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'Abandon futile military solution for Syria', Pope tells G20 leaders, as Vatican urges dialogue

Nick Renaud-Komiya
The independent
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:13 UTC
Pope Francis
© AFP/Getty Images
Francis will hold a peace vigil this Saturday against the country's 'senseless massacre of innocents'.

Pope Francis has urged the leaders of the G20 countries to abandon the "futile pursuit" of a military solution in Syria, as the Vatican laid out its case for a negotiated settlement guaranteeing the rights of all minorities, including Christians.

In a letter sent to Russian president Vladimir Putin, the host of today's G-20 gathering in St Petersburg, Francis described his sadness that "one-sided interests" had prevailed in Syria, preventing a diplomatic solution to the conflict and allowing the continued "senseless massacre" of innocent people.

"To the leaders present, to each and every one, I make a heartfelt appeal for them to help find ways to overcome the conflicting positions and to lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution," Francis wrote as the meeting got under way.
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USA

Why the U.S. and Israel rely on Hamas and Hezbollah to justify their warmongering existence

Niall Bradley
Sott.net
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 08:48 UTC

In the above snippet from a 2007 BBC Newsnight programme, we learn something that reveals the whole 'War on Terror' to be a complete sham and the destabilization of the Middle East by the U.S. and her allies to be intentional. In March 2003, the US launched Operation Iraqi Freedom.

While Bush was prancing around the USS Lincoln in a codpiece declaring 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq, something very interesting was taking place in the background. Realising that it was in its interest to prevent Iraq from being subjected to all-out civil war with the help of American occupation and death squads, the Iranian government sent a letter to the White House offering the following:
  • Iran would use its influence to support stabilization in Iraq.
  • Iran would open its civilian nuclear energy program to full international inspections.
  • Most importantly, Iran would end its support of Hamas and Hezbollah.
In return, Iran requested the following:
  • A halt to US hostile behavior.
  • Abolition of all economic sanctions.
  • The pursuit of MEK (an Iranian terrorist group in Iraq) leadership and the repatriation of their members.
Then U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney turned down the offer and chastised the Swiss for even passing it along.

It was all there; Iran was prepared to cooperate with the US in Iraq, cooperate with Israel and the US in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, and allow full transparency of its nuclear program... if only the US would help them dismantle the MEK. The US State Department wanted to pursue it, but the Neocons torpedoed the deal.
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Bomb

Egypt's Interior Minister Survives Attack

Kareem Fahim and Mayy El Sheikh
The New York Times
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 06:51 UTC
Mohammed Ibrahim
© Unknown
Egypt Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim
Egyptian security officials said that the country's interior minister survived an assassination attempt on Thursday after an explosive device detonated near his convoy. The powerful explosion, which damaged buildings and left cars burning on a residential street, marked a sharp escalation of the violence in Egypt's two-month old political crisis.

Interior Ministry officials said that a preliminary investigation found that the explosion came from a motorcycle laden with at last three improvised explosive devices that were detonated by remote control. The explosion occurred soon after the minister, Mohamed Ibrahim, left his house on Thursday morning in a convoy of cars. At least six people, including five of the minister's guards, were injured, officials said.

Mr. Ibrahim, who was unharmed, avoided the explosion by "seconds," an Interior Ministry official said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion.
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Crusader

Liar in chief Obama calls on world to fight Syria 'barbarism'

Alexandra Frean, Charles Bremner and Francis Elliott
The Times
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 05:13 UTC
Medieval Obama
© Unknown
President Obama yesterday urged the international community to support his plan for military intervention in Syria or face a fatal undermining of its credibility.

After declaring that Syria's use of chemical weapons on its population demanded a response from America and the world, Mr Obama flies into a G20 meeting in Russia today to try to win the support of world leaders for a "limited and proportionate" strike against Damascus.

He told them to unite in the face of Syrian "barbarism" and declared that the world, not him, had set a red line on the use of chemical weapons.

The US Congress moved last night towards voting on a resolution giving the President a 90-day period in which to conduct air attacks on Syria.


Comment: When it comes to Syrian "barbarism", the only barbarism that has been evident thoughout is the barbarism that the US sponsored Al-qaeda terrorists have shown:

See: Obama's Syrian Rebels are practicing cannibalismWestern-backed terrorists in Syria involved in illegal human organ trade
U.S.-backed terrorists mass murder unarmed civilians in Syria
Vatican confirms Catholic priest beheaded by Syrian rebels
FSA Barbaric Massacres against 230+ Abducted Civilians in Homs
Saudi Wahhabi Preacher Issues Fatwa Allowing Jihadis to Rape Syrian Women
FSA Terrorists Massacre Civilians in a Bus in Al Ramosi in the name of Jihad (18+)
Syrian 'rebels' (CIA, Mossad, MI6) issue ultimatum to Assad: Capitulate or we blow your country apart

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Footprints

Chemical weapons sent from Turkey to Syria: Former Turkish provincial official


Press TV
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 05:03 UTC
Mohamad Gunes
© Press TV
A former member of a city council in the Turkish province of Hatay says the chemical weapons used in last month's attack in Syria were transported from Turkey, Press TV reports.

"Four months ago, Turkish security forces found a two-kilogram cylinder with sarin gas after searching the homes of Syrian militants from the al-Qaeda and al-Nusra. They are using our borders to take the gas into Syria,"
Mohamad Gunes said.

"The Syrian president has no reason to kill his own people," he added.

People in the southern province, which borders Syria, said the weapons were used by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front militants and not the Syrian government.
"America and Israel had al-Qaeda use chemical weapons in order to push us into war; none of us wants war here. In the history of Hatay, we all lived peacefully side by side, now there is Mossad, CIA and al-Qaeda all over the place. We are worried that they might use chemical weapons against us," said Farid Mainy, a Hatay resident and an activist.
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Butterfly

'Hands off': Syrians form human shields outside possible US strike targets


RT
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 04:56 UTC

As the US Congress inches closer to a decision on a military strike on Syria, citing allegations that Assad forces used chemical weapons against the civilian population, activists in Damascus are stepping up their protest against possible attacks.

Damascene activists protesting possible US strikes on Syria set up a camp at the foot of Qasioun Mountain just outside the capital on Tuesday.

Qasioun Mountain, a symbol of Damascus and Syria, is home to many security and military buildings and institutions and thus is expected to be one of the targets for the airstrikes. Protesters rallying beside the place called themselves a "human shield" and hold banners featuring slogans such as "No more American bombing democracy" and "Hands off Syria".

"We are here to express our loyalty to our country in the face of American threats. We don't want what they did in Iraq over chemical weapons claims to be done in our country," one of the rally participants told RT.
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Light Sabers

Swedes protest US plans for war on Syria amid Obama visit


Press TV
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 03:57 UTC
Obama in Stockholm
© Unknown
A protester proudly shows a poster depicting U.S. President Barack Obama as a terrorist during a pro-Assad demonstration in Stockholm during Obama's visit to the Swedish capital.
Thousands of protesters have held a demonstration in Sweden's capital to protest against the US's warmongering policies vis-à-vis Syria as US President Barack Obama arrived in the European country.

Angry demonstrators took to the streets of Stockholm on Wednesday to express opposition to calls by the Obama administration for a military strike on Syria.

The protesters carried banners that read, "No to Big Brother Obama," "No to war on Syria," and "Hands off Snowden," in a reference to American whistleblower Edward Snowden, who leaked two top secret spying programs run by the US government.

"Send Obama away. We don't want Obama to come to Sweden because we see him as a war criminal," a protester said.
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Wreath

Cannon fodder: Afghan soldier casualty rate comparable to America's losses in Vietnam War - US general


RT
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 03:29 UTC
Afghan soldiers
© AFP Photo / Aref Karimi
Approximately 50 to 100 Afghan soldiers are killed in battle per week, a top US general said Wednesday. That rate that is comparable to the number of American service members who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

"The Afghan security forces are suffering more casualties, no question about it," Lieutenant General Mark Milley said via video link from Afghanistan, according to AFP.

NATO's US-led forces assist Afghan army and police personnel to improve strategic maneuvers and avoid high casualties, said Milley, who serves as deputy commander of the US forces in Afghanistan. He added that casualties will decline as more helicopters, artillery, and mortars are introduced.

Nevertheless, the 350,000-member Afghan security force is taking "somewhere in the range of 50 to 100" deaths per week, Milley said.

"And that's not at all insignificant. That is significant. And we're paying attention to that," he added.

The highest casualty rate for American troops in the war occurred in 2010, when 500 US soldiers died.


Comment: America's own counter-insurgency forces are knocking of the Afghan security forces, thereby justifying the US presence there and also to justify increase military spending. Same picture in Iraq, where "suicide bombings" kill hundreds of people every week. All with the aim of divide and conquer.

See: Suicide Bombings - A Favourite US Counter-Insurgency Tactic

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Blackbox

To do or not to do: Obama to decide on suspending aid to Egypt after Syria vote


RT
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 03:15 UTC
Egyptian army tanks
© Reuters / Asmaa Waguih

Top US national security aides have advised President Obama to suspend hundreds of millions of dollars in economic and military aid to Egypt because of remaining uncertainty after the Egyptian military forced the nation's president out of power.

Egypt currently receives $1.5 billion in US aid annually - $1.3 billion of which is designated for the military. US officials told the Associated Press that keeping the aid package intact after Mohamed Morsi - Egypt's first democratically elected president - was ousted from power could benefit Washington's future influence in the Middle East.

The Obama administration has carefully avoided calling Morsi's July 3 removal from power a "coup" - a designation that would legally require the US to immediately halt aid payments. However, it was previously reported that lawmakers are working under the assumption that the Egyptian military did, in fact, forcibly assume control.

President Obama has been considering the most recent recommendation for at least a week, but he is expected to wait until Congress votes on whether to launch a military strike against Syria before making the announcement, the sources told AP.

Obama will decide how much, if any, aid will be suspended, although officials are reportedly calling for a substantial amount to be withheld. Those payments would presumably resume after a new government was democratically elected.

Comment: Nobel peace price laureate Obama will make sure he doesn't do anything that will hinder the US war industry aka the industrial military complex.

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Stormtrooper

US and allied warships off the Syrian coastline: Naval deployment was decided "before" the August 21 chemical weapons attack

Prof Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research
Mon, 02 Sep 2013 02:20 UTC
Image
A massive US and allied naval deployment is occurring in the Eastern Mediterranean off Syria's coastline as well as in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

While this display of military might may not be part of an immediate attack plan on Syria, it is creating an atmosphere of fear and panic within Syria.

The US Navy has deployed the USS San Antonio, an amphibious transport ship to the Eastern Mediterranean. The San Antonio is joining five US destroyers which "are already in place for possible missile strikes on Syria, a defense official said Sunday."
The USS San Antonio, with several helicopters and hundreds of Marines on board, is "on station in the Eastern Mediterranean" but "has received no specific tasking," said the defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'US Navy deploys five warships, one amphibious ship to Mediterranean for Syria'
While the USS San Antonio has amphibious landing equipment, which can be used to land some six thousand sailors and marines, "no boots on the ground", however, remains the official motto.
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