Tuesday, April 16, 2024. The president of the United States meets the
prime minister of Iraq and they discuss regional and other issues, the
US called it "genocide" in Darfur but refuses to do the same with Gaza,
we look at two vapid airheads in the US who contribute nothing of value,
and much more.
The '00s promised so much.
Blogs were around and they were going to focus on real issues. We were
going to get reality and grown up discussions in the US. The gas
baggery was over. The chat & chews were on the run. And I
committed the heresy of wondering if cutting off the head of Cokie
Roberts didn't just mean that a thousand more heads would immediately
sprout?
Which brings us to THE VANGUARD.
What's worse than Cokie Roberts? THE VANGUARD.
Apparently,
Zac does a hilarious Robert Kennedy Junior send up in yesterday's hour
plus segment. I don't know. I heard I had to see it but when I tried
to watch, I couldn't wade through the 20 plus minutes of garbage that
kicked off the segment.
Cokie and her gang at their worst on ABC's THIS WEEK couldn't have offered less facts and more garbage than Zac and Gavin did.
Melina Abdullah was the focus of their garbage.
Cornel
West picked her to be his running mate last week. The two appeared on
Tavis Smiley's radio program. They discussed a great deal. I
emphasized her Muslim identity in our coverage of that here because she
emphasized it in the interview and Cornel did as well.
It clearly mattered to the two of them.
Not to Zac and Gavin. Didn't matter to them. They even floated the charge of identity politics.
Hmm.
I get it now, wasn't aware Zac didn't go to college, it explains a lot, including his lazy arguments, I get it now.
Let
me explain something to the dunces of THE VANGUARD, Muslims are under
attack. The US government has spent the entire 21st century attacking
them. It didn't take Cornel West speaking about this for years and
years for me to understand this. But, yes, Cornel has spoken of it at
length for years.
At a time when your
government has launched a never ending war on Muslims, you running for
president and picking a Muslim as your running mate? That's a very
strong message.
I doubt one issue or aspect
alone determined the choice for Cornel; however, I am certain, from his
many past statements about this war and how Muslims have been treated in
the 21st century, that this choice did result from him wanting to use
his position to send a message of unity.
And forget his past statements, just go to that interview with Tavis and it should be clear.
But
that would require actual work and it's also true that Tavis is
African-American and THE VANGUARD bros pose as lefties very well but
they really struggle. Marianne Williamson goes on with anti-Arab,
anti-Muslim, transphobe Bill Maher and refuses to push back on his
transphobia and Zac and Gavy think that was 'brilliants' -- she didn't
let herself get bogged down!
She didn't defend those under attack. That's not brilliant. Zac and Gavin are cowards and idiots.
And I don't see how people don't get this. I had to shut if off after one 30 second series of rants about "the guy."
Zac
couldn't shut up about how wrong Melina was and how "the guy" that
Cornel should have picked should have been this and should have been
that.
Six times in thirty second, Zac mentioned "the guy" that Cornel should have picked instead of the woman Melina that he did.
Melina might be many things but, as Zac noted in his meltdown, she couldn't ever be "the guy."
The two stooges are never afraid to flaunt their stupidity and they were flashing yesterday.
"The game." Cornel did not know how to play "the game" either.
You
do that, Zac and Gavin explained, by picking someone with a name.
That's how you lift your ticket. That's how you get media attention.
Media
attention? Like what Zac and Gavin were providing because back in the
'00s we believed we were responsible for creating the content we
provided.
Zac and Gavin offered nothing about
the positions that Melina or Cornel as candidates were advocating. They
offered nothing of value, nothing would have required actual work on
their own. Instead they just jaw boned and gas bagged.
First
off, it's not a "game." It's an election. And your turning into a
horse race is something that we all decried before either you sprouted
pubes. You have no idea how horrifying you are to people who thought
that the discourse was changing.
Cornel is
never, Zac and Gavin wanted you to know, going to win (he's probably
not) and now he's not even going to get 5% so what's the point!!!!!
Idiots,
he's not got a political party. He's running as an independent. If he
were running as one party's candidate, yes, 5% might matter because it
would get the party on the ballot in the next election. But he's
running as an independent, you stupid, stupid gas bags.
Instead
of issues, we got from the two dough boys that Cornel was going too
Black. Again, they're not leftists. Expect both to bolt within a
decade or two.
Cornel, they insisted, needed to
cater his message so that everyone knew they were welcome, his ticket,
they insisted, would only appeal to 5,000 people. So about 3,000 more
people than streamed THE VANGUARD segment?
It
really is something to watch two White punks who have accomplished
nothing and who beg on air for money -- while one of them brags about
not going to college (maybe Zac's been tutored by Roseanne?) -- get bent
out of shape because one African-American candidate chooses another
African-American to be his running mate. It's just a bit too much color
for the albinos Gavin and Zac to handle.
Cornel
may have picked Melina to raise her profile. He may think she's a
great leader - I would assume he does, he picked her -- and that one
thing his campaign can accomplish is to raise her profile.
It's
an offensive segment on every level -- the sexism, the racism and the
sheer overwhelming vapid nature of the entire conversation which
couldn't address one issue or even one position that Cornel is taking as
a presidential candidate. But they yack on for 20 minutes-plus about
nonsense.
Maybe Cornel doesn't want to win maybe he wants to drop out maybe maybe maybe . . .
Just
shut the f**k up. Your worthless and you're serving up worthless. I
would be embarrassed to be so stupid and vapid that I thought gossip and
speculation as I tried to enter someone's mind made up for addressing
real issues.
They dumb down the world because
they're two dummies. In all that sugary crap that they served up, they
offered not one vitamin, not one iota of fiber. It was just junk food
that left us all a little worse off.
As part of Cornel's platform, he is advocating for many things. These are his points on workers justice:
Establish a workers bill of rights that includes the end of right-to-work states
Greater protections for workers who attempt to unionize
Requirement for all non-profit organizations to allow for the unionization of workers and collective bargaining
One year
limit on contract negotiations - if the contract is not completed in one
year, the demands of the workers will be immediately codified
33% minimum worker representation for all Boards of Directors
Transform Paid Family Leave to mandate a minimum of six-months fully paid time off
End all pay discrepancies based on race, gender identity, disability status, etc.
Establish a federal commission to institute a four-day work week
Review all U.S. trade agreements and cancel any provisions that exploit workers domestically and internationally
National free pre-K childcare
Let's note a press release -- a joint one from the governments of Iraq and the US:
The
delegation of the Republic of Iraq, led by Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Planning Mohammed Tamim, and the delegation of the United
States Government, led by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken,
co-chaired a meeting of the Higher Coordinating Committee today, April
15, in accordance with the 2008 U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement.
The two sides reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral partnership
and Iraq’s critical role in regional security and prosperity. The
delegations expressed the desire to expand the depth and breadth of the
relationship between our two countries, including in the areas of energy
independence, financial reform, services for the Iraqi people,
strengthening democracy and the rule of law, and enhancing educational
and cultural relations. Representatives from Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional
Government also participated.
The U.S. and Iraqi
delegations shared the view that Iraq has the potential to harness
immense natural gas resources, invest in new energy infrastructure and
renewables, and achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2030. The United
States commended Iraq for its progress on gas capture and work on
commercializing associated gases. Significant gas potential in the Iraqi
Kurdistan Region (IKR) is a key component of Iraq’s energy security, as
is increased private sector investment. To allow Iraq to benefit from
the U.S. private sector’s leading technology and expertise, the United
States and Iraq announced the signing of new memoranda of understanding
(MOUs) to capture and process flared gas and turn it into usable
electricity for the Iraqi people. Also, the two sides stressed the
importance of resuming oil exports via the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline (ITP).
The
United States commended Iraq for its considerable work on increasing
regional connectivity, particularly in energy interconnections with
Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
After years of work to build its interconnection with Jordan, Iraq is
receiving 40 megawatts of electricity for the Iraqi people; future
phases would increase capacity to 900 megawatts. Iraq affirmed that
enhanced ties based on shared mutual interests with neighbors are
essential to domestic prosperity. Iraq and the United States discussed
Iraq’s interest in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including
emerging nuclear technologies.
The two sides discussed the
significant progress Iraq has made in modernizing its financial and
banking sector, which has expanded correspondent relationships with
banks in the United States and Europe. Iraq and the United States
committed to ongoing collaborative financial reform efforts that will
allow Iraq to encourage foreign investment and continue expanding
international banking relationships. These reforms will fight corruption
and prevent illicit use of Iraq’s financial sector, allowing local
banks to serve as engines of inclusive economic growth. The two sides
resolved to strengthen cooperation through an enhanced engagement plan
between the U.S. Treasury and key Government of Iraq stakeholders. Iraq
and the United States also noted the importance of improving Iraq’s
investment climate and combatting corruption, key pillars of Prime
Minister Sudani’s reform efforts. To bolster the development of private
business in Iraq, the United States International Development Finance
Corporation will provide a $50 million loan facilitated by USAID to the
National Bank of Iraq to expand its lending to micro, small, and medium
enterprises, with a focus on previously unbanked and women-led
businesses.
Iraq renewed its commitment to its ongoing
efforts on accession to the World Trade Organization and protecting
intellectual property rights. The United States also committed to
support a series of International Visitor Leadership Program projects
for Iraqis to develop expertise in these areas. Both parties recognized
the importance of strategic and infrastructural projects in Iraq that
will support regional integration and boost international trade.
The
United States expressed concern about the impacts of climate change
being felt by the Iraqi people and pledged continued support to resolve
Iraq’s water crisis and improve public health. The United States
commended the Supreme Water Committee’s work to improve management of
Iraq’s water resources. Both countries intend to work closely together
as Iraq addresses climate change and water scarcity and ends gas flaring
to reduce methane emissions. The United States applauded Iraq’s pending
release of its National Action Plan and encouraged Iraq to prepare a
more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris
Agreement ahead of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference. USAID
committed to working with Iraq at the local government level to improve
water and waste management services. The United States also committed to
an International Visitor Leadership Program and an Ambassador’s Water
Expert Program to share technical expertise on water management and
other needs.
The Iraqi delegation also expressed interest
in cooperating with American companies to exchange expertise in health
insurance programs, hospital management, and cancer research.
The
Government of the United States welcomed the Government of Iraq’s
commitment to respecting freedom of expression in accordance with Iraqi
law as guaranteed by Iraq’s constitution. The two delegations discussed
how the United States could best support the Iraqi government to advance
justice for survivors and victims of the 2014 genocide committed by
ISIS in accordance with the rule of law. The two sides also discussed
the importance of the stability of Sinjar. The United States reaffirmed
its continued intention to support Iraq in advancing its Trafficking in
Persons strategy. The United States applauded recent positive
developments in support of minority communities. The two sides also took
note of the impressive progress Iraq has made in repatriating more than
8,000 of its citizens from al-Hol displaced persons camp in
northeastern Syria. The United States thanked Iraq for its commitment to
accelerate the pace of repatriations.
In the higher
education and cultural discussion, the two governments discussed U.S.
support for the Prime Minister’s reinvigorated scholarship program
intended to bolster the number of Iraqi students studying overseas. The
Government of Iraq intends to send 3,000 students to study in the United
States out of 5,000 it plans to send to study abroad. The two nations
also welcomed initiatives to expand English language instruction and
student advising for Iraqi students interested in, or bound for, study
in the United States. The two delegations also reviewed progress on
their mutual efforts to preserve Iraq’s rich cultural heritage and
religious diversity and reaffirmed their intent to continue facilitating
the return of Iraqi cultural property to its rightful place in Iraq.
Accordingly, during the HCC, the Department of State facilitated the
transfer of one ancient Sumerian artifact repatriated to Iraq by the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and committed to future
repatriations of Iraqi artifacts.
The two countries
affirmed the strides Iraq has made in bolstering its security,
stability, and sovereignty and noted their mutual determination to
deepen the strong ties between their two peoples. The United States
welcomed the opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen its partnership with
Iraq.
Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, prime
minister of Iraq since October 2022, made his first trip to the US
yesterday and met with US President Joe Biden.
RUDAW notes:
US President Joe Biden on Monday called on the Iraqi government and the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to resolve their issues through
dialogue during a meeting with an Iraqi delegation led by Prime Minister
Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, according to a Kurdish member of the
delegation.
"We heard President Biden emphasizing that Erbil and Baghdad should
resolve their issues through dialogue. Erbil and the [Kurdistan] Region
are important for the US. The stability of the Region, Iraq and the
region is important for America,” Safeen Dizayee, Head of KRG's
Department of Foreign Affairs, told Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda.
Dizayee is among the KRG representatives in the Iraqi delegation currently in Washington DC.
The
closed door meeting between the two leaders covered many topics. We'll
note that the issue of human rights was covered with Joe explaining
that the push in Iraq to outlaw gay people would bar Iraq from many
opportunities. AP notes, "Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was visiting for talks
intended to focus primarily on U.S.-Iraq relations, which had been
scheduled well before the Iranian strikes. But Saturday’s drone and
missile launches, including some that overflew Iraqi airspace and others
that were launched from Iraq by Iran-backed groups, have underscored
the delicate relationship between Washington and Baghdad. "
The
prime minister of Iraq met with the president of the US as an American
citizen was sentenced for crimes carried out in Iraq. The US Justice
Dept issued the following yesterday:
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 70 years in prison for
torturing an Estonian citizen in 2015 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq
and for the illegal export of weapons parts and related services.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ross
Roggio, 55, of Stroudsburg, arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and
detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound, where Roggio
suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his
fingers, and directed Kurdish soldiers to repeatedly beat, choke, tase,
and otherwise physically and mentally abuse the victim over a 39-day
period. The victim was an employee at a weapons factory that Roggio was
developing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that was intended to
manufacture automatic rifles and pistols.
“Ross Roggio had his victim abducted and detained at a Kurdish
military compound in Iraq, where Roggio and others physically and
mentally tortured the victim over the course of 39 days,” said Principal
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the
Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “During that time, Roggio
suffocated the victim and directed others to beat, choke, and tase him.
Roggio’s victim worked at a weapons factory in Iraq, where Roggio
illegally sent weapons parts and illegally provided services, in
violation of export controls laws. Today’s sentence—following the
second-ever conviction under the federal torture statute—shows that, no
matter where such deplorable acts occur, the United States is committed
to holding the perpetrators accountable.”
“The sentence imposed by the court demonstrates the seriousness of
Ross Roggio’s crimes and brings some measure of justice for his torture
victim,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of
Pennsylvania. “Violence against the dignity and human rights of any
victim cannot be tolerated and our office will continue to prioritize
and pursue those who would do so in violation of federal law. Ross
Roggio was also convicted of United States export laws related to
illegally producing firearms in Kurdistan, Iraq. Though more technical
in nature, these laws are no less important and are designed to take
into account human rights considerations on a larger scale, to limit
access to our most sensitive technologies and weapons, and to promote
regional stability. I commend all the prosecutors and law enforcement
agents who worked tirelessly to bring justice in this matter.”
In connection with the weapons factory project, Roggio exported
firearms parts and tools without the required approvals by the U.S.
government. He also illegally trained foreign persons in the operation,
assembly, and manufacturing of the M4 automatic rifle.
“Torture is among the grievous crimes the FBI investigates and this
is the second time we have been able to bring justice under the federal
torture statute,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of
the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “Our
investigation into Roggio’s abominable crimes and today’s sentencing
would not be possible without the sheer courage of the victim to tell
his story. The FBI and our international partners stand with victims by
standing up to human rights violations wherever they occur.”
“Today’s sentence highlights our commitment to stopping those who
commit human rights abuses and threaten the security of the U.S. and
partner nations,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Thanks to our close
interagency and international cooperation, Roggio has been brought to
justice.”
“Export evasion is often not a standalone crime,” said Assistant
Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of
Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “Here, the same
defendant who was illegally exporting weapons parts to his Iraqi weapons
factory was also brutally torturing one of his employees there.”
A federal jury convicted Roggio in May 2023 of 33 counts of torture,
conspiracy to commit torture, conspiracy to commit an offense against
the United States, exporting weapons parts and services to Iraq without
the approval of the U.S. Department of State, exporting weapons tools to
Iraq without the approval of the U.S. Department of Commerce, smuggling
goods, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Roggio was the second defendant to be convicted of torture since the federal torture statute went into effect in 1994.
The FBI and HSI investigated the torture and were joined in the
investigation of the arms export violations by BIS’ Office of Export
Enforcement.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human
Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee
of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export
Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley for the
Middle District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.
The Estonian Internal Security Service, Justice Department’s Office
of International Affairs, and Pennsylvania State Police also provided
valuable assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights
violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement
through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at
1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form
Of course, the US carried out torture in Iraq constantly. That's just one case above. Brett Wilkins (COMMON DREAMS) notes a trial that began yesterday:
Two decades after they were tortured by U.S. military contractors at
the notorious Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, three Iraqi victims are
finally getting their day in court Monday as a federal court in Virginia
takes up a case they brought during the George W. Bush administration.
The case being heard in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Al Shimari v. CACI,
was first filed in 2008 under the Alien Tort Statute—which allows
non-U.S. citizens to sue for human rights abuses committed abroad—by the
Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) on behalf of three Iraqis. The
men suffered torture directed and perpetrated by employees of CACI, a
Virginia-based professional services and information technology firm
hired in 2003 by the Bush administration as translators and
interrogators in Iraq during the illegal U.S.-led invasion and
occupation.
Plaintiffs Suhail Al Shimari, Asa'ad Zuba'e, and Salah Al-Ejaili accuse
CACI of conspiring to commit war crimes including torture at Abu
Ghraib, where the men suffered broken bones, electric shocks, sexual
abuse, extreme temperatures, and death threats at the hands of their
U.S. interrogators.
"This lawsuit is a critical step towards justice for these three men
who will finally have their day in court. But they are the lucky few,"
Sarah Sanbar, an Iraq researcher at Human Rights Watch, wrote on Monday. "For the hundreds of other survivors still suffering from past abuses, their chances of justice remain slim."
"The U.S. government should do the right thing: Take responsibility for
their abuses, offer an apology, and open an avenue to redress that has
been denied them for too many years," Sanbar added.
Turning to the War Crimes taking place in Gaza, let's note this from yesterday's DEMOCRACY NOW!
AMY GOODMAN:
The Middle East is bracing for possible retaliation from Israel after
Iran launched 300 drones and missiles at Israel in response to Israel’s
recent bombing of the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria. The Iranian
attack caused little damage inside Israel, which intercepted nearly all
the drones and missiles, with help from the United States, Britain,
France and Jordan. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for
maximum restraint Sunday at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting.
SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES:
The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are
confronting a real danger of a devastating, full-scale conflict. Now is
the time to defuse and deescalate. Now is the time for maximum
restraint.
AMY GOODMAN:
As we broadcast, Israel’s war cabinet is reconvening to debate how to
respond to Iran’s first-ever direct attack. Israeli war cabinet member
Benny Gantz has vowed Israel will retaliate against Iran.
BENNY GANTZ:
[translated] In the face of the Iranian threat, we will build a
regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the fashion and
timing that is right for us. And most importantly, faced with the desire
of our enemies to harm us, we will continue to unite and become
stronger.
AMY GOODMAN:
President Biden has reiterated his, quote, “ironclad” support for
Israel, but he reportedly told Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu that the United States will not participate in any retaliatory
strikes against Iran.
At the United Nations Sunday, Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Saeid Iravani
defended the missile and drone attack on Israel, saying it was done in
self-defense.
SAEID IRAVANI:
These countries, especially the United States, have shielded Israel
from any responsibility for the Gaza massacre. While they have denied
Iran’s inherent right to self-defense against the Israeli armed attack
on our diplomatic premises, at the same time they shamefully justify the
Israeli massacre and genocide against the defenseless Palestinian
people under the pretext of self-defense.
AMY GOODMAN:
Iran’s attacks on Israel may add new momentum for the U.S. Congress to
approve more aid for Israel as the House returns to session today.
For more, we go to Tehran, where we’re joined by Reza Sayah,
freelance journalist based in Tehran, where he joins us from. Trita
Parsi is executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for
Responsible Statecraft, joining us from Washington, D.C. And later we’ll
speak with Gideon Levy, award-winning Israeli journalist and author in
Tel Aviv. He’s columnist for the newspaper Haaretz, a member of its editorial board. His most recent piece is headlined “If Iran Attacks Israel, the Blame Lies on Israel’s Irresponsible Decision-makers.”
We welcome you all to Democracy Now! Reza Sayah, let’s begin
with you in Tehran. Can you talk about the response there in Iran’s
capital after Iran retaliated against Israel for bombing the Iranian
Consulate in Damascus?
REZA SAYAH:
Well, the people of Iran have had a variety of responses and
sentiments. And I think it’s important to remind everyone that neither
myself nor any journalist can sit here and tell you that a population,
an entire population, has a single feeling, a single voice, a single
sentiment, but this is what you hear oftentimes in Western news media,
are journalists describing what an entire population is feeling or
saying. That’s simply not the case. There are different competing
sentiments in every population, and that is the case here in Iran.
There’s a segment of the population here in Iran that are staunch
supporters of the clerical establishment, staunch supporters of the
supreme leader. They believe that it’s the duty of every Muslim to
support and help the oppressed, and they view Gazans and Palestinians as
the oppressed. They’re following very closely the events in Gaza over
the past six months. They were outraged when Iran’s Consulate was
attacked in Syria. And they cheered Iran’s response over the weekend
when they fired those rockets and those drones in Israel. That’s one
segment of the population.
There’s another segment of the population in Iran that are staunch
critics of the government. They have a very different view. They want
reform in the government. Some want the government gone. They don’t mind
when senior officials of the Revolutionary Guard are assassinated. They
don’t mind when the establishment is undermined, when the Revolutionary
Guard is undermined. They believe that the Iranian government, instead
of funding Hezbollah and Hamas, should help the people. So they were —
they are and they remain critical of Iran’s role in this conflict.
But it’s important to point out that most people here in Iran are,
remarkably, continuing their lives. Obviously, some people are worried.
They see the headlines. They wonder what’s going to happen. But
remarkably, they continue their lives. Schools are open. Stores are
open. Businesses are open. And I think that speaks to the resilience of
the Iranian people, who’ve faced so many challenges over these last
40-plus years — the isolation, a horrible economy, inflation, a lack of
jobs. But somehow they continue living while monitoring what’s
happening.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about who died in the attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus? At least two Iranian generals. Is that right?
REZA SAYAH:
Yeah, these were two Iranian generals that had significant roles in
Iran’s presence in Syria and the reported operations that Iran has
conducted against U.S. targets in the region, in Syria and Iraq. And
it’s important to note that many people within the government continue
to remind everyone that this was an act of war by Israel, even though
Israel has not confirmed that it conducted the attack on the Iranian
Consulate. Iran continues to remind the international community — they
did it at the U.N. Security Council meeting — that Iran’s attack on
Israel was a response to an act of war that Israel carried out against
the Iranian Consulate, which is seen as Iranian soil.
It is also important to point out that Iran’s response took two
weeks. And that is in line with how Iran has reacted to similar
incidents and assassinations in recent years. You’ll recall the
assassination of General Soleimani, the top-ranking Revolutionary Guard
general, in Iraq in 2020. You’ll recall Iran’s response was to attack a
U.S. airbase in Iraq, but just as they did with this attack in Israel,
they took a lot of time. It is reported that they even announced what
they were going to do. And that’s a clear indication that Iran does not
want to escalate matters with Israel and the U.S. and regional allies,
that this was, as many say, a performative operation to send a message,
and calculated in a way where Iran doesn’t want to escalate matters. And
you saw Iranian officials explicitly say that, for them, the matter is
over. Now we wait to see if Israel agrees, if it’s over for them, if
they retaliate, and what Iran does after that.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to go to John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, interviewed on CNN.
WOLF BLITZER: Give us your assessment of an appropriate Israeli response to what Iran has now done.
JOHN BOLTON:
Well, what Iran did tonight that I think was most significant was the
firing of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles from its territory
directly at Israel. Almost certainly at this point, none of those
missiles contained a nuclear warhead. But you never can tell when the
next firing, the next salvo of ballistic missiles might contain a
nuclear warhead. So, I think among the many targets Israel should
consider, this is the opportunity to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons
program. And I hope President Biden is not trying to dissuade Prime
Minister Netanyahu from doing that.
AMY GOODMAN: So, that was John Bolton speaking on CNN.
We’re also joined by Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the
Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, speaking to us from
Washington, D.C. Trita, can you respond to what Bolton said and also how
Washington is responding right now?
TRITA PARSI:
Well, I think you saw there, in John Bolton’s response, he used the
word “opportunity.” And this is how some of the hawks view this. They
see this as an opportunity to materialize the war between the United
States and Iran and Israel that they have been seeking for more than 25
years. And that includes Bibi Netanyahu. I think it should not be
forgotten that Netanyahu has been trying to start a war between the
United States and Iran for more than two decades and has seen him being
actually rebuffed by several presidents in a row, who may have been very
hawkish on Iran, who may themselves have contemplated the idea of going
to war with Iran, but who nevertheless rejected the pressure from
Netanyahu to do so on behalf of Israel. But Bolton is reflecting that
view, the idea that this is an opportunity to have a much larger war in
the Middle East.
AMY GOODMAN:
And can you talk about President Biden saying that Israel has the
“ironclad” support of the U.S., but telling Netanyahu after this attack
that the U.S. would not participate in any kind of retaliation, though
the U.S. intercepted, I think they said, how many drones and something
like six missiles and 90 drone strikes on the — with the Iranian attack?
Jordan also participated, as did Britain and France.
TRITA PARSI:
I think what Biden is saying here is quite contradictory, because at
the end of the day, there will be no distinction between offensive and
defensive measures in the second the war actually breaks out. So,
consider this scenario. The United States does not support and does not
participate in Israel’s counterstrikes against Iran, and the Israelis
may follow Bolton’s advice and try to target Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The Iranians then respond in kind with a much larger barrage of
missiles. Clearly what they did this time around was choreographed to
minimize damage and make sure that there’s no casualties. Next time
around, they won’t do that. Once the Iranians have started their
counterstrikes, then the United States is dragged into the war, because
Biden said that he will participate in the defensive measures. And then,
regardless of what the previous measure was by the United States, the
U.S. will be at war in the Middle East. And as a result, Netanyahu now
has a clear pathway on how to drag the United States into this war. All
he needs to do is to escalate further. The U.S. will reject that, but
then the U.S. will be there once the Iranians are responding. And at
that point, any distinction between offensive and defensive is
meaningless.
If Biden instead makes it very, very clear that it does not lie in
the U.S.’s interest to have any escalation in the region and draws a red
line in front of Iran and in front of Israel, he will then not need to
come to the defense of Israel, because there will not be a war to begin
with. That would be a much better pathway that serves U.S. interests,
that prevents any regional escalation. But so far we have seen that
Biden, even though he apparently is frustrated privately, he does not
feel comfortable to draw any red lines for Israel publicly. And the ones
that he has drawn privately, Netanyahu has systematically ignored for
the last seven months.
AMY GOODMAN:
We’re talking to Trita Parsi, who’s executive vice president of the
Quincy Institute, has written several books on Iran and the United
States. We’re going to continue with him and Reza Sayah, freelance
journalist in Tehran, and we’ll be joined by Gideon Levy, who is Haaretz columnist, on the editorial board of Haaretz, wrote the article “If Iran Attacks Israel, the Blame Lies on Israel’s Irresponsible Decision-makers.” Back in 30 seconds.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: “Khooneye Ma,” “Our House,” by Marjan Farsad. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.
The Middle East is bracing for Israel to retaliate amidst claims —
calls for restraint after Iran fired over 350 drones and missiles at
Israel in response to Israel’s attack on the Iranian Consulate in Syria
that killed two Iranian generals and a number of other military
officers. We are joined by guests in Tehran and Washington, D.C., and
now to Tel Aviv, where we’re joined by Gideon Levy, an award-winning
Israeli journalist and author, columnist for the newspaper Haaretz and a member of its editorial board, his most recent piece headlined “If Iran Attacks Israel, the Blame Lies on Israel’s Irresponsible Decision-makers.”
In it, Gideon writes, quote, “For several years now, Israel has
provoked Iran constantly, in Lebanon, Syria and also on Iranian soil,
and has not paid any price. It would be foolish to believe that the rope
Israel has stretched will not break. That moment may have come.” He
ends by writing, “Just don’t say, again, that there was no choice. There
was a choice: not to kill. Even if it is deserved, even if it is
permitted and even if it is possible. The person who sent the assassins
put Israel at risk of war with Iran.”
Gideon Levy, you are joined — you are joining Reza Sayah, a freelance
journalist in Tehran, Iran, and Trita Parsi, one of the heads of the
Quincy Institute. Can you respond to Iran’s attack and what Israel did
to provoke that, the bombing of the Iranian Consulate in Damascus? Did
that surprise you?
GIDEON LEVY:
Nothing surprised here. The only thing which surprised, really, was the
defensive capability of Israel, together with its allies. It was really
impressive. But it’s not a guarantee for the future. When I wrote my
article, it was before the attack came. And still I thought that the
assassination in Damascus was unnecessary. The problem with the Israeli
armed forces and intelligence organizations is that whenever they see an
opportunity, they take it, without thinking about the consequences,
without thinking about the price. And until now it was working for them,
because Iran didn’t react ’til now directly on Israel, only through its
proxies. But it was very clear that this cannot last forever.
So, those who send the assassinators to assassinate on Iranian soil,
on an Iranian diplomatic mission, those two generals and five more,
those had to think what will be the next day. And the next day came, and
we were attacked. And luckily enough, we didn’t suffer out of this
attack. The only conclusion right now should be: No, don’t you dare to
retaliate now, because then we will be in a regional war, and that’s a
new game.
AMY GOODMAN:
Talk about what Benny Gantz said — as we broadcast right now, the war
cabinet, Israel’s war cabinet, has reconvened — what Netanyahu said. Of
course, they are competing with each other. If Netanyahu were to go
down, it’s perceivable Benny Gantz would become the next prime minister.
But talk about what’s happening within that war cabinet.
GIDEON LEVY:
Amy, it’s for long time that I claim that those who want to get rid of
Netanyahu are obviously right, but the hope that the alternative will be
any better on core issues — for many issues it will be much better, but
on core issues, like apartheid, the occupation, continuing the war in
Gaza, will be very, very disappointed. And here we go. Benny Gantz, who
is the alternative, who is the liberal alternative, who is the dovish
alternative of Israel, he speaks exactly like Netanyahu and would act
exactly like Netanyhau when it comes to core issues or core questions
like launching an assassination, like launching a war, like using the
military power of Israel. And that’s really very, very depressing that
there is no alternative thinking in Israel and no lessons out of the
experience. All the assassinations that Israel committed, all of them,
never led to anywhere. Nothing good came out of them, except of the ego
of the organizations who stood behind it. And here comes this Benny
Gantz, the big hope of the liberal Israel, and suggests to continue the
war, to make it worse, to go for a regional war with Iran. That’s
really, really, very depressing.
AMY GOODMAN:
Are you concerned, Gideon Levy, that what’s happening with Iran now is
taking attention away from what’s happening in Gaza, where the death
toll just continues to mount, over — close to 34,000 people, just the
official death toll, is expected to be much higher, and where the
resistance was mounting in the United States, for example, on President
Biden not to arm Israel, given what’s happening in Gaza, that now the
House, which is notoriously divided, is perhaps coming together around
giving more aid to Israel?
GIDEON LEVY:
It goes without saying, Amy. Not only Gaza is forgotten. Also look what
is happening in the West Bank — pogrom after pogrom, and nobody cares
anymore. The army collaborates in those pogroms. We have videos from the
last days in which the army not only stands aside, but many times take
part of those pogroms against the Palestinians. And nobody pays
attention to it — not to speak, obviously, about Gaza — because everyone
is now concerned about Iran. But Gaza is still starving and bleeding,
and we shouldn’t forget it, even not for a moment, like we shouldn’t
forget the hostages who are still there. But it seems that now everyone
is only concerned about retaliating Iran. This would be such a major,
maybe fatal, mistake.
AMY GOODMAN:
I wanted to bring back in Reza Sayah. You were based in Cairo, Egypt,
when you covered the negotiations between Israel and Hamas in 2014 as
Israel launched its assault on Gaza then. Can you talk about what
unfolded back then and how it compares to the negotiations that are
taking place, what, in Doha and Cairo now for a ceasefire?
REZA SAYAH:
Well, obviously, back then, what took place, as is taking place right
now on a smaller scale, was the killing of lots of innocent civilians.
But one thing that sticks out in my mind in 2014, in covering that
conflict, was the Israeli government’s flat-out refusal to negotiate.
There were so many instances when I was talking to Hamas leaders who
were in Cairo. And in these instances, they would tell me that the
Israeli officials who were supposed to show up for those negotiations
simply would not show up. And this was something that was not widely
reported by Western and U.S. media, the Israeli government’s seeming
unwillingness to negotiate with Hamas. Eventually, there was
negotiations, and that war ended, but in subsequent years leading up to
this conflict, the cycle of war continued. But that’s something that
sticks out in my mind in that 2014 conflict.
AMY GOODMAN:
I wanted to ask about Jordan’s position in all of this, Trita Parsi,
what role it plays. You had the United States, Britain, Jordan, France
all intercepting some of these drones and missiles.
TRITA PARSI:
Yes, numerous countries participated in the interception of these
missiles. And the only reason they could do so was because the Iranians
had given them 72 hours’ heads-up, deliberately, because the entire
purpose of this exercise was not to inflict damage but to restore what
the Iranians believe is their deterrence and showcase their capability.
And as Gideon said, the shooting down of these missiles was quite
impressive, but I think we also have to keep in mind that there might be
a different scenario in the future in which there is no forewarning of
these attacks, and as a result, France, Britain and the United States
will not be able to prepare for and participate, in this extent, in the
shooting down of the missiles. And then, as a result, it’s not entirely
clear to what extent the Israeli air defenses would be capable of
handling what would likely be a much larger barrage of missiles shot at
Israel. So, I think the Israelis may have also picked up that at the end
of the day, a military confrontation, even though Israel, of course, is
much stronger than Iran, and certainly the U.S. is, but, nevertheless,
will be very, very damaging to Israel, as well. And that, I think, is
one of the key messages the Iranians were trying to send.
The Jordanians are, of course, caught in the middle there, because
all of these different things are then flying over Jordanian airspace.
And the Jordanian position has been that they’re defending their
airspace. They are not defending Israel. This is not done in order to
necessarily help the Israelis. It’s to make sure that Jordan asserts
that no war should be taking place on its territory or in its airspace.
That, nevertheless, is a tough position for the Jordanians to take,
given the very, very strong sentiments that are now boiling over inside
of Jordan because of the population’s frustration with what is happening
in Gaza and their perception that the Jordanian government, and the
Arab world at large, have been helpless and not done enough to prevent
the slaughter.
AMY GOODMAN:
I wanted to ask Gideon Levy if you’ve been surprised by the amount of
conversation going on between Iran and the United States, perhaps not
directly. And also I want to put that question to Reza Sayah. But where
the result is, you have United States saying they will not participate
in Israel’s retaliation, if they retaliate against Iran?
GIDEON LEVY:
First of all, I would say we always portray Iran as a crazy state, as
an insane state. It might be described like this. But in this case, it
was very measured. Very measured. I wish the United States and Iran
would have spoken much more. I wish the agreement, the nuclear
agreement, would be still valid, and we would be in a much better place
and safer place, rather than what both Donald Trump and Netanyhahu
arranged us, canceling this agreement, which was the best way to prevent
Iran from getting nuclear weapons. The more they speak, the better
— under the table, above the table, behind the curtains, any way to talk
to them. I still believe that every regime has its own interests, and
dialogue is, by the end of the day, the best way, even if it’s the Satan
of Iran.
AMY GOODMAN:
And can you talk, as you talked about what’s happening also on the West
Bank, if you can talk about the most recent news about the death of one
of the most prominent Palestinian prisoners in an Israeli prison, died
of cancer, novelist Walid Daqqa, who spent the past 38 years locked up
for his involvement in an armed group that abducted and killed an
Israeli soldier in 1984, rights groups pressuring Israel to release him,
saying he was in dire need of medical attention, Amnesty International
calling for his release, saying that since October 7th he had been
tortured, humiliated and denied family visits? You’ve written about
this.
GIDEON LEVY:
I’m following this story for many, many years. I even visited Walid
once in jail many years ago. It’s one of those horrible stories which
tells you much more than the story itself. Walid Daqqa is an Israeli. He
is not a Palestinian from the West Bank. He’s an Israeli Palestinian.
He, by the way, didn’t murder. He participated in a group which
kidnapped an Israeli soldier and then killed him, some of them. He was
not involved in it. But he was charged for murder and everything fined.
He sat 37 years for this murder, much more than any murderer in the
world — in Israel, not in the world. He, in this period, changed his —
declared that he had enough with terror, declared that he regrets any
terror actions. He’s exactly the style of leadership that we should look
forwards, those Palestinians who change their minds and clear terror as
a tool.
But, no, for Israel, no Palestinian is good enough, and here, in the
last years, started really a sadistic behavior toward him and his
family. No visits. When he started to be ill in cancer, when he got no
visits half the year now, they didn’t even inform the family that he’s
dying. They didn’t even inform the family he died. And now it’s already
10 days. They don’t even return the body, and don’t let them mourn in
their home. I mean, what is more sadistic than this? And what is more
the face of this current government of Israel? When it comes to
Palestinians, Israeli Palestinians or Palestinians from the West Bank or
Gaza, sadism is the name of the game.
AMY GOODMAN:
And I wanted to give Reza Sayah the last word. In U.S. media, we don’t
often hear from people in Tehran. You’re a freelance journalist there in
the capital of Iran. You’ve been covering Iran’s relationship with
Hamas, particularly in the aftermath of October 7th. Could you expand on
this, and what you think it’s most important for people to understand
outside of Iran, and particularly here in the United States?
REZA SAYAH:
Well, I think, from the people’s standpoint, the people here are
resilient. Most of them are peace-loving people who do not want war.
And I want to follow up on Mr. Levy’s thought about how Iran is often
portrayed in Western media to the American and Western audience as a
radical, reckless, violent government. And I think a lot of thoughtful
analysts will tell you that a radical entity, a radical government,
would not last for 45 years like the Islamic Republic has. And these
analysts will tell you that the reason that they have survived for these
45-plus years is that they’re not reckless, that they’re very
calculating and they’re measured.
And they understand, at this very high-stakes juncture, that there
are forces that perhaps Israel wants to bait them into a wider war. And I
think Iran understands that that would be a mistake. I think many here
understand that if they get baited into a wider war, it would be a
distraction to what’s happening in Gaza, that has served the
establishment here well by getting them a lot of political clout. And it
would also potentially galvanize and unite Israel with its Western
allies, Western allies that have been critical of Israel in their
operation in Gaza.
So, at this hour, they’re waiting to see what Israel does, if Israel
retaliates. But history has shown that if Israel retaliates, Iran is
going to be aware of what their responses could cost, and they’re going
to take a measured response. It’s obviously a very high-stakes chess
game, and a lot of people anxious to see what happens in the coming
days.
AMY GOODMAN: Reza Sayah, I want to thank you so much for being with us, freelance journalist in Tehran, Iran; Gideon Levy, a Haaretz columnist, member of its editorial board, and we’ll link to your articles; and Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.
My old boss Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, bravely said
recently what Joe Biden has been afraid to: “Palestinian civilians do
not deserve to suffer for the sins of Hamas, and Israel has a moral
obligation to do better. The United States has an obligation to do
better.” The ongoing violence, Schumer noted,
threatens not just the lives of Palestinians but the security of Jewish
people worldwide by alienating global allies appalled by the bloodshed.
If Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to desist, he concluded, the US must start
“shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage” – which obviously
includes military, diplomatic and economic aspects.
What drove Schumer to such an unprecedented interference in Israel’s
domestic politics is the appalling humanitarian devastation inflicted on
Gaza. Whether or not one believes genocide has occurred, the death rate
in Gaza has equaled or exceeded that in three other recent cases that
US presidents did call “genocide”. Americans may reject such comparison
on grounds that Israel is responding in self-defense to terrorism. But
they probably are unaware that historically the vast majority of genocides, unlike the Holocaust, similarly have been responses to rebel or terrorist attacks – including in the three most recent cases.
Gaza’s “once-vibrant health system” and aid efforts have been decimated by Israel, and the population faces “famine,
malnutrition, and infectious disease outbreaks”, the International
Rescue Committee (IRC) and its partners warned in a statement.
Projections by the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine and Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health
indicate that even with an immediate ceasefire, up to nearly 12,000
people would die in Gaza as a result of disease, the statement also
read.
“No hospitals in Gaza are fully functioning any
longer. IRC staff and partners in Gaza continue to witness devastation
in the health facilities that are left,” said Dr Seema Jilani, IRC’s
senior health technical adviser for emergencies.
“While there have not been large-scale epidemics
in Gaza for over a decade, the population has now been left vulnerable
to infectious diseases such as flu, COVID, pneumonia, bacterial
dysentery, cholera, polio, measles and meningitis,” she added.
The IRC reiterated its call for an immediate
ceasefire and unfettered aid access to prevent the total collapse of
public health in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces were surrounding Mahdi Al Shawa school in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza and firing at displaced Palestinians sheltering inside, media and witnesses say. Mahmoud Hamdan, 30, told The National: “The
occupation started a large-scale military operation after midnight and
the vehicles advanced towards Beit Hanoun while we and thousands of
people were present inside the schools.”
He said there were about 3,000 Palestinians inside the school.
In
the past two weeks, some people have returned to their homes in Beit
Hanoun, he said. But many of those at the school are reluctant to leave
the building for fear of being shot.
“The army completely
surrounded the school last night and people were unable to leave except
for a few," Mr Hamdan said on Tuesday. "I, along with some guys, managed
to escape with difficulty and reached Jabalia camp.”
Gaza remains under assault. Day 193 of the assault in the wave that began in October. Binoy Kampmark (DISSIDENT VOICE) points out, "Bloodletting as form; murder as fashion. The ongoing campaign in Gaza
by Israel’s Defence Forces continues without stalling and restriction.
But the burgeoning number of corpses is starting to become a challenge
for the propaganda outlets: How to justify it? Fortunately for Israel,
the United States, its unqualified defender, is happy to provide cover
for murder covered in the sheath of self-defence." CNN has explained, "The Gaza Strip is 'the most dangerous place' in the world to be a child, according to the executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund." ABC NEWS quotes UNICEF's December 9th statement, ""The Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child.
Scores of children are reportedly being killed and injured on a daily
basis. Entire neighborhoods, where children used to play and go to
school have been turned into stacks of rubble, with no life in them." NBC NEWS notes, "Strong majorities of all voters in the U.S. disapprove of President Joe
Biden’s handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war, according to the latest national NBC News poll.
The erosion is most pronounced among Democrats, a majority of whom
believe Israel has gone too far in its military action in Gaza." The
slaughter continues. It has displaced over 1 million people per the US
Congressional Research Service. Jessica Corbett (COMMON DREAMS) points out, "Academics and legal experts around the world, including Holocaust scholars, have condemned
the six-week Israeli assault of Gaza as genocide." The death toll of
Palestinians in Gaza is grows higher and higher. United Nations Women noted,
"More than
1.9 million people -- 85 per cent of the total population of Gaza --
have
been displaced, including what UN Women estimates to be nearly 1 million
women and girls. The entire population of Gaza -- roughly 2.2 million
people -- are in crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse." THE NATIONAL notes,
"At least 33,843 Palestinians have been killed and 76,575 injured in
Israel's war on Gaza, the enclave's health authorities said. They added
that 46 people were killed and 110 injured in the past 24 hours."
Months
ago, AP noted, "About 4,000 people are reported missing." February 7th, Jeremy Scahill explained
on DEMOCRACY NOW! that "there’s an estimated 7,000 or 8,000
Palestinians missing, many of them in graves that are the rubble of
their former home." February 5th, the United Nations' Phillipe
Lazzarini Tweeted:
April 11th, Sharon Zhang (TRUTHOUT) reported, "n addition to the over 34,000 Palestinians who have been counted as
killed in Israel’s genocidal assault so far, there are 13,000
Palestinians in Gaza who are missing, a humanitarian aid group has
estimated, either buried in rubble or mass graves or disappeared into
Israeli prisons. In a report released Thursday, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor
said that the estimate is based on initial reports and that the actual number of people missing is likely even higher."
As for the area itself?
Isabele Debre (AP) reveals, "Israel’s
military offensive
has turned much of northern Gaza into an uninhabitable moonscape. Whole
neighborhoods have been erased. Homes, schools and hospitals have been
blasted by airstrikes and scorched by tank fire. Some buildings are
still standing, but most are battered shells."
Kieron Monks (I NEWS) reports, "More than 40 per cent of the buildings in northern Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, according to a
new study of satellite imagery
by US researchers Jamon Van Den Hoek from Oregon State University and
Corey Scher at the City University of New York. The UN gave a figure of
45 per cent of housing
destroyed or damaged across the strip in less than six weeks. The rate
of destruction is among the highest of any conflict since the Second
World War."
Over 13,800 children have been killed in Gaza in the last six months while many more have been left injured.
ALJAZEERA notes:
Children in Gaza have become the faces of the continuing war as their
stories paint a “harrowing picture” of the human consequences of the
conflict, a UNICEF official says.
“Children are wearing a tremendous share of the scars of this war,”
UNICEF communications specialist Tess Ingram – who left Gaza on Monday
after spending two weeks there – told a UN press briefing in Geneva.
More than 12,000 children were injured in Gaza since October 7, 2023, she said, and this is “almost certainly an underestimate”.
“With at least 70 children injured every day, we need the number of
medical evacuations to increase so children can access the care they
urgently need. And with one child killed or injured every 10 minutes,
above anything else we need a ceasefire.”
A lasting truce “is the only way to stop the killing and maiming of children”.
The following sites updated:
