Day: February 4, 2009

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Clinton: Iran is a challenge to US, Europe and the larger world + ‘Iranian launch threatens Europe’

Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
4 February, 2009

[emphasis added]

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/115902.htm

excerpts from:

Issues Facing the United Kingdom, the United States and the World

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Remarks With British Foreign Secretary David Miliband After Their Meeting

Washington, DC, 3 February 2009

Quote:
FOREIGN SECRETARY MILIBAND: […] At each stage, we have, I think, in our discussions today, followed what the President and the Prime Minister committed themselves to, which was to renew and refresh the special relationship, and that is certainly our commitment. […] We’ve talked also about the importance of the Iranian nuclear issue, your commitment to engage with other countries in making clear to Iran the costs of its current course, but also making clear to Iran that if it’s willing to accept its responsibilities in the international community, it will be a welcome member of the international community exercising its rights as well as its responsibilities, I think is a very important message. […]

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, how important is it that European allies step up to (inaudible) on Iran?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I think that the Foreign Secretary said it very well, that we view Iran as a challenge; and it is one that is not directed solely at the United States or even at our European allies, but indeed, the larger region and the world. We are going to be working within the Administration to devise our approach to Iran, and working closely with Her Majesty’s government and the work that the Foreign Secretary and others have already done. […] It is clear that, as the Foreign Secretary said, Iran has an opportunity to step up and become a productive member of the international community. As President Obama said, we are reaching out a hand, but the fist has to unclench.

***

British press coverage of the Iranian satellite launch

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Turkish Jewish community denies reports of synagogue vandalism

Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
4 February, 2009

1) Turkish Jewish community denies reports of synagogue vandalism

2) Al Qaeda cell was planning to assassinate a Jewish clergyman

3) The cover for unjust detentions in Turkey: Al Qaeda (December 2008)

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http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/10908346.asp

Turkish Jewish community denies reports of synagogue vandalism

Hürriyet, 2 February 2009

Quote:
The Turkish Jewish community denies reports that a synagogue was torched. An Israeli newspaper reported on Monday that a synagogue in the northwestern province of Bursa was set ablaze.”The reports published in foreign media organs saying that a synagogue in the northwestern part of Turkey was set ablaze are not correct,” the Turkish Jewish community said in a written statement on Monday.

An Israeli newspaper reported on Monday that a synagogue in the northwestern province of Bursa, which is not currently in use for daily prayer, was set ablaze on Sunday. The attack was defined by the newspaper as the first such incident to take place in Turkey following Israel’s campaign in Gaza.

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excerpt from:

Al Qaeda cell was planning to assassinate a Jewish clergyman

by Erdal Kilinc, Milliyet, 3 February 2009

(translated by Cem Ertür)

Quote:
Suspects with alleged links to Al Qaeda who were caught during a gun battle during an attempted robbery on a local post office in Sultanbeyli district of Istanbul were apparently on a reconnaissance for an assassination plot against a Jewish clergyman in retaliation for Israel’s attack on Gaza. During a search carried out in a cell, 6 rocket-propelled grenades were found.

* link to the original news report in Turkish:

http://www.milliyet.com.tr/Siyaset/HaberDetay.aspx?aType=HaberDetay&Ar ticleID=1054838

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https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/12/28/the-cover-for-unjust-detentions-in-turkey-al-qaeda/

from the archives:

The cover for unjust detentions in Turkey: Al Qaeda

by Haksöz Haber , 27 December 2008

(translated by Cem Ertür)

Editorial note: It is interesting to note that the Turkish authorities launched the latest “Al Qaeda Operation” on December 16, six days before Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s official visit to Ankara where he met Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul. Israeli bombardment of Gaza began four days after this visit.

Quote:
22 individuals were arrested and brought to police headquarters following simultaneous home raids in numerous counties by the Anti-Terrorism Branch of Istanbul Police. According to information leaked to the media by the police, operations are ongoing and the number of arrested suspects will increase.

The seizure of numerous documents of the organization is presented to the media as news of great success. Curiously, these “documents” seized during the “Al-Qaeda operation” were nothing but CDs, books and magazines!

Over the last few years, more than a hundred people have been detained with the allegation that they were members of Al Qaeda. Almost all of them have been acquitted in court. Although the police’s attempt to cover up their unlawful practices by the use of “Al Qaeda charges” is well noted, it is unclear as to who will be held responsible for these grievances.

(*) link to the original item in Turkish:

http://www.haksozhaber.net/news_detail.php?id=6069

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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Israeli President Peres’ statements on Turkey and Iran

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Israeli President Peres’ statements on Turkey and Iran

Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
4 February, 2009

“Turkey should be an answer to Iran … they offer a choice to the Middle East. I hope they will continue to do it”

[Israeli President Peres’ phone conversation with Turkey’s President Erdogan after the World Economic Forum panel discussion on Gaza, 31 January 2009]

“Many Muslims will have to make their choice between the Iranian school of domination and the Turkish school of cooperation.”

[Israeli President Shimon Peres’ speech at Oxford University, 17 November 2008]

“We see Turkey as a country striving for general harmony. While the Iranian way – I will say this loud and clear – is seen as undermining its neighbor’s hegemony. Turkey gives rise to hope, Iran gives rise to fear. This is why Turkey is vital to the Middle East and to the European Union.”

[Israeli President Shimon Peres’ speech at Turkey’s parliament, 13 November 2007]

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Notes:

[1] Erdogan: My anger over Gaza directed at Israeli government, not Jews

Haaretz, 1 February 2009

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1060258.html

[2] Peres: Turkey, Iran offer differing models

International Herald Tribune, 18 November 2008

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/18/europe/EU-Britain-Israel.php

[3] President Speaks to the Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, November 13, 2007

Official Israeli Presidency website

http://www.president.gov.il/defaults/default_en.asp

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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Tax The Speculators, by Ralph Nader

Dandelion Salad

by Ralph Nader
The Nader Page
2.04.09

Let’s start with a fairness point. Why should you pay a 5 to 6 percent sales tax for buying the necessities of life, when tomorrow, some speculator on Wall Street can buy $100 million worth of Exxon derivatives and not pay one penny in sales tax?

Let’s further add a point of common sense. The basic premise of taxation should be to first tax what society likes the least or dislikes the most, before it taxes honest labor or human needs.

In that way, revenues can be raised at the same time as the taxes discourage those activities which are least valued, such as the most speculative stock market trades, pollution (a carbon tax), gambling, and the addictive industries that sicken or destroy health and amass large costs.

So, your member of Congress, who is grappling these days with gigantic deficits on the backs of your children at the same time as that deep recession and tax cuts reduce revenues and increase torrents of red ink, should be championing such transaction taxes.

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Civilians in Warfare (Artwork and song) (no longer available)

Dandelion Salad

Retitled: Civilians in Warfare (Artwork) 2

fl0yde

A song for all weapons manufacturers

Video removed.

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Ro Tierney: Blood-Red Manifesto (music video)

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Dennis Kucinich: “US Taxpayers” Stadium

Dandelion Salad

Kucinich2008

Dennis Kucinich on CBS News 02-04-09

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The Republicans Have Nothing to Party About, by Walter and Rosemary Brasch

by Walter and Rosemary Brasch
featured writers
Dandelion Salad
www.walterbrasch.com
February 4, 2009

Every House Republican and 11 Democrats voted against President Barack Obama’s $819 billion stimulus package. It still passed by a vote of 244 to 188.

There are enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill, but the obstructionist Republican minority, still nursing the wounds inflicted by the public in the November election, can block it by endless political maneuvering and a filibuster.

The Republicans wail that the President’s stimulus package is laden with spending proposals that don’t directly attack the recession. However, instead of debating the merits of the package, instead of proposing amendments to add to or subtract from the $819 billion, the Republicans ganged up, voted as a bloc, and placed party loyalty above the needs of the nation.

These are the same “fiscally responsible” Republicans who weren’t reluctant to give away billions of taxpayer money to Halliburton, KBR, and other corporations favored by the Bush-Cheney Administration. These are the same Republicans who did little to control runaway spending that brought the nation from a surplus when Bill Clinton left office to the largest deficit in the history of the nation. These are also the same Republicans, unfortunately assisted by a large chunk of complicit Democrats, who most assuredly weren’t reluctant to create a $750 billion bailout package that benefited banks, insurance companies, and the Wall Street millionaires of greed, and was lacking adequate oversight or accountability.

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Kyrgyzstan to shut key NATO base

Dandelion Salad

Note: original video was removed by RT; here’s their current report.

RussiaToday

The President of Kyrgyzstan has announced that the US military will have to leave the Manas Air Base near Bishkek. The facility is central to NATO operations in Afghanistan. The Kyrgyz government said the US wasn’t prepared to pay an appropriate fee to use the base.

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