. More BBC ‘news’ channelling Israeli propaganda as its own https://israelpalestinenews.org/the-most-precarious-place-in-the-world-to-be-a-child-israels-year-of-war-on-children/

Megatron (Twitter) BREAKING: 🇮🇱🇱🇧 Hezbollah is now massively bombing the city of Safed in northern Israel. Israeli media reports that the Iron Dome is no longer operational.

Empire’s War on Syria Basma Qaddour Interviews Dr. Ahmad Al-Durzi In response to Basma’s questions, Dr. Al-Durzi wrote the following: It was clear to every wise person in the world, in general, and in Syria, in particular, that what happened in the mid of March 2011 is that the world has become at a very dangerous stage, and the crisis that took place in Syria is only an extension of a large western project to control the Mediterranean Sea, and that the outcome of this crisis which was turned into a military form does not only target Syria but also forces that are against this project hegemony, especially Russia and China. Image: Dr. Ahmad Al-Durzi Actually, this is what happened when the United States of America pushed regional powers to intervene extensively in the Syrian war, depending on terrorists, who came from more than 80 countries in the world. The crisis did not stop at that point, but was accompanied by unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States of America and the European Union countries on Syria to push it to change its geopolitical position-which would leave effects and repercussions on Iran, Russia and China- and to loot the Syrian state’s main resources that are necessary for the continuation of life in what remains of Syria as the terrorist groups took control of the areas of the Syrian Al-Jazeera area – where the resources of oil, gas and the food basket of Syria are located— and to divert these resources to serve the terrorist groups and finance and attract them due to the huge amount of money flowing as a result of controlling these resources. …..The main goal was to push Damascus to change its geopolitical policy and to allow the Qatari gas pipes to pass through Syria to Turkey and then the EU countries with the aim of preventing the flow of Russian gas to Europe and be an alternative to it. These policies, which were based on terrorism and the theft of the Syrian oil and gas resources, have put enormous pressure on the Syrian state and on the lives of Syrian citizens, and led to an increase in poverty levels that have reached 92%, and caused major impacts on the Syrian demographics and changes in their lifestyles, and pushed more than 40% of the Syrian population to emigrate abroad, in addition to more than 10% of the internal demographic change through internal migration. These changes required the adoption of hard policies in accordance with the available resources to keep the existence of the Syrian state within the framework of the international and regional conflict. The adopted hard policies led to unprecedented rise in poverty rate which continues until this moment. Sanctions that are being imposed on Syria have greatly affected all groups of doctors, not just me. Medical work is no longer useful, so the majority of doctors have been forced to emigrate or work in Somalia and Iraq. Imagine that the number of doctors in Aleppo has decreased from 11,000 to 1,800, and in Somalia it has increased to 4,000 Syrian doctors. As for the Russian intervention in Syria, it was legitimate as it came upon the request of Damascus. It came at a critical moment when what remained of Syria was under threat. It prevented the multinational terrorist groups from moving to Iran, Central Asia, the South Caucasus and northwestern China, relying on terrorists who came from these regions. Image: Syrians wave Russian and Syrian flags during a protest against US-led air strikes in Damascus, Syria on 14 April 2018. (Photo credit: VCG Photo) The first goal of the Russian intervention in Syria was to eliminate multinational terrorist groups in cooperation with the Syrian Army, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Lebanese Hezbollah. These four parties formed an important axis to confront the US occupation forces that exist in Syria and to defeat ISIS terrorists. This has been achieved to a large extent. The second goal was to keep Syria united and this has been achieved to a reasonable degree at a military level as the geographic area that is controlled by Damascus expanded from 27% to 67%, while the sides of the Syrian Al-Jazeera are still under the occupation of the American army, which came illegally under the pretext of fighting terrorism, and the northwestern side of Syria is still under the occupation of the terrorist groups that are supported by the United States of America and Turkey, which is betting on achieving geopolitical gains at the regional level through the Syrian gateway. Although Russia is preoccupied with its war with Ukraine, which is actually a war with NATO on the Ukrainian scene, the effects of the Russian presence in Syria are still ongoing, with the continued presence of Russian forces on the ground and the continued Russian role in working to restore the unity of Syrian territory through the political aspect of the talks it is conducting with the forces in northeastern Syria or with Turkey to achieve reconciliation between Syria and Turkey based on the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory, and to find solutions to dismantle the armed terrorist groups in the areas of the northern Aleppo countryside and Idlib, in addition to the areas located between Ras al-Ain al-Abyad in the Syrian Jazeera . I believe that the Russian role will continue despite the war in Ukraine, as Syria is an arena of confrontation with the United States of America, complementary to the Ukrainian arena, and also complementary to the Palestinian, Lebanese and Yemeni arenas, where the conflict with the Western side is escalating in these regions, and Russia has no interest other than to be a fundamental supporter of all the forces that exist in these regions in order to preserve its national security. * Click the share button below to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles. Get Your Free Copy of “Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War”! This interview was originally published on Mark Taliano. Dr. Ahmad Al-Durzi is a Syrian political analyst and expert in political issues on impacts of terrorism, sanctions and resources theft on Syrian people. Featured image: U.S. military vehicle runs past the Tal Tamr area in the countryside of Hasakah province, northeastern Syria, Nov. 14, 2019. | Photo: Str/Xinhua Order Mark Taliano’s Book “Voices from Syria” directly from Global Research. **Voices from Syria** Author: Mark Taliano ISBN Number: 978-0-9737147-9-1 Year: 2017 Product Type: PDF File List Price: $6.50 Special Offer: $5.00 Click to order. Read here: https://www.globalresearch.ca/empire-war-syria/5869049

Missouri to Palestine. Racism and the Criminalization of Justice. The Execution of Marcellus “Khalifah” Williams for a Crime he Did Not Commit The state of Missouri murdered Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams on Tuesday, September 24th, at 6 pm central time. His last meal was chicken wings and tater tots; his last words were, “All praise be to Allah in every situation!” His execution was the third execution in Missouri this year and the 100th since Missouri reinstated capital punishment in 1989. Khaliifiah had hundreds of thousands of supporters behind him worldwide for decades. Millions making calls online and signing his petitions, hundreds in person bringing their grievances to the Missouri Supreme Court, and the prosecution lawyers AND family of Lisha Gayle, the social worker and former newspaper reporter who was murdered during a burglary of her home, whom this case revolves around, calling for the death penalty to be dismissed during this case. Khaliifiah has also held his innocence since the beginning of this trial in 1998, with no forensic evidence supporting Khaliifah as the offender. Each time he was set to be executed, his execution was halted due to further DNA and forensic research, which never got to conclude before his death, nor did the impending Supreme Court case. Khaliifah never had a fair trial. When first tried in 2001, he was not granted his constitutional rights to a fair jury. Instead, Black jurors were barred from entering the jury because they “looked like Williams.” In his reasoning for going forward with Williams’ execution, Gov. Parsons said that Williams had “exhausted due process and every judicial avenue.” However, Parsons denied Khaliifah’s clemency request to change his sentence to life in prison and also rejected a request to cancel the execution so that a lower court could make a new determination about the discriminatory circumstances of his 2001 jury. Gov. Parsons has never granted clemency for a death penalty case. According to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), 16 prisoners have been executed in 8 states in the United States this year, and 48 more executions are scheduled throughout 2024. The death penalty and the cruelty of cases like Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams exemplify the systemic racism and throughlines of enslavement that are still housed within the U.S. Criminal Justice System today. Capital Punishment has been around since enslavement, with states like North Carolina using it as a way to squash rebellions and those working to free enslaved individuals. The Jim Crow Era continued with lynchings and public executions seemingly becoming interchangeable, with almost all cases of the death penalty being against Black men. And with the 1990s era of mass incarceration, the war on drugs, and a renewed surge of the death penalty – The United took the reins of the highest incarceration population in the world. Today, despite making up 13% of the U.S. population, Black folks make up 42% of those on death row (according to a 2020 Prison Policy Initiative Report). Robert Dunham, the DPIC Executive Director, writes, “What is broken or intentionally discriminatory in the criminal legal system is visibly worse in death-penalty cases. Exposing how the system discriminates in capital cases can shine an important light on law enforcement and judicial practices in vital need of abolition.” The disparities found in Khaliifah’s case are ones systemically embedded in the groundwork of death penalty trials and throughout the entire criminal justice system in the U.S., with many other past cases resurfacing because of Khaliifah’s murder. Like many others, I recount these facts about Khaliifah with tears running down my face and anger in my heart – and all I can think about is time. Khaliifah spent two decades in prison for a crime he did not commit. President Biden sits in a long line of masterminds that got us to the prison industrial complex that we have today, with many who were sentenced to death while Biden was gunning for the 1994 Crime Bill, still awaiting their fate. A prison industrial complex that has not only murdered and harmed millions of Black and Brown people in the U.S. for centuries but has weaved its web throughout the world, implementing torture, starvation, and capital punishment of its own sort throughout places like Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, the Congo. And as we run into a new election cycle fueled by feminism and a new wave of young organizers ready to believe in the system at large because of who is heading it, I must ask, where is feminism in this? Where is feminism when we have so many women as elected officials in the U.S. who could not even utter his name, not the name of any individual who the heinous system has touched? Where is feminism as we look out onto almost a year of genocide and nearly 76 years of occupation in Palestine? Where is feminism when our tax dollars go towards the public execution of innocent mothers, fathers, and children who got no jury, no trial, and no time? From Missouri to Palestine, not even time is a human right. Below, The Perplexing Smiles of the Children of Palestine by: Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams . * Click the share button below to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles. Get Your Free Copy of “Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War”! Grace Siegelman is CODEPINK’s Digital Engagement Manager and Feminist Foreign Policy Project Coordinator. Grace holds a Master’s in Women and Gender Studies and a Bachelor’s in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies from DePaul University. With over six years of organizing experience in Chicago, her work focuses on prison and police abolition, queer theory, gendered violence, and anti-war efforts. She connects local activism to global communities in Palestine, Yemen, and Cuba. Grace has led youth campaigns like Ban the Box and initiatives supporting incarcerated survivors of domestic violence. Featured image: Marcellus Williams. (Image: Courtesy of Marcellus Williams’ legal team) Missouri to Palestine. Racism and the Criminalization of Justice. The Execution of Marcellus “Khalifah” Williams for a Crime he Did Not Commit The state of Missouri murdered Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams on Tuesday, September 24th, at 6 pm central time. His last meal was chicken wings and tater tots; his last words were, “All praise be to Allah in every situation!” His execution was the third execution in Missouri this year and the 100th since Missouri reinstated capital punishment in 1989. Read here: https://www.globalresearch.ca/missouri-palestine-feminism-murder/5868861

Top 10 Human Rights Violations by Netanyahu Against Palestinian People Netanyahu has implemented policies that have drawn widespread condemnation for violating the human rights of Palestinians. Johnny PunishSeptember 29, 2024 VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel $ 280 BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation; $ 150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State. Israel’s complex and often controversial political landscape has made human rights a central issue in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a figurehead in Israeli politics for decades, has been overwhelmingly condemned for his policies regarding the Palestinian people. Throughout his tenure, numerous incidents and policies under his administration have drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations, who rightly accuse him of violating international human rights law and the rights of Palestinians. Below are 10 major human rights violations attributed to Netanyahu’s policies, along with actions taken during his time as Prime Minister: 1. Expansion of Illegal Settlements Violation: Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas considered occupied under international law, have expanded significantly during Netanyahu’s rule. These settlements are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of the occupier’s population into occupied territory. Action Taken: Netanyahu has consistently supported settlement expansion, viewing it as part of Israel’s security and historical claim. Despite international condemnation and numerous UN resolutions calling for a halt to settlement activities, he has continued to approve and promote their growth, especially in sensitive areas like East Jerusalem and Hebron. 2. Forced Evictions and Home Demolitions Violation: Thousands of Palestinian homes in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and inside Israel have been demolished under Netanyahu’s leadership. These demolitions often target Palestinian homes that Israel claims were built without permits, even though obtaining such permits is extremely difficult for Palestinians. Action Taken: Netanyahu’s government has accelerated the demolition of Palestinian homes, particularly in areas slated for settlement expansion. The evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan in East Jerusalem during 2021 gained international attention and were widely condemned as violations of Palestinians’ right to housing. 3. The Gaza Blockade Violation: Since 2007, Israel has imposed a strict land, sea, and air blockade on Gaza, which has been labeled by many international human rights organizations as collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population. The blockade restricts movement, trade, and access to essential goods and services, severely impacting the lives of over 2 million people. Action Taken: Netanyahu has continued and, at times, intensified the blockade, citing security concerns over Hamas. The blockade has led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essential supplies, creating a humanitarian crisis. Critics argue that this violates the basic human rights of Palestinians, especially the right to freedom of movement and access to healthcare. READ Johnny’s Latest Post “Should Music Artists Who Stand Up for Human Rights and Condemn Violence in Gaza Be Concerned About Retaliation? If So, From Whom?” 4. Use of Excessive Force Against Protesters Violation: Israeli security forces have been accused of using excessive force against Palestinian protesters, particularly during the Great March of Return in Gaza between 2018 and 2019. Hundreds of Palestinians were killed and thousands injured, many of them unarmed, including children, journalists, and medical workers. Action Taken: Netanyahu’s government has defended the use of force, citing the need to protect Israel’s borders and prevent infiltration by militants. However, human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the disproportionate response, accusing Israeli forces of war crimes for targeting unarmed civilians. 5. The Nation-State Law Violation: In 2018, Netanyahu’s government passed the Jewish Nation-State Law, which officially enshrines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Critics argue that the law discriminates against non-Jewish citizens, particularly Palestinians, and undermines their rights to self-determination, equality, and cultural expression. Action Taken: Despite widespread criticism from within Israel and internationally, Netanyahu defended the law as essential to preserving Israel’s Jewish character. The law’s passage has been seen as a step toward institutionalizing discrimination against Israel’s Palestinian citizens, who make up roughly 20% of the population. 6. Military Raids and Arbitrary Detentions Violation: Under Netanyahu, Israeli forces have conducted frequent military raids in the West Bank, often leading to mass arrests, including of children, without charge or trial. Many of those detained are held under “administrative detention,” which allows Israel to imprison Palestinians indefinitely without formal charges or due process. Action Taken: These actions have been justified by Netanyahu as necessary for Israel’s security and counterterrorism efforts. However, human rights groups argue that such practices violate the rights to fair trial, liberty, and protection from arbitrary detention. The widespread detention of Palestinian minors has also drawn international outcry. 7. Collective Punishment in Gaza Violation: During Israeli military operations in Gaza, Netanyahu’s government has been accused of collective punishment, where the civilian population suffers for the actions of militants. This includes the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals, and sewage systems, often described as disproportionate and indiscriminate. Action Taken: Netanyahu’s government has launched several military offensives in Gaza, including Operations Cast Lead (2008-2009), Pillar of Defense (2012), and Protective Edge (2014). These operations have resulted in high civilian casualties and widespread destruction, leading to accusations of war crimes by international bodies. 8. Segregation and Discrimination in Access to Resources Violation: In the West Bank, Palestinians face systemic discrimination in access to water, land, and electricity. Israeli settlers are granted unrestricted access to these resources, while Palestinians face severe restrictions. Action Taken: Under Netanyahu, policies have continued to favor settlers over Palestinians. Israel controls over 80% of water resources in the West Bank, and Palestinians often receive far less water than Israeli settlers. Human rights organizations have denounced this disparity as a violation of Palestinians’ right to water and equal treatment. 9. Restriction of Freedom of Movement Violation: Palestinians living in the West Bank are subject to numerous checkpoints, roadblocks, and barriers, severely restricting their freedom of movement. This affects their ability to access healthcare, education, and employment. Action Taken: Netanyahu’s government has maintained and, at times, expanded the system of checkpoints and roadblocks. Although Israel cites security concerns, the restrictions on movement are seen as disproportionate and unnecessary, severely impeding Palestinians’ daily lives. 10. Undermining Palestinian Political Rights Violation: Netanyahu has actively opposed Palestinian efforts toward statehood and political independence, repeatedly rejecting international efforts to create a two-state solution. His government has consistently pushed policies that undermine the political rights of Palestinians, including their right to self-determination. Action Taken: Netanyahu has supported annexing parts of the West Bank, notably the Jordan Valley while opposing Palestinian membership in international organizations like the United Nations. His government’s efforts to block the recognition of Palestinian statehood have drawn criticism from global leaders and human rights advocates. Oh wait, did I mention SERIAL KILLER NENTANYAHU has murdered over 40,000 human beings in Gaza in the last year destroying the homes of millions in the process? Yeah, that may need to be added here as the # 1 thing on this list. Conclusion Throughout his political career, Netanyahu has implemented policies that have drawn widespread condemnation for violating the human rights of Palestinians. From expanding illegal settlements to imposing harsh military blockades, his actions have led to the systematic suppression of Palestinian rights. Despite international pressure and numerous human rights reports, Netanyahu has defended his policies as being in the interest of Israeli security, often sidelining Palestinian human rights in the process. THE LATEST SONG WRITTEN BY JOHNNY PUNISH is “Serial Killer In A Suit”; is a raw, hard-hitting track that takes aim at the genocidal actions of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in 2024. With aggressive guitar riffs, pounding drums, and unapologetically direct lyrics, this song speaks truth to power, calling out the horrors and human cost of the Gaza massacre. Over 40,000 lives were lost, including 25,000 innocent children – this is the sound of resistance against unchecked tyranny and deliberate cruelty. 🔥 Turn it up, and hear the truth! 🔥 Watch our newest music video — LYRICS Children scream Blood on the street Dead bodies underneath A thousand cries for mercy Means zero to you Psychotic predator Here’s the truth You smile for the camera And sharpen the blade Truth burned to ashes Justice betrayed Somebody Anybody Everybody Serial killer in a suit Serial killer in a suit Serial killer What the fuck You scorn the peace The people seek You warmonger freak Who cares what you speak With every soul you silence Your power grows cold History will carve your name On a dead sea scroll Somebody Anybody Everybody A killer in a suit Serial killer in a suit Serial killer in a suit Serial killer What the fuck You scorn the peace The people seek You warmonger freak Who cares what you speak With every soul you silence Your power grows cold History will carve your name On a dead sea scroll Somebody Anybody Everybody A killer in suit Serial killer in a suit Serial killer in a suit Serial killer What the fuck Turn your back On the calls for ceasefire While bodies stack higher and higher Somebody Anybody Everybody GAZA! GAZA! Serial killer in a suit No conscience Serial killer in a suit Nothing inside Serial killer No place to hide Go straight to hell boy! GAZA! Go straight to hell boy! GAZA! Go straight to hell boy! GAZA! Somebody Anybody Everybody Stop this psycho! Written by Johnny Punish: #SerialKillerInASuit #Gaza #TruthToPower #HardRock #Netanyahu #HumanRights #JusticeForGaza ABOUT PUNISH STUDIOS: PunishStudios.com Music Integrity! Punish Studios creates music that matters written by REAL HUMAN BEINGS! Created by artist Johnny Punish in 2008, Punish Studios is committed to creating outstanding media and music in the Rock, Country, and World genres; including Hip-Hop, SKA, Jazz, and Reggae. Along with traditional studio recording techniques, we use A.I. to enhance our well-crafted-human-written songs. Our writers are members of ASCAP. Johnny Punish founded VT in 2004. After 20 years at the helm, he “retired” from the daily operations in late 2023 passing the ball over to the new owner of VT, Chief Justin Time. He now writes for VT as “Writer Emeritus”. He is also a global citizen eco-activist, visionary, musician, artist, entertainer, businessman, investor, life coach, podcast host, and syndicated columnist. Punish is an ethnically cleansed Palestinian-American whose maternal family was evicted from their home in Haifa, Palestine in 1948. He is also the founder and owner of Global Thinkers, a freedom media for free minds. Resources: Facebook – YouTube – Apple Music – SoundCloud – Spotify – X (Twitter) Read Johnny’s Full Bio at PunishStudios.com >>> www.punishstudios.com ATTENTION READERS We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion. About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT. https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/09/top-10-human-rights-violations-by-netanyahu-against-palestinian-people/

SPEAK UP OR SHUT UP? Should Music Artists Who Condemn Netanyahu’s Mass Murder Gaza Violence Be Concerned About Retaliation? If So, From Whom? The cost of speaking out can be high, the rewards even greater, as artists contribute to a long tradition of musicians who have dared to challenge the status quo in pursuit of a better world Johnny PunishSeptember 29, 2024 VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel $ 280 BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation; $ 150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State. GAZA REMAINS ON FIRE! IS LEBANON NEXT ON THE USA/ISRAELI RADAR? THE MIDDLE EAST IS BACK BABY! AND THE POWDER KEG IS ON THE PROFITEER’S RADAR! WTF is going on? In a world where music is often used as a platform for activism and protest, many artists have taken it upon themselves to stand up for human rights and speak out against violence. One of the most pressing and polarizing issues in recent years is the ongoing conflict in Gaza. With bombings, blockades, and the complex web of historical grievances, many musicians have chosen to address the humanitarian crisis in their work, using their platforms to call for peace and justice. I am one of them! However, standing up for human rights in conflict zones like Gaza comes with its risks. Artists who raise their voices may wonder if they will face retaliation for their stance—and if so, from whom? The great John Lennon was a musician, singer, and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of the Beatles, one of the most popular and influential bands in the history of rock music. In addition to his musical talents, Lennon was also known for his political views, political songs, and political activism. He was famously investigated by US President Richard Nixon who considered him a threat to his policies. Retaliation from Political Groups and Governments One of the most immediate concerns for artists speaking out about Gaza is the potential for retaliation from political groups and governments. The Israeli oppression of their indigenous peoples and those peoples now living under Occupation in Gaza and the West Bank is highly charged. Speaking out against violence in Gaza might attract negative attention from governments or lobby groups who are deeply invested in one side of the conflict. In some cases, governments may put pressure on artists to silence their dissent. Artists like Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, who has been vocal about his support for Palestinian rights, have faced backlash, including canceled concerts and travel restrictions. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd at the pathetic Israeli “Berlin” Wall that separates and divides people on the West Bank Pro-Israel groups have also been known to organize boycotts or call for bans on musicians they perceive as anti-Israel. These pressures can manifest as lost performance opportunities, censored work, or restricted access to certain markets. Governments, too, might not always be welcoming of criticism. Countries involved in the conflict or aligned with one side may blacklist artists or block their content from reaching audiences. So one must be mindful. In severe cases, artists may face visa rejections or even be declared persona non grata, barring them from entering certain nations altogether. I created this image to show my solidarity for both Israelis and Palestinians and all citizens of the Middle East. We must join forces to stop the evil 20th-century jaundiced visions that have brought hell to millions of people since 1917 when the English and French took over the Middle East from the Ottomans. In my case, as most of you know, I have been an advocate for peace in the Middle East since 1982. I often call for solutions for all Israelis, Palestinians, and citizens of the Middle East like “The Middle East Union”. In addition, I always condemned the violence at every turn no matter where it shows up and no matter who openly engages in such horrible behaviors. As ya’ll know I founded and ran VT Foreign Policy for 20 years with over 65,000 articles published by me and the thousands of writers who published on VT. And many articles condemned war and those who engaged in it for profit. So allow me to confirm 100% that the US Government NEVER contacted me to censor. NEVER! In the USA, the government does NOT censor directly. However, online private companies like Google and others? Well, that is another story. Now, Fascist Trump has recently threatened to use state resources to close down media that critics him and he does not like. But he’s not President. But he could be. So that’s something to keep an eye on. Nevertheless, this week, I wrote a song about the Butcher of Gaza called “Serial Killer In A Suit“. Hey, if you murder over 40,000 human beings including over 25,000 kids, you’re getting your very own song! That’s how I roll… And so my advocacy continues with eyes wide open. Does that hurt some people’s feelings? Well, if someone is okay with murdering 25,000 children, well, yeah I can see that! Let me see… Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Son of Sam, Ghengis Khan, Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin and Mae Zedong…. yeah, lots of people will probably condemn this position. Yeah, I can see that. I suppose they won’t be inviting me to their murder parties eh? Public Backlash and Online Threats Another potential source of retaliation comes from the public itself. In the age of social media, where public discourse is fast-paced and often divisive, artists speaking up about Gaza may face online harassment, trolling, or even threats. Social media platforms can amplify both support and criticism and….. Click now to READ FULL ARTICLE on PunishStudios.com >>> Johnny Punish founded VT in 2004. After 20 years at the helm, he “retired” from the daily operations in late 2023 passing the ball over to the new owner of VT, Chief Justin Time. He now writes for VT as “Writer Emeritus”. He is also a global citizen eco-activist, visionary, musician, artist, entertainer, businessman, investor, life coach, podcast host, and syndicated columnist. Punish is an ethnically cleansed Palestinian-American whose maternal family was evicted from their home in Haifa, Palestine in 1948. He is also the founder and owner of Global Thinkers, a freedom media for free minds. Resources: Facebook – YouTube – Apple Music – SoundCloud – Spotify – X (Twitter) Read Johnny’s Full Bio at PunishStudios.com >>> www.punishstudios.com ATTENTION READERS We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion. About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT. https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/09/speak-up-or-shut-up-netanyahu/

Why Israel Can’t Win in Lebanon If the IDF has been unable to defeat Hamas—a group that has operated, trained, and fought within the confines of an open-air prison with limited supply lines—after a year of conflict, the idea of taking on a far larger, better-equipped, and more sophisticated military force is simply unrealistic. Jonas E. Alexis, Senior Editor September 29, 2024 VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel $ 280 BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation; $ 150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State. At this stage of Israel’s war in the north, a ground invasion will not occur. The reason is straightforward: Israel simply cannot launch one. A combination of manpower and equipment shortages, a depletion of aerial munitions after 11 months of relentless bombings in Gaza, and the absence of clear, attainable strategic goals ensures that the Israeli military will continue its standard approach. This involves extensive aerial bombardments of densely populated civilian areas, accompanied by a push for victory through information operations. Despite Israel’s information operations, resistance groups in Gaza, though significantly degraded, continue to conduct combat operations and are expected to do so for the foreseeable future. If the IDF has been unable to defeat Hamas—a group that has operated, trained, and fought within the confines of an open-air prison with limited supply lines—after a year of conflict, the idea of taking on a far larger, better-equipped, and more sophisticated military force is simply unrealistic. Therefore, Israel is likely to continue its long-standing strategy of conducting mass bombings and unconventional attacks, aimed at deterring Hezbollah from invading—an event that remains highly improbable—and coercing the group into submission by using the lives of Lebanese civilians as leverage. In the past 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force has launched a series of aggressive and indiscriminate kinetic strikes on towns and villages in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s earlier declaration of “turning Beirut into Gaza” now appears to be coming to fruition. The production of AI and CGI videos alleging that secret Hezbollah weapons caches are stored in every house in southern Lebanon is eerily reminiscent of the lead-up to the first bombing of Al-Shifa hospital last November. At that time, CGI videos were used to depict an intricate “Hamas tunnel system” beneath the hospital, which served as the justification for its destruction and the subsequent targeting of other hospitals in Gaza. However, the supposed sophisticated command center in the heart of Al-Shifa never materialized—only CDs of MRI scans were found. These videos provided a pretext for escalating aerial violence against civilians and civilian infrastructure, leading to the collective punishment of the entire population in an attempt to pressure Hamas in Gaza. This blatant disregard for the Law of Land Warfare and International Humanitarian Law is likely to be repeated in southern Lebanon, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure once again. Furthermore, based on this unsubstantiated military propaganda, the IDF has ordered mass evacuations of Lebanese civilians from the Beqaa Valley, mirroring the catastrophe seen in Gaza. After the heavy blows dealt to Hezbollah by Israeli intelligence services last week—beginning with the pager attacks and culminating in targeted strikes on senior commanders of the elite Radwan Unit—the group, though temporarily disrupted in its command and control, remains resolute. Hezbollah cannot, and will not, cease its operations against an increasingly aggressive Israeli military. While the current situation is undeniably bleak, join us tonight on State of Play as we examine how Israel’s efforts to deter Hezbollah are destined to fail. We will explore how its overarching strategy, like much of its policy, is ultimately self-destructive. Greg Stoker is a former US Army Ranger with a background in human intelligence collection and analysis. After serving four combat deployments in Afghanistan, he studied anthropology and International Relations at Columbia University. He is currently a military and geopolitical analyst and a social media “influencer,” though he hates the term. MintPress News is a fiercely independent media company. You can support us by becoming a member on Patreon, bookmarking and whitelisting us, and subscribing to our social media channels, including Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. ATTENTION READERS We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion. About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT. https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/09/why-israel-cant-win-in-lebanon/

VIDEO: The “Lock Step” Simulation Scenario: “A Coronavirus-like Pandemic that Becomes Trigger for Police State Controls” First published on February 5, 2020 at very outset of the Covid-19 Crisis, in-depth analysis of the Simulation of a pandemic conducted in 2010 under the auspices of the Rockefeller Foundation. By now, those following the novel coronavirus epidemic are familiar with Event 201, the pandemic simulation staged by Johns Hopkins University in conjunction with the World Economic Forum, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, and other ruling-class heavy hitters in October. The media establishment has already picked the story clean, set up and eviscerated a straw man (“No, Bill Gates didn’t cause the coronavirus epidemic, silly conspiracy theorists!”), and convinced the group itself to issue a statement denying their exercise was meant to predict the behavior of the actual virus to follow. But few are aware that the epidemic playing out in China and two dozen other countries, including the US, is unfolding in line with a decade-old simulation titled “Lock Step” devised by the Rockefeller Foundation in conjunction with the Global Business Network. The scenario, one of four included in a publication called “Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development” in 2010, describes a coronavirus-like pandemic that becomes the trigger for the imposition of police-state controls on movement, economy, and other areas of society. The Lock Step scenario describes “a world of tighter top-down government control and more authoritarian leadership, with limited innovation and growing citizen pushback.” In “2012” (i.e. two years after the report’s publication), an “extremely virulent and deadly” strain of influenza originating with wild geese brings the world to its knees, infecting 20 percent of the global population and killing 8 million people in just seven months – “the majority of them healthy young adults.” It devastates global economies and ruptures international trade. But not everyone, the Rockefeller Foundation makes clear, is hit equally. Countries of Africa, southeast Asia, and central America suffer the worst “in the absence of official containment protocols” – it wouldn’t be the Rockefeller Foundation if someone wasn’t licking their lips at the thought of a mass die-off in the Global South – but western “democracies” also pay the ultimate price. “The United States’ initial policy of ‘strongly discouraging’ citizens from flying proved deadly in its leniency, accelerating the spread of the virus not just within the US but across borders,” the report warns. But remove such obstacles as ‘individual rights’ and you have a recipe for surviving, even thriving in the event of a pandemic, the Foundation gushes: “A few countries did fare better – China in particular. The Chinese government’s quick imposition and enforcement of mandatory quarantine for all citizens, as well as its instant and near-hermetic sealing-off of all borders, saved millions of lives, stopping the spread of the virus far earlier than in other countries and enabling a swifter post-pandemic recovery.” The message is clear – police state good, freedom bad. And other governments rapidly get the message, according to the simulation. First and third world nations alike follow suit by “flexing their authority” and imposing quarantines, body-temperature checks, and other “airtight rules and restrictions” – most of which, the report is careful to note, remain in place even as the pandemic recedes into the past. “In order to protect themselves from the spread of increasingly global problems – from pandemics and transnational terrorism to environmental crises and rising poverty – leaders around the world took a firmer grip on power.” This global power-grab is facilitated by a frightened citizenry who “willingly gave up some of their sovereignty – and their privacy – to more paternalistic states in exchange for greater safety and stability…tolerant, and even eager, for top-down direction and oversight.” Everything from tighter biometric identification to stricter industrial regulation is welcomed with open arms. It takes over a decade for people to “grow weary” of the authoritarian controls imposed in the wake of the pandemic, and hints that even the civil unrest that ultimately manifests is focused on the developed world. After all, a popular uprising in the technocratic police state envisioned by the simulation would be all but impossible – as it will be in real life once 5G makes real-time total surveillance of all cities a reality. Pin the blame on the dragon It remains unclear what – or who – unleashed the novel coronavirus in Wuhan. The initial claim that it originated in bats from a “wet market,” in which live animals are sold and then butchered in front of the customer, couldn’t have been more perfect from a western point of view – wet markets are reviled in the West, where consumers prefer that the animal cruelty required to put meat on their tables happens behind closed doors. While wet markets would seem to improve food safety by making it impossible to sell “mystery,” mislabeled or expired meat, time and again they are fingered as disease vectors by the disapproving West, every time followed by calls to ban them entirely. However, the Huanan seafood market hadn’t sold bats for years, meaning – if the “wet market” hypothesis is to persist – an “intermediate host” species would be required to get the virus to humans. Snakes were nominated, even though scientists weren’t sure they could be infected by a coronavirus – it was more important that they eat bats and were sold at the market. Three weeks after the Huanan seafood market was shuttered and disinfected, a Lancet study put the last nail in the hypothesis’ coffin, revealing the first several coronavirus cases had no exposure to the market at all. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has not discouraged the media from continuing to blame it for the epidemic. Beyond the disintegrating “official story,” rumormongers have pinned the blame on the Chinese government, suggesting that through malice or incompetence Beijing released a virus cooked up in a top-secret bioweapons program operating in the city’s high-security lab. The chief purveyor of this theory is Dany Shoham, an Israeli biosafety analyst, which should raise a forest of red flags in anyone familiar with Israel’s own experiments in gene-targeted biowarfare even before taking into account Shoham’s own history of fraudulently blaming Saddam Hussein’s Iraq for the 2001 anthrax attacks. Other outlets spreading this theory cite American biosafety consultant Tim Trevan, who opined in a 2017 Nature article – published before the Wuhan lab even opened! – that “diversity of viewpoint” and “openness of information” are both critical to the safe functioning of such a high-risk lab and alien to Chinese culture. The persistence of the “lab accident” theory of coronavirus’ creation thus owes more to cultural chauvinism and sinophobia than any fact-based clues. While many alt-media outlets have fingered Event 201 as the replica “drill” that so often coincides with a false flag event, few are aware that on the day after that simulation, the 2019 Military World Games kicked off in Wuhan, bringing 300 US military personnel to the city. As of February 4, there are over 1,000 times more coronavirus cases in China than outside of it, and the foreign cases appear to be ethnically Chinese where reported. This is not a coincidence – a recent scientific paper revealed the enzyme which serves as a receptor for novel coronavirus is produced by a certain type of lung cell found in “extremely large numbers” in Asian men compared to those of other ethnicities. Even more intriguingly, those lung cells are involved in the expression of “many other genes that positively regulating [sic] viral reproduction and transmission.” The paper’s authors stop short of suggesting the virus came out of a lab, instead drily observing that it seems to have “cleverly evolved to hijack this population of [lung] cells for its reproduction and transmission,” but one man’s clever viral evolution is another’s expert bioweapon development. Certainly, American researchers have been surreptitiously collecting Chinese DNA for decades. A notorious Harvard School of Public Health program in the mid-1990s drafted village medics to administer “free physicals” to locals “with asthmatic symptoms.” These “checkups” were conducted as part of a genetic project that also involved the US National Institutes of Health and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, supposedly aimed at “identify[ing] and characteriz[ing] genes that play a role in causing asthma and other allergic disorders.” It later emerged that the researchers had secured the required consent forms from neither the local experimental ethics board nor the test subjects themselves. A government inquiry was commandeered by an insider and squelched. Over 200,000 DNA samples were thus collected and spirited out of the country. US military literature has been lusting after genetically-targeted weapons for at least 50 years. The infamous Project for a New American Century, whose members have been steering the US ship of state into a series of icebergs since the George W. Bush administration, described gene-specific bioweapons as a “politically-useful tool,” part and parcel of the “new dimensions of combat” in which the future’s wars would unfold. In 1998, the year after PNAC’s formation, reports Israel was working on just such a weapon to target Arabs while leaving Jews untouched flooded the media – part PR campaign, part warning. And it is DARPA and other divisions of the US military, not the Chinese, that has been intensively studying bat-borne coronaviruses for years, even as their own high-security biowarfare labs are being shut down for shoddy safety procedures. Meanwhile, the likelihood of the Chinese government unleashing a genetically-targeted virus on its own population is vanishingly low. Unlike popular attitudes of “white guilt” in the West born of a hangover from colonialism, the Chinese do not traffic in racial self-loathing – indeed, outsiders have accused the Chinese of an unspoken, unshakeable belief in their own racial superiority, and regardless of whether that belief is problematic, it is unlikely to lead to intentional self-genocide. Even if behavior-correcting false flag was sought by Beijing in Hong Kong, where US-backed pro-“democracy” protests have raged destructively for months, such an event would not have been unleashed hundreds of miles away in Wuhan. Never let a good crisis go to waste? The real-life coronavirus is much less virulent than the pandemic described in Lock Step, with an official death toll of “just” 427 and a global infection toll of “only” 20,629 as of February 4, and the dead were mostly over 60 with preexisting medical issues. Economies worldwide are nevertheless in free-fall just like the simulation predicted. This drop is fueled by scare-stories percolating in establishment media and alt-media alike (the name of an actual article in ZeroHedge by a Rabobank analyst: “What if we are on the brink of an exponential increase in coronavirus cases?”) while videos of dubious origin appearing to show horrific scenes from within China keep the virus viral on social media. Adding to the fear is coronavirus’ lengthy incubation period, up to two weeks in which a carrier could be blithely spreading it to everyone they meet, creating a constant threat of a “boom” in cases just around the corner. China’s economy, of course, is being hit the worst, and the epidemic’s timing could not have been more disastrous from Beijing’s point of view, coming on the eve of the Lunar New Year holiday. At this time, some 400 million Chinese travel around the country to see family, mostly in the high-speed bullet trains that have their hub in – you guessed it – Wuhan. With much of this travel having occurred before the city was quarantined, cases are likely in their incubation phase all over the country, making today’s numbers look like a rounding error. Correspondingly, the situation couldn’t be better for the American ruling class: a pandemic that targets Asians striking China just when it’s most vulnerable is a powerful blow to the rising superpower. And in case anyone still believes the circumstances of the virus’ ascendance are merely an extended string of coincidences, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross took that plausible deniability and stomped on it last month, unable to stop himself from gushing that coronavirus would “help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America” in an interview with Fox News. Prefacing his victory lap by saying he didn’t “want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease,” he pointed out that businesses will be forced to take China’s inexplicable susceptibility to deadly viruses into account when reviewing their supply chains. Unmentioned, but adding to the perfect economic storm, was Trump’s signature on the USMCA trade agreement, supposed to bring in an extra 1.2 percentage points in GDP growth. “On top of all the other things, you had SARS, you had the African Swine virus there, now you have this,” Ross said, hammering home the point by linking coronavirus to other suspect plagues. Just as many scientists concluded SARS was a manmade bioweapon, many – scientists and statesmen as well as alternative media – have raised the alarm about coronavirus. Good luck finding any of their statements on Google, however. Facebook, Youtube and Twitter have been hard at work removing coronavirus “rumors,” and Google has memory-holed hundreds of search results regarding Chinese accusations of biowarfare. Even on platforms that don’t censor on government orders, the baseless claims from Shoham and other disinfo artists about Chinese biowarfare have muscled any comments from Chinese officials out of the way. Even the former Malaysian PM’s comments are obscured behind a Farsi language barrier – his original comments inexplicably missing from English-language media and reprinted only by Iran’s IRIB News Agency (this author can no longer even find the tweet that alerted her to those comments, but would like to thank that person). Coronavirus is not the doomsday epidemic it is being portrayed as by irresponsible media actors. But as the Lock Step scenario makes clear, one does not need massive die-off or victims exploding in geysers of blood in the streets to achieve desired social goals. It’s possible the novel coronavirus epidemic is a “dry run,” a test of both China’s readiness to handle an outbreak and of the international community’s reaction to such a plague. It’s even possible, though unlikely, that the epidemic was a mistake – that the virus escaped from a lab, likely American, by accident. It’s also possible the plague may suddenly become more virulent. Certainly the media buzz the first week of February is that coronavirus is close to being declared a “pandemic” by the WHO, which will necessitate the type of control measures hinted at in Lock Step and described more exhaustively in Event 201. From “limited internet shutdowns” and “enforcement actions against fake news” to government bailouts of “core” industries, mandatory vaccinations, property seizures, and other police-state provisions laid out in the Model State Emergency Health Powers Acts passed in many US states in the paranoid aftermath of 9/11, the totalitarian nature of these provisions is limited only by the imagination of the regime carrying them out. Once events proceed to that stage, it is extremely difficult to reverse them. We would be wise not to allow this to happen. * Note to readers: please click the share buttons above or below. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc. Helen Buyniski is a journalist and photographer based in New York City. Her work has appeared on RT, Global Research, Ghion Journal, Progressive Radio Network, and Veterans Today. Helen has a BA in Journalism from New School University and also studied at Columbia University and New York University. Find more of her work at http://helenofdestroy.com and http://medium.com/@helen.buyniski or follow her on Twitter at @velocirapture23. She is a frequent contributor to Global Research. VIDEO: The “Lock Step” Simulation Scenario: “A Coronavirus-like Pandemic that Becomes Trigger for Police State Controls” First published on February 5, 2020 at very outset of the Covid-19 Crisis, in-depth analysis of the Simulation of a pandemic conducted in 2010 under the auspices of the Rockefeller Foundation. Read here: https://www.globalresearch.ca/all-sectors-us-establishment-lock-step-deep-states-latest-bio-war/5702773

The Violence of Development: Food, Dependency and Dispossession: Resisting the New World Order. New Version of Colin Todhunter’s Book A revised version (September 2024) of the open-access e-book ‘Food Dependency and Dispossession: Resisting the New World Order’ (2022) by Colin Todhunter is now available. A brand-new concluding chapter, ‘The Violence of Development’, rounds off a book that presents a scathing critique of the global industrial agriculture system and its proponents. The book takes aim at the Green Revolution and its modern equivalent (genetically modified organisms), the displacement of traditional farming practices, reduced biodiversity, increased farmers’ corporate dependency and the devastating impacts of a neoliberal agenda that is conveniently passed off as ‘development’. By critically examining the concept of ‘development’ and how it has been implemented globally, the new chapter argues that dependency and dispossession remain core elements of the global economic system. Those who are sacrificed on the altar of plunder in the countryside, in the forests or in the hills become regarded as the price worth paying for ‘progress’. The chapter frames conventional development as based on Western hegemony, imposing certain ideals on the rest of the world and cites post-development theorist Arturo Escobar’s critique of development as a top-down, ethnocentric approach. The violence of development takes the form of outright brutality and an ideological hegemony: a power play concerned with redefining who we are or what we should be, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. As Escobar notes: “Development was and continues to be—in theory and practice—a top-down, ethnocentric, and technocratic approach, which treated people and cultures as abstract concepts, statistical figures to be moved up and down in the charts of ‘progress’.” By challenging the notion of a unilinear path to development, the chapter argues that historical outcomes were often shaped by chance and conflict rather than following a predetermined course. If history teaches us one thing, it is that humanity has ended up at its current point due to a multitude of struggles and conflicts, the outcomes of which were often in the balance. There is no unilinear path to development and no fixed standard as to what it constitutes. In other words, we have ended up where we are as much by chance as design. And much of that design was based on colonialism and imperialism. The development of Britain owes much to the $45 trillion that was sucked from India alone, according to economist Utsa Patnaik. And that situation, in the name of ‘development’, is happening again, as noted by the prominent campaigner Aruna Rodrigues. In discussing the book, she said the following about the chapters on India: “Colin Todhunter at his best: this is graphic, a detailed horror tale in the making for India, an exposé on what is planned, via the farm laws, to hand over Indian sovereignty and food security to big business. There will come a time pretty soon — (not something out there but imminent, unfolding even now), when we will pay the Cargills, Ambanis, Bill Gates, Walmarts — in the absence of national buffer food stocks (an agri policy change to cash crops, the end to small-scale farmers, pushed aside by contract farming and GM crops) — we will pay them to send us food and finance borrowing from international markets to do it.” And this is called ‘development’. The new conclusion advocates for reestablishing humanity’s connections to the land, drawing inspiration from Gandhi’s philosophy and his concept of a ‘non-interventionist lifestyle’. It frames food justice and food sovereignty as part of a larger struggle against social, economic and environmental injustice and brutality disguised as ‘development’. Overall, this new concluding chapter provides a comprehensive critique of the global development paradigm, connecting it to the book’s themes of food, dependency and dispossession. The revised version of Food, Dependency and Dispossession: Resisting the New World Order can be read for free at Global Research. * Click the share button below to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles. Get Your Free Copy of “Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War”! https://www.globalresearch.ca/violence-development-new-version-food-dependency-dispossession/5868129

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