mintpressnews--2020-02-11--We’re All in This Together: A Case for Not Giving Up on the American Dream

Listen : we don ’ t have to agree about everything .
We don ’ t even have to agree about most things .
We don ’ t have to love each other .
We don ’ t even have to like each other .
And we certainly don ’ t need to think alike or dress alike or worship alike or vote alike or love alike .
But if this experiment in freedom is to succeed—and there are some days the outlook is decidedly grim—then we ’ ve got to find some way of relating to one another that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or so self-righteous that we ’ re doomed to failure before we even start .
America has been a warring nation—a military empire intent on occupation and conquest—for so long that perhaps we , the citizens of this warring nation , have forgotten what it means to live in peace , with the world and one another .
We ’ d better get back to the fundamentals of what it means to be human beings who can get along if we want to have any hope of restoring some semblance of sanity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being turned into a foul-mouthed , hot-headed free-for-all bar fight by politicians for whom this is all one big , elaborate game designed to increase their powers and fatten their bank accounts .
Maybe Robert Fulghum , author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten , was right : maybe all we really need to know about “ how to live and what to do and how to be ” is as simple as remembering the basic life lessons we were taught as children .
What were those lessons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Play fair .
Don ’ t hit people .
Put things back where you found them .
Clean up your own mess .
Don ’ t take things that aren ’ t yours .
Say you ’ re sorry when you hurt somebody… .
When you go out into the world , watch out for traffic , hold hands , and stick together… .
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup—they all die .
So do we .
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word of all—LOOK .
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere .
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation .
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living .
Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm .
Think what a better world it would be if we all—the whole world—had cookies and milk about three o ’ clock every afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a nap .
Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess .
And it is still true , no matter how old you are—when you go out into the world , it is best to hold hands and stick together .
The powers-that-be want us to forget these basic lessons in how to get along .
They want us to fume and rage and be so consumed with fighting the so-called enemies in our midst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing in around us .
No matter what happens in the next presidential election , no matter how many ways the powers-that-be attempt to sow division and distrust among the populace , no matter how many shouting commentators perpetuate the belief that there is only one “ right ” view and one “ wrong ” view in politics , the only “ us vs. them ” that will matter is whether “ we the people ” care enough to stand united in our commitment to the principles on which this nation was founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all .
The rest is just noise intended to distract us from the fact that life in America has become a gut-wrenching , soul-sucking , misery-drenched , demoralizing existence , and it ’ s the government that is responsible .
Even so , here ’ s why I ’ m not giving up on the American dream of freedom , and—despite all the reasons to the contrary—why you shouldn ’ t either : because this is still our country .
I ’ m outraged at what has been done to our freedoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
We have been subjected to crackdowns , clampdowns , shutdowns , showdowns , shootdowns , standdowns , knockdowns , putdowns , breakdowns , lockdowns , takedowns , slowdowns , meltdowns , and never-ending letdowns .
We ’ ve been held up , stripped down , faked out , photographed , frisked , fracked , hacked , tracked , cracked , intercepted , accessed , spied on , zapped , mapped , searched , shot at , tasered , tortured , tackled , trussed up , tricked , lied to , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoved aside , saddled with debt not of our own making , sold a bill of goods about national security , tuned out by those representing us , tossed aside , and taken to the cleaners .
We ’ ve had our freedoms turned inside out , our democratic structure flipped upside down , and our house of cards left in a shambles .
We ’ ve had our children burned by flashbang grenades , our dogs shot , and our old folks hospitalized after “ accidental ” encounters with marauding SWAT teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as citizens we have no rights within 100 miles of our own border , now considered “ Constitution-free zones.
” We ’ ve had our faces filed in government databases , our biometrics crosschecked against criminal databanks , and our consumerist tendencies catalogued for future marketing overtures .
We ’ ve seen the police transformed from community peacekeepers to point guards for the militarized corporate state .
The police continue to push , prod , poke , probe , scan , shoot and intimidate the very individuals—we the taxpayers—whose rights they were hired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers , police have surreptitiously spied on our activities and snooped on our communications , using hi-tech devices provided by the Department of Homeland Security .
We ’ ve been deemed suspicious for engaging in such dubious activities as talking too long on a cell phone and stretching too long before jogging , dubbed extremists and terrorists for criticizing the government and suggesting it is tyrannical or oppressive , and subjected to forced colonoscopies and anal probes for allegedly rolling through a stop sign .
We ’ ve been arrested for all manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be considered criminal , let alone uncommon or unlawful , behavior : letting our kids walk to the playground alone giving loose change to a homeless man , feeding the hungry , and living off the grid .
We ’ ve been sodomized , victimized , jeopardized , demoralized , traumatized , stigmatized , vandalized , demonized , polarized and terrorized , often without having done anything to justify such treatment .
Blame it on a government mindset that renders us guilty before we ’ ve even been charged , let alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this way , law-abiding individuals have had their homes mistakenly raided by SWAT teams that got the address wrong .
One accountant found himself at the center of a misguided ( armed ) police standoff after surveillance devices confused his license plate with that of a drug felon .
We ’ ve been railroaded into believing that our votes count , that we live in a republic or a democracy , that elections make a difference , that it matters whether we vote Republican or Democrat , and that our elected officials are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Truth be told , we live in an oligarchy , politicians represent only the profit motives of the corporate state , whose leaders know all too well that there is no discernible difference between red and blue politics , because there is only one color that matters in politics : green .
We ’ ve gone from having privacy in our inner sanctums to having nowhere to hide , with smart pills that monitor the conditions of our bodies , homes that spy on us ( with smart meters that monitor our electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be controlled remotely ) and cars that listen to our conversations , track our whereabouts and report them to the police .
Even our cities have become wall-to-wall electronic concentration camps , with police now able to record hi-def video of everything that takes place within city limits .
We ’ ve had our schools locked down and turned into prisons , our students handcuffed , shackled and arrested for engaging in childish behavior such as food fights , our children ’ s biometrics stored , their school IDs chipped , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sold and bartered for profit by government contractors , all the while they are treated like criminals and taught to march in lockstep with the police state .
We ’ ve been rendered enemy combatants in our own country , denied basic due process rights , held against our will without access to an attorney or being charged with a crime , and left to waste away in jail until such a time as the government is willing to let us go or allow us to defend ourselves .
We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with our hard-earned tax dollars used against us , from unpiloted , weaponized drones tracking our movements on the nation ’ s highways and byways and armored vehicles , assault rifles , sound cannons and grenade launchers in towns with little to no crime to an arsenal of military-grade weapons and equipment given free of charge to schools and universities .
We ’ ve been silenced , censored and forced to conform , shut up in free speech zones , gagged by hate crime laws , stifled by political correctness , muzzled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for taking part in peaceful protests .
We ’ ve been shot by police for reaching for a license during a traffic stop , reaching for a baby during a drug bust , carrying a toy sword down a public street , and wearing headphones that hamper our ability to hear .
We ’ ve had our tax dollars spent on $ 30,000 worth of Starbucks for Department of Homeland Security employees , $ 630,000 in advertising to increase Facebook “ likes ” for the State Department , and close to $ 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silly to the unnecessary , such as laughing classes for college students and programs teaching monkeys to play video games and gamble .
We ’ ve been treated like guinea pigs , targeted by the government and social media for psychological experiments on how to manipulate the masses .
We ’ ve been tasered for talking back to police , tackled for taking pictures of police abuses , and threatened with jail time for invoking our rights .
We ’ ve even been arrested by undercover cops stationed in public bathrooms who interpret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motions after urinating to be acts of lewdness .
We ’ ve had our possessions seized and stolen by law enforcement agencies looking to cash in on asset forfeiture schemes , our jails privatized and used as a source of cheap labor for megacorporations , our gardens smashed by police seeking out suspicious-looking plants that could be marijuana , and our buying habits turned into suspicious behavior by a government readily inclined to view its citizens as terrorists .
We ’ ve had our cities used for military training drills , with Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shield exercises overtaking our streets , and active shooter drills wreaking havoc on unsuspecting bystanders in our schools , shopping malls and other “ soft target ” locations .
We ’ ve been told that national security is more important than civil liberties , that police dogs ’ noses are sufficient cause to carry out warrantless searches , that the best way not to get raped by police is to “ follow the law , ” that what a police officer says in court will be given preference over what video footage shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are sufficient reasons for a cop to suspect you of wrongdoing , that police can stop and search a driver based solely on an anonymous tip , and that police officers have every right to shoot first and ask questions later if they feel threatened .
Are you outraged yet ?
You should be .
So what are you waiting for ?
Get out there and right these wrongs .
Stop waiting patiently for change to happen , stop waiting for some politician to rescue you , and take responsibility for your freedoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broken in your lives , in your communities , and in this country .
Get mad , get outraged , get off your duff and get out of your house , get in the streets , get in people ’ s faces , get down to your local city council , get over to your local school board , get your thoughts down on paper , get your objections plastered on protest signs , get your neighbors , friends and family to join their voices to yours , get your representatives to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids to know their rights , get your local police to march in lockstep with the Constitution , get your media to act as watchdogs for the people and not lapdogs for the corporate state , get your act together , and get your house in order .
Appearances to the contrary , this country does not belong exclusively to the corporations or the special interest groups or the oligarchs or the war profiteers or any particular religious , racial or economic demographic .
This country belongs to all of us : each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people ” —but most especially , this country belongs to those of us who love freedom enough to stand and fight for it .
As I point out in my book Battlefield America : The War on the American People , we are fast approaching the point at which we will have nothing left to lose .
Don ’ t wait for things to get that bad before you find your voice and your conscience .
By then , it will be too late .
As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn ’ s character reflects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand now—using every nonviolent means at your disposal—while you still can .
Don ’ t wait to reflect back on missed opportunities to push back against tyranny .
Don ’ t wait until you ’ re the last one standing .
Feature photo | A citizen candidate holds an American flag before the start of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami field office , Aug. 16 , 2019 , in Miami .
Wilfredo Lee | AP This article was published with special permission from author John Whitehead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the website of his nonprofit , The Rutherford Institute .

Listen: we don’t have to agree about everything. We don’t even have to agree about most things. We don’t have to love each other. We don’t even have to like each other. And we certainly don’t need to think alike or dress alike or worship alike or vote alike or love alike. But if this experiment in freedom is to succeed—and there are some days the outlook is decidedly grim—then we’ve got to find some way of relating to one another that is not toxic or partisan or hateful or so self-righteous that we’re doomed to failure before we even start.
America has been a warring nation—a military empire intent on occupation and conquest—for so long that perhaps we, the citizens of this warring nation, have forgotten what it means to live in peace, with the world and one another.
We’d better get back to the fundamentals of what it means to be human beings who can get along if we want to have any hope of restoring some semblance of sanity, civility and decency to what is progressively being turned into a foul-mouthed, hot-headed free-for-all bar fight by politicians for whom this is all one big, elaborate game designed to increase their powers and fatten their bank accounts.
Maybe Robert Fulghum, author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, was right: maybe all we really need to know about “how to live and what to do and how to be” is as simple as remembering the basic life lessons we were taught as children.
What were those lessons? Fulghum reminds us:
Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody…. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together…. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup—they all die. So do we. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned—the biggest word of all—LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living. Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all—the whole world—had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess. And it is still true, no matter how old you are—when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
The powers-that-be want us to forget these basic lessons in how to get along. They want us to fume and rage and be so consumed with fighting the so-called enemies in our midst that we never notice the prison walls closing in around us.
Don’t be distracted
No matter what happens in the next presidential election, no matter how many ways the powers-that-be attempt to sow division and distrust among the populace, no matter how many shouting commentators perpetuate the belief that there is only one “right” view and one “wrong” view in politics, the only “us vs. them” that will matter is whether “we the people” care enough to stand united in our commitment to the principles on which this nation was founded: freedom, justice, and equality for all.
The rest is just noise intended to distract us from the fact that life in America has become a gut-wrenching, soul-sucking, misery-drenched, demoralizing existence, and it’s the government that is responsible.
Even so, here’s why I’m not giving up on the American dream of freedom, and—despite all the reasons to the contrary—why you shouldn’t either: because this is still our country.
I’m outraged at what has been done to our freedoms and our country. You should be, too.
We have been subjected to crackdowns, clampdowns, shutdowns, showdowns, shootdowns, standdowns, knockdowns, putdowns, breakdowns, lockdowns, takedowns, slowdowns, meltdowns, and never-ending letdowns.
We’ve been held up, stripped down, faked out, photographed, frisked, fracked, hacked, tracked, cracked, intercepted, accessed, spied on, zapped, mapped, searched, shot at, tasered, tortured, tackled, trussed up, tricked, lied to, labeled, libeled, leered at, shoved aside, saddled with debt not of our own making, sold a bill of goods about national security, tuned out by those representing us, tossed aside, and taken to the cleaners.
We’ve had our freedoms turned inside out, our democratic structure flipped upside down, and our house of cards left in a shambles.
We’ve had our children burned by flashbang grenades, our dogs shot, and our old folks hospitalized after “accidental” encounters with marauding SWAT teams.
We’ve been told that as citizens we have no rights within 100 miles of our own border, now considered “Constitution-free zones.”
We’ve had our faces filed in government databases, our biometrics crosschecked against criminal databanks, and our consumerist tendencies catalogued for future marketing overtures.
We’ve seen the police transformed from community peacekeepers to point guards for the militarized corporate state. The police continue to push, prod, poke, probe, scan, shoot and intimidate the very individuals—we the taxpayers—whose rights they were hired to safeguard. Networked together through fusion centers, police have surreptitiously spied on our activities and snooped on our communications, using hi-tech devices provided by the Department of Homeland Security.
We’ve been deemed suspicious for engaging in such dubious activities as talking too long on a cell phone and stretching too long before jogging, dubbed extremists and terrorists for criticizing the government and suggesting it is tyrannical or oppressive, and subjected to forced colonoscopies and anal probes for allegedly rolling through a stop sign.
We’ve been arrested for all manner of “crimes” that never used to be considered criminal, let alone uncommon or unlawful, behavior: letting our kids walk to the playground alone , giving loose change to a homeless man, feeding the hungry, and living off the grid.
We’ve been sodomized, victimized, jeopardized, demoralized, traumatized, stigmatized, vandalized, demonized, polarized and terrorized, often without having done anything to justify such treatment. Blame it on a government mindset that renders us guilty before we’ve even been charged, let alone convicted, of any wrongdoing. In this way, law-abiding individuals have had their homes mistakenly raided by SWAT teams that got the address wrong. One accountant found himself at the center of a misguided (armed) police standoff after surveillance devices confused his license plate with that of a drug felon.
We’ve been railroaded into believing that our votes count, that we live in a republic or a democracy, that elections make a difference, that it matters whether we vote Republican or Democrat, and that our elected officials are looking out for our best interests. Truth be told, we live in an oligarchy, politicians represent only the profit motives of the corporate state, whose leaders know all too well that there is no discernible difference between red and blue politics, because there is only one color that matters in politics: green.
We’ve gone from having privacy in our inner sanctums to having nowhere to hide, with smart pills that monitor the conditions of our bodies, homes that spy on us (with smart meters that monitor our electric usage and thermostats and light switches that can be controlled remotely) and cars that listen to our conversations, track our whereabouts and report them to the police. Even our cities have become wall-to-wall electronic concentration camps, with police now able to record hi-def video of everything that takes place within city limits.
We’ve had our schools locked down and turned into prisons, our students handcuffed, shackled and arrested for engaging in childish behavior such as food fights, our children’s biometrics stored, their school IDs chipped, their movements tracked, and their data bought, sold and bartered for profit by government contractors, all the while they are treated like criminals and taught to march in lockstep with the police state.
We’ve been rendered enemy combatants in our own country, denied basic due process rights, held against our will without access to an attorney or being charged with a crime, and left to waste away in jail until such a time as the government is willing to let us go or allow us to defend ourselves.
We’ve had the very military weapons we funded with our hard-earned tax dollars used against us, from unpiloted, weaponized drones tracking our movements on the nation’s highways and byways and armored vehicles, assault rifles, sound cannons and grenade launchers in towns with little to no crime to an arsenal of military-grade weapons and equipment given free of charge to schools and universities.
We’ve been silenced, censored and forced to conform, shut up in free speech zones, gagged by hate crime laws, stifled by political correctness, muzzled by misguided anti-bullying statutes, and pepper sprayed for taking part in peaceful protests.
We’ve been shot by police for reaching for a license during a traffic stop, reaching for a baby during a drug bust, carrying a toy sword down a public street, and wearing headphones that hamper our ability to hear.
We’ve had our tax dollars spent on $30,000 worth of Starbucks for Department of Homeland Security employees, $630,000 in advertising to increase Facebook “likes” for the State Department, and close to $25 billion to fund projects ranging from the silly to the unnecessary, such as laughing classes for college students and programs teaching monkeys to play video games and gamble.
We’ve been treated like guinea pigs, targeted by the government and social media for psychological experiments on how to manipulate the masses. We’ve been tasered for talking back to police, tackled for taking pictures of police abuses, and threatened with jail time for invoking our rights. We’ve even been arrested by undercover cops stationed in public bathrooms who interpret men’s “shaking off” motions after urinating to be acts of lewdness.
We’ve had our possessions seized and stolen by law enforcement agencies looking to cash in on asset forfeiture schemes, our jails privatized and used as a source of cheap labor for megacorporations, our gardens smashed by police seeking out suspicious-looking plants that could be marijuana, and our buying habits turned into suspicious behavior by a government readily inclined to view its citizens as terrorists.
We’ve had our cities used for military training drills, with Black Hawk helicopters buzzing the skies, Urban Shield exercises overtaking our streets, and active shooter drills wreaking havoc on unsuspecting bystanders in our schools, shopping malls and other “soft target” locations.
We’ve been told that national security is more important than civil liberties, that police dogs’ noses are sufficient cause to carry out warrantless searches, that the best way not to get raped by police is to “follow the law,” that what a police officer says in court will be given preference over what video footage shows, that an upright posture and acne are sufficient reasons for a cop to suspect you of wrongdoing, that police can stop and search a driver based solely on an anonymous tip, and that police officers have every right to shoot first and ask questions later if they feel threatened.
Are you outraged yet?
You should be. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and right these wrongs.
Stop waiting patiently for change to happen, stop waiting for some politician to rescue you, and take responsibility for your freedoms: start by fixing what’s broken in your lives, in your communities, and in this country.
Get mad, get outraged, get off your duff and get out of your house, get in the streets, get in people’s faces, get down to your local city council, get over to your local school board, get your thoughts down on paper, get your objections plastered on protest signs, get your neighbors, friends and family to join their voices to yours, get your representatives to pay attention to your grievances, get your kids to know their rights, get your local police to march in lockstep with the Constitution, get your media to act as watchdogs for the people and not lapdogs for the corporate state, get your act together, and get your house in order.
Appearances to the contrary, this country does not belong exclusively to the corporations or the special interest groups or the oligarchs or the war profiteers or any particular religious, racial or economic demographic.
This country belongs to all of us: each and every one of us—“we the people”—but most especially, this country belongs to those of us who love freedom enough to stand and fight for it.
As I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, we are fast approaching the point at which we will have nothing left to lose.
Don’t wait for things to get that bad before you find your voice and your conscience. By then, it will be too late.
As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s character reflects in The Gulag Archipelago:
How we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if … during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?… The cursed machine would have ground to a halt! If…if…We didn’t love freedom enough. And even more – we had no awareness of the real situation…. We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.
Take your stand now—using every nonviolent means at your disposal—while you still can.
Don’t wait to reflect back on missed opportunities to push back against tyranny.
Don’t wait until you’re the last one standing.
Time is running out.
Feature photo | A citizen candidate holds an American flag before the start of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami field office, Aug. 16, 2019, in Miami. Wilfredo Lee | AP
This article was published with special permission from author John Whitehead. Read more of his work on the website of his nonprofit, The Rutherford Institute.


mintpressnews--2020-02-11--Buttigieg Campaign Aggressively Targeting Progressive Activists, Media

After the scandal surrounding the recent Iowa Caucus , the 2020 presidential campaign of Pete Buttigieg claimed victory and benefited substantially from the contested outcome by surging in the polls ahead of the New Hampshire primary , which is set to take place on Wednesday .
Buttigieg ’ s victory lap and post-Iowa boost were largely regarded with scorn by supporters of other candidates for obvious reasons , including the fact that chaos of the Iowa caucus was largely caused by a software application with ties to Buttigieg ’ s campaign .
In the lead-up to the Democratic primary event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have emerged of paid Buttigieg staffers aggressively targeting independent media outlets and progressives while Buttigieg supporters — employed by Facebook as “ fact-checkers ” — directly censored others in independent media .
For instance , last Saturday at a Buttigieg rally at Keene State College , a paid Buttigieg staffer accosted Norman Solomon , executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy and co-founder of Action for a Progressive Future , for handing out fliers entitled “ Medicare for All .
Not Healthcare Profiteering for the Few ” that offered mild criticism of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s healthcare policies .
Solomon , who was outside the building where Buttigieg had spoken , was told by a paid Buttigieg staffer “ You can ’ t pass that out , ” referring to the leaflets .
Then , when Solomon objected , Buttigieg ’ s staffer involved campus police officials who then threatened to arrest Solomon for trespassing on the public college ’ s campus and then handed Solomon a criminal trespass notice that required he not set foot on “ Keene State College entire campus ” for a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , a paid Buttigieg staffer was involved in a similar incident involving independent media outlet Status Coup , who were given press credentials to attend the event .
The freelance cameraman working with Status Coup , Jamal Jones , was approached by a female Buttigieg staffer who physically ripped his press badge off of his jacket and told him “ I don ’ t think you ’ re supposed to have credentials.
” Jones , along with Status Coup ’ s Jordan Chariton , had received their credentials after signing in at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Status Coup also stated that they had been closely followed minutes before by another Buttigieg staffer while interviewing those waiting in line about why they are interested in his candidacy .
Then , upon entering the venue , another staffer asked them if they had “ snuck in ” to the event .
At the end of the event , a separate staffer apologized to Jones and Chariton .
Status Coup contacted Buttigieg ’ s national press secretary for comment on the incidents and behavior of the campaign ’ s staffers and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jordan Chariton stated that he had never experienced or witnessed such treatment of the press at rallies for Trump , Hillary Clinton or any other presidential candidate .
Beyond what occurred with Status Coup , Craig Jardula of the progressive talk show The Convo Couch was accosted and escorted out by security at a Buttigieg rally on February 9 after asking Buttigieg if he would consider pardoning Julian Assange .
Recent events clearly suggest that this is becoming a pattern at Buttigieg rallies and will likely increase if other primaries and caucuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s .
In addition to these troubling incidents at Buttigieg rallies , similar incidents have recently occurred on social media , particularly Facebook , where factual reporting by progressive media outlets critical of Buttigieg and his policies has been effectively censored .
This separate but related trend is particularly disturbing given the public and close relationship between Pete Buttigieg and Facebook ’ s Mark Zuckerberg , with Zuckerberg even advising and recommending staff hires to the Buttigieg presidential campaign .
In one particularly glaring instance , comedian and political commentator Jimmy Dore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Facebook after it was flagged by an “ independent fact-checker , ” who turned out to be Ryan Cooper , an 18 year veteran of CNN and a Buttigieg supporter .
Dore ’ s video contained factual , yet unflattering , information about Buttigieg and the manipulation of Iowa Caucus results .
After Dore posted about his experience , several progressives on social media provided screenshots that Cooper , among other Facebook “ fact-checkers , ” had flagged information critical of the Iowa Caucus process and its contested outcome as “ misleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatly restricting its circulation on the social media platform .
Between the efforts to censor information critical of Buttigieg on social media and harass independent media outlets and their reporters at Buttigieg rallies , it appears clear that there is a concerted effort underway to control the narrative in regards to the DNC primaries and major efforts underway to stop the candidacy of Bernie Sanders , particularly as recent events strongly suggest that the chaos of the recent Iowa Caucus is doomed to repeat itself .
Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buttigieg meets with people outside a polling place where voters will cast their ballots in a primary election , Feb. 11 , 2020 , in Manchester , N.H. Matt Rourke | AP

After the scandal surrounding the recent Iowa Caucus, the 2020 presidential campaign of Pete Buttigieg claimed victory and benefited substantially from the contested outcome by surging in the polls ahead of the New Hampshire primary, which is set to take place on Wednesday.
Buttigieg’s victory lap and post-Iowa boost were largely regarded with scorn by supporters of other candidates for obvious reasons, including the fact that chaos of the Iowa caucus was largely caused by a software application with ties to Buttigieg’s campaign.
In the lead-up to the Democratic primary event in New Hampshire, several disturbing instances have emerged of paid Buttigieg staffers aggressively targeting independent media outlets and progressives while Buttigieg supporters — employed by Facebook as “fact-checkers” — directly censored others in independent media.
For instance, last Saturday at a Buttigieg rally at Keene State College, a paid Buttigieg staffer accosted Norman Solomon, executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy and co-founder of Action for a Progressive Future, for handing out fliers entitled “Medicare for All. Not Healthcare Profiteering for the Few” that offered mild criticism of both Buttigieg’s and Joe Biden’s healthcare policies.
Solomon, who was outside the building where Buttigieg had spoken, was told by a paid Buttigieg staffer “You can’t pass that out,” referring to the leaflets. Then, when Solomon objected, Buttigieg’s staffer involved campus police officials who then threatened to arrest Solomon for trespassing on the public college’s campus and then handed Solomon a criminal trespass notice that required he not set foot on “Keene State College entire campus” for a year.
At a separate event the next day, a paid Buttigieg staffer was involved in a similar incident involving independent media outlet Status Coup, who were given press credentials to attend the event. The freelance cameraman working with Status Coup, Jamal Jones, was approached by a female Buttigieg staffer who physically ripped his press badge off of his jacket and told him “I don’t think you’re supposed to have credentials.” Jones, along with Status Coup’s Jordan Chariton, had received their credentials after signing in at a press desk for the event.
After
1) Being followed outside by a staffer who acknowledged she was following me when I approached her
2) Asked by another staffer if we snuck in (no).
3) @cinematicjones having his name tag pulled off his jacket A DIFFERENT staffer came up and apologized pic.twitter.com/yQvUpG4vZ0 — Jordan (@JordanChariton) February 9, 2020
Here is @cinematicjones, my freelance cameraman who was just doing his job when a @PeteButtigieg staffer came up to him, touched his jacket, yanked his name tag off (which we were given when we SIGNED IN AT PRESS DESK). pic.twitter.com/tAhoDUI4Yh — Jordan (@JordanChariton) February 9, 2020
Status Coup also stated that they had been closely followed minutes before by another Buttigieg staffer while interviewing those waiting in line about why they are interested in his candidacy. Then, upon entering the venue, another staffer asked them if they had “snuck in” to the event. At the end of the event, a separate staffer apologized to Jones and Chariton. Status Coup contacted Buttigieg’s national press secretary for comment on the incidents and behavior of the campaign’s staffers and has yet to receive a response. Notably, Jordan Chariton stated that he had never experienced or witnessed such treatment of the press at rallies for Trump, Hillary Clinton or any other presidential candidate.
Beyond what occurred with Status Coup, Craig Jardula of the progressive talk show The Convo Couch was accosted and escorted out by security at a Buttigieg rally on February 9 after asking Buttigieg if he would consider pardoning Julian Assange. Recent events clearly suggest that this is becoming a pattern at Buttigieg rallies and will likely increase if other primaries and caucuses have outcomes similar to that of Iowa’s.
In addition to these troubling incidents at Buttigieg rallies, similar incidents have recently occurred on social media, particularly Facebook, where factual reporting by progressive media outlets critical of Buttigieg and his policies has been effectively censored. This separate but related trend is particularly disturbing given the public and close relationship between Pete Buttigieg and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, with Zuckerberg even advising and recommending staff hires to the Buttigieg presidential campaign.
In one particularly glaring instance, comedian and political commentator Jimmy Dore had one of his videos essentially censored by Facebook after it was flagged by an “independent fact-checker,” who turned out to be Ryan Cooper, an 18 year veteran of CNN and a Buttigieg supporter. Dore’s video contained factual, yet unflattering, information about Buttigieg and the manipulation of Iowa Caucus results.
Facebook=Fake News. They are is telling people that the accurate information in my news report about vote flipping in Iowa is false. My news report was flagged by a guy name Ryan Cooper who works for CNN and supports Buttigieg. This is how the Establishment rigs elections. pic.twitter.com/uGOXo1V98W — Jimmy Dore (@jimmy_dore) February 7, 2020
After Dore posted about his experience, several progressives on social media provided screenshots that Cooper, among other Facebook “fact-checkers,” had flagged information critical of the Iowa Caucus process and its contested outcome as “misleading” or “false,” thereby greatly restricting its circulation on the social media platform.
Between the efforts to censor information critical of Buttigieg on social media and harass independent media outlets and their reporters at Buttigieg rallies, it appears clear that there is a concerted effort underway to control the narrative in regards to the DNC primaries and major efforts underway to stop the candidacy of Bernie Sanders, particularly as recent events strongly suggest that the chaos of the recent Iowa Caucus is doomed to repeat itself.
Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg meets with people outside a polling place where voters will cast their ballots in a primary election, Feb. 11, 2020, in Manchester, N.H. Matt Rourke | AP


mintpressnews--2020-02-11--How Trump’s “Peace” Plan Will Redraw Israel’s Borders to Exclude to Non-Jews

Qalansawe , Palestine : one of ten towns slated by Donald ’ s Trump ’ s Middle East “ Peace ” Plan to be transferred from Israel to a future Palestinian state .
To fully understand what this means , it is helpful to see Palestinians as though they exist within a totem pole that was created by Israel .
There are different levels of existence into which Palestinians are born , levels that were determined by their oppressors , first the Zionist movement , and then the State of Israel .
The refugees who live in the squalor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the bottom of the totem pole .
Then , there are the Palestinians residing in areas of Palestine occupied by Israel in 1967 and referred to as The West Bank and Gaza .
And then there are those who live within the original boundaries of Israel and possess Israeli citizenship – these are the ones slated for transfer .
At the top sit Palestinians living abroad as equal citizens in countries across the globe .
“ Forgotten Palestinians , ” this is the title of a book by Ilan Pappe , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinian citizens of Israel .
Generally speaking , there are two points of view about the position of the Palestinian citizens of Israel : That of the oppressor , Israel , and that of the Palestinians themselves .
Within Israel , there are two parallel conversations about this oppressed community which , it is worth mentioning , never took up arms and what resistance they have put up came as a result of the theft of their lands and destruction of their country and that was done through the political and cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Depending on the period and the people engaged in the discussion , Palestinian citizens of Israel are either a fifth column or a thriving minority with all the rights of citizens .
However , neither one of these is an accurate description .
Israel was never happy with the fact that there were Palestinians who remained within the boundaries of Palestine at all and certainly not within what became Israel in 1948 .
In efforts that began in the early twentieth century and intensified gradually until reaching a crescendo in the 1948 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestine did everything in their power to rid the country of its original people , the Palestinians .
By early 1949 , when the actual boundaries of the newly formed state of Israel were determined in the ceasefire agreements with neighboring countries , there were only about 200,000 native Palestinians within the boundaries of the state .
From that point on , until 1967 , the talk of Palestinians was focused mainly on the refugees living in camps and around Palestine .
After 1967 , the conversation shifted and focus was placed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gaza Strip .
Somehow , Palestinian citizens of Israel are rarely discussed .
Israel has gone to great lengths to prevent its Palestinian citizens from ever becoming , or even feeling equal to Jewish Israelis .
One method used effectively by Israel is the segregation of schools .
Because the State of Israel believes in the superiority of the Jewish citizens , everything from facilities to curriculum and from class sizes to budgets reflects the state ’ s desire to maintain inequality .
Perhaps due to the twenty-five books he read , Jared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son-in-law , included the forgotten Palestinian citizens of Israel in the plan that he put together and named , “ Peace to Prosperity.
” This plan , more commonly known as the “ Deal of the Century , ” includes a passage which would have been unthinkable in any plan before it , namely the transfer of residents of Palestinian towns with Israeli citizenship to another state , one that does not yet exist and will likely never exist , the future State of Palestine .
On page 13 of the plan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it says the following : The Triangle Communities consist of Kafr Qara , Ar ’ ara , Baha al-Gharbiyye , Umm al Fahm , Qalansawe , Tayibe , Kafr Qasim , Tira , Kafr Bara and Jaljulia .
These communities , which largely self-identify as Palestinian , were originally designated to fall under Jordanian control during the negotiations of the Armistice Line of 1949 , but ultimately were retained by Israel for military reasons that have since been mitigated .
The Vision contemplates the possibility , subject to agreement of the parties that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such that the Triangle Communities become part of the State of Palestine .
In this agreement , the civil rights of the residents of the triangle communities would be subject to the applicable laws and judicial rulings of the relevant authorities .
The residents of all the cities and towns mentioned here are citizens of the state of Israel .
This proposal is not unlike suggesting that the U.S. Mexico border be redrawn and that all ethnically Mexican communities in the U.S. be stripped of their U.S. citizenship and become part of Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were designated to fall under Jordanian control in 1949 “ but ultimately were retained by Israel for military reasons , ” this is a delicate way to explain that these communities were used as pawns in Israel ’ s drawing of its boundaries and now they will once again be used as pawns .
They were not given a voice when the decision was made in 1949 to include them in Israel , and clearly , they have not been given a voice in this new plan .
In reality , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel down the totem pole to a place where their rights will be even more limited .
Israel controls the lives of all Palestinians in one way or another and this plan intends to force the citizens of Israel into a reality where they have even fewer rights than they currently do because Israel has so determined it .
The plan states correctly that these communities identify as Palestinians , which is not surprising because they are in fact , Palestinians .
The plan proposes to transfer control over these areas to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little to no ability for the residents to determine their fate , for the sole purpose of making Israel more racially homogenous .
The game that is played here is called , “ Let ’ s pretend there is a Palestinian state.
” Well , there isn ’ t one and it isn ’ t likely there ever will be such a state that is separate from Israel .
Any attempt to free the region from the terror that has ruled it for so long will require transforming Palestine from an apartheid regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights in its place .
James Baldwin once wrote about the United States that it is “ A country that has told itself so many lies about its history , that in sober fact has yet to excavate its history from the rubble of romance.
” This could not be truer when speaking about Israel .
Feature photo | In this Tuesday , Feb. 4 , 2020 , photo , an Israeli Arab youth sits at a viewpoint overlooking the Israeli Arab town of Umm al-Fahm .
Oded Balilty | AP Miko Peled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ born in Jerusalem .
He is the author of “ The General ’ s Son .
Journey of an Israeli in Palestine , ” and “ Injustice , the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five .
”

Qalansawe, Palestine: one of ten towns slated by Donald’s Trump’s Middle East “Peace” Plan to be transferred from Israel to a future Palestinian state. To fully understand what this means, it is helpful to see Palestinians as though they exist within a totem pole that was created by Israel. There are different levels of existence into which Palestinians are born, levels that were determined by their oppressors, first the Zionist movement, and then the State of Israel. The refugees who live in the squalor of the camps in and around Palestine are at the bottom of the totem pole. Then, there are the Palestinians residing in areas of Palestine occupied by Israel in 1967 and referred to as The West Bank and Gaza. And then there are those who live within the original boundaries of Israel and possess Israeli citizenship – these are the ones slated for transfer. At the top sit Palestinians living abroad as equal citizens in countries across the globe.
“Forgotten Palestinians”
“Forgotten Palestinians,” this is the title of a book by Ilan Pappe, which describes in great detail the fate of the Palestinian citizens of Israel. Generally speaking, there are two points of view about the position of the Palestinian citizens of Israel: That of the oppressor, Israel, and that of the Palestinians themselves. Within Israel, there are two parallel conversations about this oppressed community which, it is worth mentioning, never took up arms and what resistance they have put up came as a result of the theft of their lands and destruction of their country and that was done through the political and cultural avenues afforded to them by the state. Depending on the period and the people engaged in the discussion, Palestinian citizens of Israel are either a fifth column or a thriving minority with all the rights of citizens. However, neither one of these is an accurate description.
Israel was never happy with the fact that there were Palestinians who remained within the boundaries of Palestine at all and certainly not within what became Israel in 1948. In efforts that began in the early twentieth century and intensified gradually until reaching a crescendo in the 1948 ethnic cleansing campaign, Zionist forces in Palestine did everything in their power to rid the country of its original people, the Palestinians.
By early 1949, when the actual boundaries of the newly formed state of Israel were determined in the ceasefire agreements with neighboring countries, there were only about 200,000 native Palestinians within the boundaries of the state. From that point on, until 1967, the talk of Palestinians was focused mainly on the refugees living in camps and around Palestine. After 1967, the conversation shifted and focus was placed on those living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Somehow, Palestinian citizens of Israel are rarely discussed.
Israel has gone to great lengths to prevent its Palestinian citizens from ever becoming, or even feeling equal to Jewish Israelis. One method used effectively by Israel is the segregation of schools. Because the State of Israel believes in the superiority of the Jewish citizens, everything from facilities to curriculum and from class sizes to budgets reflects the state’s desire to maintain inequality.
25 books
Perhaps due to the twenty-five books he read, Jared Kushner, President Trump’s Zionist son-in-law, included the forgotten Palestinian citizens of Israel in the plan that he put together and named, “Peace to Prosperity.” This plan, more commonly known as the “Deal of the Century,” includes a passage which would have been unthinkable in any plan before it, namely the transfer of residents of Palestinian towns with Israeli citizenship to another state, one that does not yet exist and will likely never exist, the future State of Palestine.
On page 13 of the plan, under the heading “Borders,” it says the following:
The Triangle Communities consist of Kafr Qara, Ar’ ara, Baha al-Gharbiyye, Umm al Fahm, Qalansawe, Tayibe, Kafr Qasim, Tira, Kafr Bara and Jaljulia. These communities, which largely self-identify as Palestinian, were originally designated to fall under Jordanian control during the negotiations of the Armistice Line of 1949, but ultimately were retained by Israel for military reasons that have since been mitigated. The Vision contemplates the possibility, subject to agreement of the parties that the borders of Israel will be redrawn such that the Triangle Communities become part of the State of Palestine. In this agreement, the civil rights of the residents of the triangle communities would be subject to the applicable laws and judicial rulings of the relevant authorities.
The residents of all the cities and towns mentioned here are citizens of the state of Israel. This proposal is not unlike suggesting that the U.S. Mexico border be redrawn and that all ethnically Mexican communities in the U.S. be stripped of their U.S. citizenship and become part of Mexico.
As for the claim that they were designated to fall under Jordanian control in 1949 “but ultimately were retained by Israel for military reasons,” this is a delicate way to explain that these communities were used as pawns in Israel’s drawing of its boundaries and now they will once again be used as pawns. They were not given a voice when the decision was made in 1949 to include them in Israel, and clearly, they have not been given a voice in this new plan.
Taking away people’s rights
In reality, this is an attempt to force Palestinian citizens of Israel down the totem pole to a place where their rights will be even more limited. Israel controls the lives of all Palestinians in one way or another and this plan intends to force the citizens of Israel into a reality where they have even fewer rights than they currently do because Israel has so determined it. The plan states correctly that these communities identify as Palestinians, which is not surprising because they are in fact, Palestinians. The plan proposes to transfer control over these areas to what will surely be tightly controlled Bantustans with little to no ability for the residents to determine their fate, for the sole purpose of making Israel more racially homogenous.
The game that is played here is called, “Let’s pretend there is a Palestinian state.” Well, there isn’t one and it isn’t likely there ever will be such a state that is separate from Israel. Any attempt to free the region from the terror that has ruled it for so long will require transforming Palestine from an apartheid regime and creating a real democracy with equal rights in its place.
James Baldwin once wrote about the United States that it is “A country that has told itself so many lies about its history, that in sober fact has yet to excavate its history from the rubble of romance.” This could not be truer when speaking about Israel.
Feature photo | In this Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, photo, an Israeli Arab youth sits at a viewpoint overlooking the Israeli Arab town of Umm al-Fahm. Oded Balilty | AP
Miko Peled is an author and human rights activist born in Jerusalem. He is the author of “The General’s Son. Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,” and “Injustice, the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five.”


mintpressnews--2020-02-12--Scuffle Between Syrian Civilians and US Soldiers Reflects Increasing Hostility to US Troops

As resistance to U.S. troop presence in both Iraq and Syria gains steam , a rare scuffle between Syrian civilians and U.S. forces broke out on Wednesday resulting in the death of one Syrian , believed to be a civilian , and the wounding of another .
A U.S. soldier was also reportedly injured in the scuffle .
The event is likely to escalate tensions , particularly in the Northeastern region where the incident took place , as Syria , Iraq and Iran have pushed for an end to the U.S. troop presence in the region following the killing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between U.S. forces and Syrian locals took place near the town of Qamishli where the U.S. forces were conducting a patrol that , for reasons that are still unclear , entered into territory controlled by the Syrian government instead of territory occupied by the U.S. and its regional proxy , the Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) .
At a Syrian military checkpoint , the U.S. patrol was met by Syrian civilians of a nearby village who gathered at the checkpoint and began throwing rocks at the U.S. convoy .
Then , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the military vehicles .
Reports from activists on the ground and Syrian media then claim that U.S. troops opened fire using live ammunition and fired smoke bombs at the angry residents , killing one and wounding another .
A U.S. soldier was said to have received a superficial wound , though the nature of the wound was not specified .
After the scuffle , the protests grew larger , preventing more U.S. troops from arriving at the scene .
In one video of the protests , a local was seen ripping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American soldier .
The obstruction of the road prevented the U.S. patrol from advancing and two military vehicles had to be towed after becoming stuck in the grass after an apparent attempt to circumvent the roadblock created by the Syrian military checkpoint and supportive Syrian civilians .
A U.S. military spokesman claimed that the convoy encountered “ small-arms fire ” from “ unknown individuals ” and further asserted that “ In self-defense , coalition troops returned fire…The situation was de-escalated and is under investigation.
” However , critics have pointed out that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under international law and thus does not afford the U.S. military the ability to act in “ self-defense ” due to its status as an occupier .
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated in its report on the incident that the situation was de-escalated following the appearance of a Russian military convoy and asserted that the “ small-arms fire ” was from pro-government militia members who fired into the air near the convoy .
The incident also resulted in a few reports of U.S. coalition airstrikes on the village that occurred after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military sources and the U.S. military have denied that airstrikes took place in the area .
Though the incident in Qamishli is a rare occurrence , as nearly all media reports have pointed out , it is likely a harbinger of the region-wide push that has seen countries like Syria and Iraq take a firmer posture towards the presence American forces in their countries following the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in January .
At the time of his death , Soleimani , serving in a diplomatic capacity , had traveled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to meet Iraq ’ s Prime Minister to discuss efforts to de-escalate regional tensions and promote Iraqi sovereignty at the time of his death .
A well-known Iraqi militia leader , Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis , who many Iraqis credit with defeating Daesh ( ISIS ) in Iraq was also killed in the strike .
Following the controversial killing of Soleimani by the United States , Iran vowed that it would seek to expel U.S. troops from the region , particularly Syria and Iraq , in retribution , among other measures .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. troops in both Syria and Iraq has been under increasing pressure from locals , particularly in Iraq , where millions of Iraqis recently marched in support of a full U.S. withdrawal from the country .
In Syria , where U.S. troops are occupying territory and specifically oil fields in violation of international law , local tensions with U.S. forces have also been exacerbated by recent events , as Wednesday ’ s incident in Qamishli clearly shows .
In Iraq , the push to expel U.S. troops has recently spurred reports that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from several military installations in Iraq has already begun , according to the chair of Iraq ’ s parliamentary defense committee , Badr Al-Ziyadi .
However , the Pentagon has disputed these reports and has claimed that the U.S. is still actively working with Iraq ’ s military to fight Daesh .
In Syria , both domestic and international law considers the U.S. ’ military presence in the country to be that of an illegal occupier .
Notably , both the reports of the U.S. quietly leaving Iraq and the recent incident in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s chief foreign policy advisor , Ali Akbar Velayati , that the U.S. ’ military presence in both Syria and Iraq would end very soon and specifically cited Soleimani ’ s assassination as the impetus for their allegedly imminent departure .
Feature photo | Syrians gather next to an American military convoy stuck in the village of Khirbet Ammu , east of Qamishli city , Syria , Feb. 12 , 2020 .
Photo | AP Whitney Webb is a MintPress News journalist based in Chile .
She has contributed to several independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Ron Paul Institute and 21st Century Wire , among others .
She has made several radio and television appearances and is the 2019 winner of the Serena Shim Award for Uncompromised Integrity in Journalism .

As resistance to U.S. troop presence in both Iraq and Syria gains steam, a rare scuffle between Syrian civilians and U.S. forces broke out on Wednesday resulting in the death of one Syrian, believed to be a civilian, and the wounding of another. A U.S. soldier was also reportedly injured in the scuffle. The event is likely to escalate tensions, particularly in the Northeastern region where the incident took place, as Syria, Iraq and Iran have pushed for an end to the U.S. troop presence in the region following the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
The clash between U.S. forces and Syrian locals took place near the town of Qamishli where the U.S. forces were conducting a patrol that, for reasons that are still unclear, entered into territory controlled by the Syrian government instead of territory occupied by the U.S. and its regional proxy, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). At a Syrian military checkpoint, the U.S. patrol was met by Syrian civilians of a nearby village who gathered at the checkpoint and began throwing rocks at the U.S. convoy. Then, one Syrian took a U.S. flag off of one of the military vehicles.
Reports from activists on the ground and Syrian media then claim that U.S. troops opened fire using live ammunition and fired smoke bombs at the angry residents, killing one and wounding another. A U.S. soldier was said to have received a superficial wound, though the nature of the wound was not specified. After the scuffle, the protests grew larger, preventing more U.S. troops from arriving at the scene. In one video of the protests, a local was seen ripping a U.S. flag as he approached an American soldier.
The obstruction of the road prevented the U.S. patrol from advancing and two military vehicles had to be towed after becoming stuck in the grass after an apparent attempt to circumvent the roadblock created by the Syrian military checkpoint and supportive Syrian civilians.
US forces come under stones attack by local villagers while patrol in #Qamishli #Syria pic.twitter.com/RPtlM8kzf9 — Eyad Alhosain (@Eyad_Alhosain) February 12, 2020
The SAA prevented today a US convoy from crossing Khirbet Amo, south Qamishli, and the villagers supported the SAA and threw stones on the US patrol which shot & killed 1 civilian.
In the video, a civilian tells the occupation: "You cannot pass even if there are 100 agreements." pic.twitter.com/I2ehR4k47N — Kevork Almassian (@KevorkAlmassian) February 12, 2020
A U.S. military spokesman claimed that the convoy encountered “small-arms fire” from “unknown individuals” and further asserted that “In self-defense, coalition troops returned fire…The situation was de-escalated and is under investigation.” However, critics have pointed out that the U.S. military occupation of Syria is illegal under international law and thus does not afford the U.S. military the ability to act in “self-defense” due to its status as an occupier.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated in its report on the incident that the situation was de-escalated following the appearance of a Russian military convoy and asserted that the “small-arms fire” was from pro-government militia members who fired into the air near the convoy. The incident also resulted in a few reports of U.S. coalition airstrikes on the village that occurred after the scuffle. However, both Syrian military sources and the U.S. military have denied that airstrikes took place in the area.
Fallout from Soleimani assassination grows
Though the incident in Qamishli is a rare occurrence, as nearly all media reports have pointed out, it is likely a harbinger of the region-wide push that has seen countries like Syria and Iraq take a firmer posture towards the presence American forces in their countries following the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in January.
At the time of his death, Soleimani, serving in a diplomatic capacity, had traveled to Baghdad in a civilian aircraft and was due to meet Iraq’s Prime Minister to discuss efforts to de-escalate regional tensions and promote Iraqi sovereignty at the time of his death. A well-known Iraqi militia leader, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, who many Iraqis credit with defeating Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq was also killed in the strike. Following the controversial killing of Soleimani by the United States, Iran vowed that it would seek to expel U.S. troops from the region, particularly Syria and Iraq, in retribution, among other measures.
Since Soleimani was killed, the presence of U.S. troops in both Syria and Iraq has been under increasing pressure from locals, particularly in Iraq, where millions of Iraqis recently marched in support of a full U.S. withdrawal from the country.
In Syria, where U.S. troops are occupying territory and specifically oil fields in violation of international law, local tensions with U.S. forces have also been exacerbated by recent events, as Wednesday’s incident in Qamishli clearly shows.
In Iraq, the push to expel U.S. troops has recently spurred reports that have claimed that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from several military installations in Iraq has already begun, according to the chair of Iraq’s parliamentary defense committee, Badr Al-Ziyadi. However, the Pentagon has disputed these reports and has claimed that the U.S. is still actively working with Iraq’s military to fight Daesh. In Syria, both domestic and international law considers the U.S.’ military presence in the country to be that of an illegal occupier.
Notably, both the reports of the U.S. quietly leaving Iraq and the recent incident in Qamishli, Syria follow comments from Iran’s chief foreign policy advisor, Ali Akbar Velayati, that the U.S.’ military presence in both Syria and Iraq would end very soon and specifically cited Soleimani’s assassination as the impetus for their allegedly imminent departure.
Feature photo | Syrians gather next to an American military convoy stuck in the village of Khirbet Ammu, east of Qamishli city, Syria, Feb. 12, 2020. Photo | AP
Whitney Webb is a MintPress News journalist based in Chile. She has contributed to several independent media outlets including Global Research, EcoWatch, the Ron Paul Institute and 21st Century Wire, among others. She has made several radio and television appearances and is the 2019 winner of the Serena Shim Award for Uncompromised Integrity in Journalism.


mintpressnews--2020-02-12--Media Presents Anger and Jeers Against Juan Guaido as Hometown Hero’s Welcome

Self-declared Venezuelan “ Interim President ” Juan Guaido may have been given a hero ’ s welcome at President Trump ’ s State of the Union Address last week , but he certainly did not receive the same treatment after he touched down at Simon Bolivar International Airport , Caracas , yesterday .
His very presence was enough to turn those present , including airport employees , into an enraged mob hectoring , jeering and manhandling him , kicking his car and covering him in water and other liquids .
Video shows an angry female immigration employee shouting , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” as his passport is getting checked .
Others yelled “ murderer ” and “ fascist ” at the controversial opposition politician .
Guaido was roughed up in a scrum of angry Venezuelans , his shirt ripped and his pride dented .
Another video shows an employee of Conviasa ( an airline recently sanctioned by Trump ) chasing him through the arrivals lounge , pouring beer on him , expressing her contempt for him .
He escaped in his car as onlookers pelted it with traffic cones chanting that he was “ trash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more notable than the event is how corporate media , who have strongly supported Guaio in the past , described the event .
The influential French newswire Agence France-Presse described the scenes caught on camera as him “ being greeted by a throng of cheering supporters at the Caracas international airport , where he arrived on a flight from Portugal.
” And their account was picked up across the media .
Guaido was returning from a world tour where he was trying to increase support for further sanctions on his country .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Economic Policy Research , Trump ’ s sanctions against Venezuela killed at least 40,000 people between late 2017 and 2018 .
An American Special Rapporteur for the United Nations visited the country and declared Trump as guilty of crimes against humanity .
The U.N. deems the sanctions illegal , called on all countries to break them , and even discussed reparations the United States should pay to Venezuela .
The sanctions , in their opinion , have been designed to hit “ the poor and most vulnerable , ” rather than political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ovation by both Democrats and Republicans last week as guest of honor at Trump ’ s State of the Union address , the president describing him as a “ very brave man who carries with him the hopes dreams and aspirations of all Venezuelans ” fighting against the “ socialist dictator of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro , ” promising to “ smash and break ” the Venezuelan government .
Over the past year , Guaido has attempted four separate coups against Maduro , all of which have ended unsuccessfully .
Guaido ’ s political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they successfully regain power , they will call on the United States to formally govern the country .
Virtually unknown in Venezuela until last January , Guaido shocked the world by declaring himself the president , despite never having run for the office .
In a secret meeting with Vice-President Mike Pence , Guaido promised him that he had the support of at least half the Venezuelan armed forces , getting him to provide open support for a coup .
But when the time came no one rebelled , leaving him in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , where they believed they would be given a warm welcome .
Instead , as MintPress News reported , they have been incarcerated in an ICE concentration camp ever since .
The self-declared interim president is increasingly unpopular inside his own coalition .
In January he was voted out of a leadership position , after which he staged a faked publicity stunt where he climbed over the fence of the National Assembly , claiming he had been locked out – something that did not go well in Venezuela but was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act .
He has also been embroiled in a number of corruption scandals , caught publicly intoxicated , and stands accused of embezzling over $ 90 million of U.S. taxpayer money .
A December survey conducted by a right-wing pollster found that only ten percent of the country supported him .
Throughout all of this , however , neither the Democrats ’ nor the Trump administration ’ s loyalty to him has ever wavered .
This latest incident at the airport is another jarring reminder of the chasm between the image of Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reality on the ground .
Once again , the press prints bad news from Venezuela , knowingly planting fake news in order to lay the groundwork for more regime change operations .
Feature photo | Juan Guaido , center , arrives at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in La Guaira , Venezuela , Feb. 11 , 2020 .
Matias Delacroix | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Self-declared Venezuelan “Interim President” Juan Guaido may have been given a hero’s welcome at President Trump’s State of the Union Address last week, but he certainly did not receive the same treatment after he touched down at Simon Bolivar International Airport, Caracas, yesterday. His very presence was enough to turn those present, including airport employees, into an enraged mob hectoring, jeering and manhandling him, kicking his car and covering him in water and other liquids.
Video shows an angry female immigration employee shouting, “You are a traitor to our country” as his passport is getting checked. Others yelled “murderer” and “fascist” at the controversial opposition politician. Guaido was roughed up in a scrum of angry Venezuelans, his shirt ripped and his pride dented. Another video shows an employee of Conviasa (an airline recently sanctioned by Trump) chasing him through the arrivals lounge, pouring beer on him, expressing her contempt for him. He escaped in his car as onlookers pelted it with traffic cones chanting that he was “trash” and a “murderer.”
https://twitter.com/Underground_RT/status/1227562392495828998
Perhaps more notable than the event is how corporate media, who have strongly supported Guaio in the past, described the event. The influential French newswire Agence France-Presse described the scenes caught on camera as him “being greeted by a throng of cheering supporters at the Caracas international airport, where he arrived on a flight from Portugal.” And their account was picked up across the media.
Este es Juan Guaidó, el que es recibido con aplausos en Washington pero con desprecio nada más y nada menos que en #Venezuela. Su show es insostenible, el golpe de Estado falló hace meses. De la Casa Blanca al repudio absoluto en las calles venezolanas:pic.twitter.com/DpIBO84BwZ — Alina Duarte (@AlinaDuarte_) February 11, 2020
Guaido was returning from a world tour where he was trying to increase support for further sanctions on his country. According to a study by the Washington-based Center for Economic Policy Research, Trump’s sanctions against Venezuela killed at least 40,000 people between late 2017 and 2018. An American Special Rapporteur for the United Nations visited the country and declared Trump as guilty of crimes against humanity. The U.N. deems the sanctions illegal, called on all countries to break them, and even discussed reparations the United States should pay to Venezuela. The sanctions, in their opinion, have been designed to hit “the poor and most vulnerable,” rather than political leaders.
https://twitter.com/oriolsabata/status/1227356886393085952
Guaido was given a standing ovation by both Democrats and Republicans last week as guest of honor at Trump’s State of the Union address, the president describing him as a “very brave man who carries with him the hopes dreams and aspirations of all Venezuelans” fighting against the “socialist dictator of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro,” promising to “smash and break” the Venezuelan government.
Over the past year, Guaido has attempted four separate coups against Maduro, all of which have ended unsuccessfully. Guaido’s political mentor Leopoldo Lopez has stated that if they successfully regain power, they will call on the United States to formally govern the country.
Virtually unknown in Venezuela until last January, Guaido shocked the world by declaring himself the president, despite never having run for the office. In a secret meeting with Vice-President Mike Pence, Guaido promised him that he had the support of at least half the Venezuelan armed forces, getting him to provide open support for a coup. But when the time came no one rebelled, leaving him in an awkward position. His co-perpetrators fled to the United States, where they believed they would be given a warm welcome. Instead, as MintPress News reported, they have been incarcerated in an ICE concentration camp ever since.
The thought crossed my mind this AM , a CIA assassination , frame / set up Maduro . This Guaido kid is in way over his head , he doesn't even know it . pic.twitter.com/bozrhG6LSx — Darian (@koqatsi) February 12, 2020
The self-declared interim president is increasingly unpopular inside his own coalition. In January he was voted out of a leadership position, after which he staged a faked publicity stunt where he climbed over the fence of the National Assembly, claiming he had been locked out – something that did not go well in Venezuela but was presented around the world as a heroic act. He has also been embroiled in a number of corruption scandals, caught publicly intoxicated, and stands accused of embezzling over $90 million of U.S. taxpayer money. A December survey conducted by a right-wing pollster found that only ten percent of the country supported him. Throughout all of this, however, neither the Democrats’ nor the Trump administration’s loyalty to him has ever wavered.
This latest incident at the airport is another jarring reminder of the chasm between the image of Venezuela the West receives through corporate media and the reality on the ground. Once again, the press prints bad news from Venezuela, knowingly planting fake news in order to lay the groundwork for more regime change operations.
Feature photo | Juan Guaido, center, arrives at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in La Guaira, Venezuela, Feb. 11, 2020. Matias Delacroix | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-02-12--New Hampshire Primaries Paint a Picture of Modern Day Class War in America

Unlike Iowa ’ s debacle , yesterday ’ s New Hampshire primary results were announced promptly , showing Vermont senator Bernie Sanders in first place with 26 percent of the vote total .
Former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg was a close second , winning 24 percent of votes and the same number of delegates as Sanders .
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar came third , the only other candidate to draw enough support to secure any delegates .
But while the primary totals were relatively close , the top candidates ’ support comes from radically different segments of the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American society .
Sanders was the runaway winner among New Hampshire ’ s working class , receiving 38 percent of the vote from those with household incomes less than $ 50,000 .
That is a 21-point lead over his nearest challenger .
But his support fell to just 17 percent among those earning over $ 100,000 .
In contrast , Buttigieg doubled Sanders ’ votes among the rich but fared poorly among the working class .
It was a similar case with Klobuchar , who fared extremely well among the super-wealthy , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under $ 50,000 .
Indeed , of all the measurable metrics polling tracked , she and Mayor Pete fared the worst when it came to class .
Sanders also was the clear favorite among unionized households .
The American public is faced with a stark choice this year : embrace a more egalitarian social-democratic future with Sanders , or continue on a neoliberal path with Buttigieg ( or Klobuchar ) .
This is highlighted by the nature of their campaigns .
Bernie took time out of campaigning to join the Chicago teachers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billionaires , arguing they are a corrosive force in U.S. politics .
Buttigieg , on the other hand , has received payments from 40 billionaires and held a glitzy fundraiser in an exclusive Napa Valley wine cave , where guests were served $ 900 bottles of wine .
Meanwhile , corporate media have lauded Klobuchar for unflinchingly opposing virtually every piece of progressive legislation , including Medicare for All , the Green New Deal and free public college tuition .
There is an increasingly close correlation between age and class in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people on the wrong side of the 2008 financial crisis are locked out of the American dream .
Those who grew up in decades where college , healthcare and property were far cheaper have been more able to accrue wealth and avoid being saddled with huge debts like the younger generation .
Total student loan debt currently stands at over $ 1.6 trillion , a number Sanders plans to cancel completely .
Half of all young people believe the American dream is dead , and the majority of them are embracing socialism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ die young in America ; a 2017 Congressional Research Service report found that rich Americans lived between 10-15 years longer than poor ones , meaning those who have survived to retirement age are disproportionately wealthy .
Sanders won more voters under the age of 30 than all other candidates combined , yet his support craters to just 14 percent of the population aged over 65 .
Klobuchar , meanwhile , was the most popular candidate among the old but can count on only four percent of the young .
Sanders was also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of whom voted for the Vermont senator – twice that of his nearest challenger , Joe Biden .
While the exit polls showed that the professional middle classes are highly fickle – the large majority of Klobuchar and Buttigieg supporters undecided or switching allegiances until the final few days – it appears the working class is ready for a political revolution .
Freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for just that to liquidate ICE and end mass incarceration .
Ocasio-Cortez was speaking at a Sanders rally on the eve of the primary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to do it , mass movement politics to do it .
That ’ s the theory of change , that ’ s what political revolution is all about , ” she told the crowd .
Almost half of America is broke , and 58 percent of the country is living paycheck to paycheck , with savings of less than $ 1,000 .
37 million Americans go to bed hungry and over half a million sleep on the streets on any given night , with many millions more in vehicles or relying on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Census Bureau reported that wealth inequality had risen to the highest levels they had ever recorded .
Sanders has been a constant critic of economic inequality for decades and has emerged as the figurehead of a nationwide movement against it .
Many forecasts project him as the favorite in all 50 states , but even if he does lose or is denied the nomination like in 2016 , the conditions for his rise will not disappear , especially if Donald Trump wins again in November .
Alan MacLeod is a Staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Unlike Iowa’s debacle, yesterday’s New Hampshire primary results were announced promptly, showing Vermont senator Bernie Sanders in first place with 26 percent of the vote total. Former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg was a close second, winning 24 percent of votes and the same number of delegates as Sanders. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar came third, the only other candidate to draw enough support to secure any delegates.
But while the primary totals were relatively close, the top candidates’ support comes from radically different segments of the population, highlighting the deep fault lines in American society. Sanders was the runaway winner among New Hampshire’s working class, receiving 38 percent of the vote from those with household incomes less than $50,000. That is a 21-point lead over his nearest challenger. But his support fell to just 17 percent among those earning over $100,000. In contrast, Buttigieg doubled Sanders’ votes among the rich but fared poorly among the working class. It was a similar case with Klobuchar, who fared extremely well among the super-wealthy, but was in single digits with those earning under $50,000. Indeed, of all the measurable metrics polling tracked, she and Mayor Pete fared the worst when it came to class. Sanders also was the clear favorite among unionized households.
New Hampshire results in full: pic.twitter.com/4BPoM0cj1w — Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) February 12, 2020
A tale of two futures
The American public is faced with a stark choice this year: embrace a more egalitarian social-democratic future with Sanders, or continue on a neoliberal path with Buttigieg (or Klobuchar). This is highlighted by the nature of their campaigns. Bernie took time out of campaigning to join the Chicago teachers’ strike and refuses to accept money from billionaires, arguing they are a corrosive force in U.S. politics. Buttigieg, on the other hand, has received payments from 40 billionaires and held a glitzy fundraiser in an exclusive Napa Valley wine cave, where guests were served $900 bottles of wine. Meanwhile, corporate media have lauded Klobuchar for unflinchingly opposing virtually every piece of progressive legislation, including Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and free public college tuition.
Here are some photos of the Buttigieg fundraiser in Napa — with the famous wine cave and the chandelier with 1,500 Swarovski crystals — that @BrianSlodysko wrote about.https://t.co/0sprQ3aDsy pic.twitter.com/3waO6jO93L — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) December 16, 2019
Fault Lines
There is an increasingly close correlation between age and class in the United States, as more and more young people on the wrong side of the 2008 financial crisis are locked out of the American dream. Those who grew up in decades where college, healthcare and property were far cheaper have been more able to accrue wealth and avoid being saddled with huge debts like the younger generation. Total student loan debt currently stands at over $1.6 trillion, a number Sanders plans to cancel completely. Half of all young people believe the American dream is dead, and the majority of them are embracing socialism.
At the same time, the poor die young in America; a 2017 Congressional Research Service report found that rich Americans lived between 10-15 years longer than poor ones, meaning those who have survived to retirement age are disproportionately wealthy. Sanders won more voters under the age of 30 than all other candidates combined, yet his support craters to just 14 percent of the population aged over 65. Klobuchar, meanwhile, was the most popular candidate among the old but can count on only four percent of the young.
Sanders was also the overwhelming choice of non-white voters, 32 percent of whom voted for the Vermont senator – twice that of his nearest challenger, Joe Biden.
A political revolution
While the exit polls showed that the professional middle classes are highly fickle – the large majority of Klobuchar and Buttigieg supporters undecided or switching allegiances until the final few days – it appears the working class is ready for a political revolution. Freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for just that to liquidate ICE and end mass incarceration. Ocasio-Cortez was speaking at a Sanders rally on the eve of the primary. “It’s going to take you to do it, mass movement politics to do it. That’s the theory of change, that’s what political revolution is all about,” she told the crowd.
Almost half of America is broke, and 58 percent of the country is living paycheck to paycheck, with savings of less than $1,000. 37 million Americans go to bed hungry and over half a million sleep on the streets on any given night, with many millions more in vehicles or relying on friends or family. In September, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that wealth inequality had risen to the highest levels they had ever recorded. Sanders has been a constant critic of economic inequality for decades and has emerged as the figurehead of a nationwide movement against it. Many forecasts project him as the favorite in all 50 states, but even if he does lose or is denied the nomination like in 2016, the conditions for his rise will not disappear, especially if Donald Trump wins again in November.
Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., greets supporters at a primary night election rally in Manchester, N.H., Feb. 11, Matt Rourke | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-02-12--Gruesome Details Emerge of Israel’s Torture of Palestinian Prisoners

New allegations have surfaced claiming that Israel ’ s domestic intelligence agency , Shin Bet or Shabak , is engaged in the brutal torture of Palestinian detainees , despite the practice being against both Israeli and international law .
The new accusations , deemed “ very credible ” by both Israeli and Palestinian rights groups , come amid a recorded spike in the use of torture on Palestinian detainees by Israeli authorities .
The latest cases involve three Palestinian men who were detained as part of the extensive manhunt that followed an August 23 bombing that killed an Israeli settler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men , living in the occupied West Bank , were detained per Israel ’ s controversial practice of “ administrative detention , ” whereby Israel may detain an individual for months or even years without charging them with a crime .
The lawyers and family members of the three main suspects have asserted that all three men suspected of links to the bombing had been tortured to the point of needing hospitalization , with one of them being admitted for kidney failure and 11 broken ribs before subsequently being returned to the custody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men had his genitals bitten by a security dog while the third man was wheelchair-bound and unrecognizable to his wife when he appeared in a courtroom .
While these three Palestinian men ’ s experiences are extreme cases , the same Shin Bet investigation also tortured several other detainees in less severe ways but nonetheless left them traumatized .
Those detainees were released after weeks in detention and were never charged .
Shin Bet also arrested family members of detainees and , in some cases , paraded them in front of detainees in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wives and children would also undergo the same harsh treatment .
Though the manhunt and resulting torture of Palestinian suspects took place months ago , reporting on the incidents was delayed due to an Israeli court-mandated gag order that was renewed multiple times since it was first issued last September .
That gag order , in effect for well over three months , also made court proceedings of the three main suspects in the case closed to the public and prevented family members from attending court , with few exceptions .
The alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 23 bombing occurred during a period when the use of torture of West Bank Palestinians by Shin Bet spiked dramatically , according to the Palestinian prisoner rights organization Adameer , which issued a report last month that contained hard evidence of “ the systematic use of torture and ill-treatment ” against Palestinian detainees at the Al-Mascobiyya interrogation center .
The torture of detainees , though often denied by Israeli officials , is technically illegal .
Yet , a loophole provided in the same 1999 Israeli Supreme Court ruling that made the practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the ruling only prohibited torture of detainees unless there was suspicion of an imminent attack .
This loophole has routinely been used by Shin Bet , especially given that Shin Bet officials who engage in the practice have done so for decades with impunity .
Indeed , while over one thousand official complaints against the Shin Bet related to its use of torture have been filed since 2001 , only one has ever gone to court — a 2017 case which is still open .
In addition , the use of torture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors who work with Shin Bet by approving brutal interrogation tactics , falsifying medical reports and engaging in other activities that provide justifications for the use of extreme and internationally-condemned interrogation methods .
Their support would also likely help protect Shin Bet officials in the event that more of these torture cases ever went to court .
One likely reason for the culture of the impunity is the tacit approval of a large portion of the Israeli populace regarding the use of torture on those deemed “ enemy combatants.
” For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 20 and 35 conducted in 16 countries last month found that Israeli youths were by far the most supportive of the use of torture , with only 23 percent of Israeli respondents opposing the practice , compared to the international average of 55 percent .
As to why the last few months have seen a spike in reports of the torture of Palestinian prisoners , the answer is not entirely clear .
One possible explanation could be related to the U.S.-Israeli push to enact the so-called “ Deal of the Century ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Israeli that has seen the country awaiting its third election in less than a year , as embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to promote his tough-on-crime and security-focused stances during the prolonged election season .
Feature photo | An actor demonstrates the torture method known as the “ banana.
” One of several standard torture techniques reportedly used by the Shin Bet during interrogations of Palestinian prisoners .
Photo | AP Whitney Webb is a MintPress News journalist based in Chile .
She has contributed to several independent media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ron Paul Institute and 21st Century Wire , among others .
She has made several radio and television appearances and is the 2019 winner of the Serena Shim Award for Uncompromised Integrity in Journalism .

New allegations have surfaced claiming that Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet or Shabak, is engaged in the brutal torture of Palestinian detainees, despite the practice being against both Israeli and international law. The new accusations, deemed “very credible” by both Israeli and Palestinian rights groups, come amid a recorded spike in the use of torture on Palestinian detainees by Israeli authorities.
The latest cases involve three Palestinian men who were detained as part of the extensive manhunt that followed an August 23 bombing that killed an Israeli settler and teenager Rina Shnerb. The three men, living in the occupied West Bank, were detained per Israel’s controversial practice of “administrative detention,” whereby Israel may detain an individual for months or even years without charging them with a crime.
The lawyers and family members of the three main suspects have asserted that all three men suspected of links to the bombing had been tortured to the point of needing hospitalization, with one of them being admitted for kidney failure and 11 broken ribs before subsequently being returned to the custody of Israeli interrogators. Another of the men had his genitals bitten by a security dog while the third man was wheelchair-bound and unrecognizable to his wife when he appeared in a courtroom.
While these three Palestinian men’s experiences are extreme cases, the same Shin Bet investigation also tortured several other detainees in less severe ways but nonetheless left them traumatized. Those detainees were released after weeks in detention and were never charged. Shin Bet also arrested family members of detainees and, in some cases, paraded them in front of detainees in order to create the impression that their wives and children would also undergo the same harsh treatment.
Though the manhunt and resulting torture of Palestinian suspects took place months ago, reporting on the incidents was delayed due to an Israeli court-mandated gag order that was renewed multiple times since it was first issued last September. That gag order, in effect for well over three months, also made court proceedings of the three main suspects in the case closed to the public and prevented family members from attending court, with few exceptions.
A spike in torture
The alleged torturing of prisoners in connection to the August 23 bombing occurred during a period when the use of torture of West Bank Palestinians by Shin Bet spiked dramatically, according to the Palestinian prisoner rights organization Adameer, which issued a report last month that contained hard evidence of “the systematic use of torture and ill-treatment” against Palestinian detainees at the Al-Mascobiyya interrogation center.
The torture of detainees, though often denied by Israeli officials, is technically illegal. Yet, a loophole provided in the same 1999 Israeli Supreme Court ruling that made the practice illegal has allowed it to continue, as the ruling only prohibited torture of detainees unless there was suspicion of an imminent attack. This loophole has routinely been used by Shin Bet, especially given that Shin Bet officials who engage in the practice have done so for decades with impunity. Indeed, while over one thousand official complaints against the Shin Bet related to its use of torture have been filed since 2001, only one has ever gone to court — a 2017 case which is still open.
In addition, the use of torture has been supported by a cadre of doctors who work with Shin Bet by approving brutal interrogation tactics, falsifying medical reports and engaging in other activities that provide justifications for the use of extreme and internationally-condemned interrogation methods. Their support would also likely help protect Shin Bet officials in the event that more of these torture cases ever went to court.
One likely reason for the culture of the impunity is the tacit approval of a large portion of the Israeli populace regarding the use of torture on those deemed “enemy combatants.” For instance, one poll of youth between the ages of 20 and 35 conducted in 16 countries last month found that Israeli youths were by far the most supportive of the use of torture, with only 23 percent of Israeli respondents opposing the practice, compared to the international average of 55 percent.
As to why the last few months have seen a spike in reports of the torture of Palestinian prisoners, the answer is not entirely clear. One possible explanation could be related to the U.S.-Israeli push to enact the so-called “Deal of the Century” as well as the current political upheaval in Israeli that has seen the country awaiting its third election in less than a year, as embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to promote his tough-on-crime and security-focused stances during the prolonged election season.
Feature photo | An actor demonstrates the torture method known as the “banana.” One of several standard torture techniques reportedly used by the Shin Bet during interrogations of Palestinian prisoners. Photo | AP
Whitney Webb is a MintPress News journalist based in Chile. She has contributed to several independent media outlets including Global Research, EcoWatch, the Ron Paul Institute and 21st Century Wire, among others. She has made several radio and television appearances and is the 2019 winner of the Serena Shim Award for Uncompromised Integrity in Journalism.