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Gaza: The hijacking of The Marianne by "The pirates of the Mediterranean."

Felicity Arbuthnot
Global Research
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 19:40 UTC
Piracy:" The practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea." (Oxford English Dictionary.)
Marianne av Göteborg
© Michel Floch/MarineTraffic.com
Marianne av Göteborg
The "international community" is, it would seem, remarkably selective over piracy.

Concern over Somali pirates was such that foreign Navy's were sent to protect shipping in international waters. In one incident three alleged pirates were killed and a Somali teenager spirited away to the US to be tried, whilst eleven others were sent for trial in Kenya. (1)

However, in the early hours of the morning (local time) of 29th June, three Israeli Navies ships intercepted and hijacked a Swedish flagged ship, the Marianne av Göteborg on route to Gaza in the State of Palestine (recognized as a State by the United Nations on 30th November 2012 by an overwhelming vote of 138-9, elevating Palestine to Non-Member Observer State a status bestowed on just one other entity, The Vatican.)

The ship was in international waters (approximately one hundred nautical miles off shore) but was boarded, towed by Israeli Navy vessels to Israel's port of Ashdod. Cameras, computers, mobile 'phones and belongings have been allegedly stolen by those who boarded. It is hoped they will be returned, but the track record is not good judging by the lack of return of personal - or any items, including aid cargo purchased by public donations destined for the people of Gaza - from the numerous previously pirated vessels. The Marianne was carrying a consignment of solar panels for a people whom, for most, a constant electricity supply has become a distant memory.

Israel's territorial waters (in to which the Marianne had no intention of heading) presumably should extend just twelve nautical miles from shore as laid down in the 1984 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea which directs that:

"Every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baselines determined in accordance with this Convention." They do not extend one hundred nautical miles.

Israel has stated the Marianne was requested to change course a number of times. Israel has no legal right to demand anything of a vessel in international waters.
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Bad Guys

South Front International Military Review - Syria, 1 July


South Front
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 19:00 UTC
south front
In 2011 Syria felt into a full, intense and bloody war. After 4 year of full-scale war the battlefield of Syria are still complicated. The fight to wrest territory away from the Islamic State and al-Qaeda extremists as well as from the Syrian government of President Bashar al Assad has opened multiple front lines. Many anti-Islamic State operations have been led by Kurdish forces, sometimes fighting in parallel with factions of the Free Syria Army (FSA), an alliance that includes Sunni Arab tribal leaders. Meanwhile, Syrian Islamists factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, reached an agreement with fighters of the Islamic State to open routes between the areas controlled by the two parties. Recently, we observed a series of military events in Syria:

Syrian Kurdish YPG forces supported by FSA-affiliated rebels in the Euphrates Volcano Operations Room seized the ISIS border crossing at Tel Abyad in northern ar-Raqqa Province on June 15, 2015. 2 days later forces of YPG took control of border area to west from Tel Abyad.

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Yoda

They just keep coming: Putin gobsmacks Uncle Sam ... again

Mike Whitney
Counterpunch
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:57 UTC
Way to go, Vladimir.

Gazprom germany
© DPA
Gazprom Germania CEO Hans - Joachim Gornig in Berlin
Here's the scoop: Two days before the swaggering Sec-Def touched down in Germany, Gazprom announced that it was putting the finishing touches on a massive deal that would double the amount of Russian gas flowing to Germany via a second Nord Stream pipeline. The shocking announcement made it look like the clueless Carter had no idea what was going on and that his efforts to isolate Russia were a complete flop. And, make no mistake; the deal is huge, big enough to change the geopolitical calculus of the entire region. Robert Morley explains what's going on in a recent article at The Trumpet:
"Once this pipeline is finished, almost all of Eastern Europe can be completely cut out of the gas picture. There will be no need for any gas to transit through Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Belarus, Hungary or Slovakia." (Gazprom's Dangerous New Nord Stream Gas Pipeline to Germany, The Trumpet)



Comment: The linked article is worth a read just to see with what hysteria Robert Morley interprets the deal. There's nothing new here. The original agreement was signed in 2011.


Yep, Ukraine is out and Germany's in, which means that Washington's plan to extend US hegemony by driving a wedge between Russia and Europe is down the plughole.

Judo expert Putin has done it again; he waited until the eleventh hour to pull the rug out from under the blustery Carter, and now he's sitting back enjoying the show. Is it any wonder why Carter's been running around Europe with his hair on fire? Here's more from the same article:
"Think of the huge leverage this will give Russia.....Germany may not have much in the way of natural resources of its own, but with Russia's help, it is becoming an energy hub of Europe! Increasing quantities of Russian gas are flowing through Germany before being distributed to countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Britain. In this way Germany leverages the power of Russia. Western Europe also is becoming dependent on Germany for gas supplies too...

Don't let the current conflict in Ukraine cloud what is happening. Germany and Russia have a history of secret cooperation—even when headline conflict appears to indicate otherwise. That Germany and Russia would push through such a deal when the West is supposedly sanctioning Russia for its actions in Ukraine speaks volumes."
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Phoenix

Greek military spending the real cause for its economic collapse, not public spending

Finian Cunningham
Sputnik
Mon, 29 Jun 2015 16:12 UTC
Image
© AFP 2015/ LOUISA GO ULIAMAKI
Decades of exorbitant military spending account for Greece's present downfall under an Olympian-sized debt. European governments and news media portray the problem of Greece's financial woes as public spending profligacy.

The truth is that Greece's debt mountain has been incurred from years of wasteful military splurging. That is the tragic downfall of the country, which European creditor governments and the mainstream news media tellingly ignore.

But in this understanding of Greece's modern tragedy, there is hope for democratic renewal and redemption. Because that realisation permits a radically different option to restore Greece's economy in a way that is rational and achievable, without piling up more debt and misery for the population. Instead of more austerity imposed on workers and pensioners, the solution is for Greece to embark on a massive disarmament programme to overturn decades of reckless militarism.

Greece's outstanding total debt is around $320 billion - or 175 per cent of its national economic output (GDP). Its creditors - the Troika of European Union, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - are insisting that the Athens government must oversee more public cuts.

The reality is that austerity is only driving the Greek economy into further depression and debt.
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Sherlock

U.S. and Iran play information war as nuke deal inches ahead

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:50 UTC
Image
So today is not D-Day. No landing in post-Wall of Mistrust territory. A nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 won't be clinched today - for a number of very complex reasons, way beyond the vicious media information war; not least finding the absolute, exact wording in every line of 85 pages of text.

It still amounts, for all the bluster and the dramatic turnarounds, to a question of trust. Rather, breaching the 36-year-plus Wall of Mistrust between Washington and Tehran.

There are breakthroughs, of course. On the status of the Fordo research site, for instance, for the first time both sides reached an agreement. Compare it to the cosmic gap — exacerbated by the American wordplay — on the gradual lifting of sanctions.

This is at the heart of the Viennese diplomatic waltz; what happens after the adoption of an agreement - what some negotiators define as "operationalization." Only after the US Congress reviews the deal, "iron-clad guarantees" would be provided that sanctions will be lifted. That's the much-lauded but still hazy "phase three" - when the whole US, EU and UN infrastructure of sanctions is supposed to vanish.

There's the rub — as a top Iranian official told Asia Times: The main issue for Tehran is how to have complete assurance this complex process will be fully implemented.
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Yoda

Chinese parliament ratifies creation of BRICS bank


RT
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 15:26 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Jason Lee
The Chinese Parliament has ratified the creation of the BRICS Development Bank. The New Development Bank was conceived as an alternative to Western financial institutions such as the World Bank.

The new bank will provide money for infrastructure and development projects in BRICS countries, that is Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Each nation will have an equal say in the bank's management, regardless of GDP size.

Each BRICS member is expected to contribute an equal share in establishing a startup capital of $50 billion, with a goal of reaching $100 billion in capitalization. The BRICS bank will be headquartered in Shanghai, with India presiding as president during the first year, and Russia serving as the chairman of the representatives.

China has pledged to contribute a total of $41 billion to the NDB bank, which will give it the largest voting rights, at 39.5 percent, Reuters reports.

The agreement has already been ratified in India and Russia.
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Eye 2

Hiding the truth: UK government says Libya rendition, torture evidence should be heard in secret


RT
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 14:19 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Leon Neal
ARCHIVE PHOTO: Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) shakes hands with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi near Gaddafi's home town of Sirte May 29, 2007.
Westminster is pushing for evidence relating to Britain's alleged complicity in Libya torture and rendition to be presented to a high court judge in secret. It concerns 12 men who are attempting to sue the British state.

Government lawyers say the secret evidence they wish to present would disprove the allegations of five of these claimants. A move to have the allegations thrown out of court in January was shot down after Justice Irwin said the assertions were of "public concern" and should be dealt with by Britain's courts.

Observers have described the case as unique and unprecedented in the history of the British state. Irwin is expected to decide Wednesday whether to allow evidence to be presented in secret.

Comment: For more on Libya: NATO Slaughter: James and Joanne Moriarty expose the truth about what happened in Libya

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Bomb

Propaganda alert: House leaders warn Americans of July 4 terror threats

Erin Kelly
USA Today
Sun, 28 Jun 2015 17:57 UTC
Chancelor Obama V for Vendetta

"What we need right now is a clear message to the people of this country. This message must be read in every newspaper, heard on every radio, seen on every television... I want everyone to remember, why they need us!"
Americans need to remain vigilant to the threat of a terrorist attack heading into the Independence Day weekend, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee warned Sunday.

Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said there has been increased chatter on social media that indicates terrorists may be planning to strike during the celebrations.


Comment: Got a source for that claim, Mr. McCaul? Or should we just take your word for it?

Furthermore, if they're communicating via social media, as you claim, why hasn't the NSA already found them?

"I am extremely concerned that Syrian and ISIS recruiters can use the Internet at lightning speeds to recruit followers in the United States...and then activate them to do whatever they want to do," McCaul said on Fox News Sunday. "Whether it's military installations, law enforcement or possibly a Fourth of July event parade."


Comment: Manufactured Terror: Staging phony ISIS terror threats


Comment: Are they ramping up for an upcoming false flag attack? Jade Helm's beginning is just around the corner.

Operation 'Jade Helm': Are US special forces training for martial law?

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Network

British Joint Force commander says West losing social media war with extremists


RT
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:47 UTC
Image
© AFP Photo / Essam Al-Sudani
Fanatics are beating the West in the social media war to win hearts and minds through "lies," according to the head of Britain's Joint Forces Command, which includes Special Forces, defense intelligence and cyber warfare units.

General Richard Barrons warned Russia and extremist groups including Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) are outpacing the West on social media.

"We are dealing with opponents in ISIL and Russia who do this for a living. ISIL uses Twitter and Facebook in 23 languages. We barely do it in our own," Barrons told the Telegraph.

"If you are fortunate enough to be the commander who is going to run the fight for Mosul, probably the most important thing you want to do as you launch your operation is to get into the minds of the 1 million citizens of Mosul through their computers and their mobile phone."

Comment: People are becoming less inclined to listen to the constant lies from the West and are more open to searching for the truth or listening to other lies.

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Bomb

ISIS claims '50 killed' in attacks on Egyptian checkpoints in Sinai


RT
Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:37 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Stringer
FILE PHOTO: Debris is seen at a location where an attack took place on security forces in North Sinai, January 30, 2015.
At least 50 Egyptians, including soldiers, were killed after an Islamic State affiliate launched simultaneous attacks on army checkpoints in the Sinai Peninsula, officials said. It comes two days after Egypt's top prosecutor was assassinated.

The identities of those killed were not immediately clear, Reuters reported. Sources earlier said there were soldiers among the dead. The army also said that troops have been killed.

The assaults took place just south of the town of Sheikh Zuweid and targeted at least six military checkpoints, officials told AP. Two of the checkpoints were completely destroyed.

The militants took soldiers captive and seized weapons and several armored vehicles, the officials added, stating that the attackers used mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles.

Comment: Islamic State violence knows no bounds.

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