mintpressnews--2020-03-10--The Battle for Idlib: Did Erdogan Capitulate to Putin in Moscow?

There was a celebration in Syria when Russia announced a ceasefire agreement with Turkey on March 3 following a six-hour meeting between Presidents Erdogan and Putin in Moscow .
Under the agreement , Erdogan agreed to pull back Turkish forces and not to contest territory that Syria had recently reclaimed from terrorist groups in eastern Aleppo and southern Idlib provinces .
In fact , Turkey agreed not to intervene against Syrian troops in any of the areas from which it pulled back , in effect allowing Syrian forces to reclaim even more of its territory from terrorists in southern Idlib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capitulation by Erdogan , who , prior to his trip to Moscow , had been demanding that Syria return the reclaimed territory under terms of the Astana agreement inked in September 2018 .
Syria , on the other hand , argued that Turkey had not fulfilled its obligations under the agreement , thereby allowing Syria to use its military to enforce the terms against the terrorist groups occupying Syrian territory .
But when the Syrians expelled the forces of al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) from towns and villages along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sending thousands of Turkish reinforcements and massive armaments to the aid of its terrorist allies .
Dozens of Turkish troops were killed and Turkey threatened to take direct military action to repel Syrian forces .
How did Turkish demands change so drastically after the Moscow meeting ?
Was it a capitulation as many Syrians seemed to think ?
What did Putin say that led Erdogan to an apparent about-face ?
Did Erdogan really concede in exchange for essentially nothing in return ?
A possible clue is a statement by Erdogan to the Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of the Turkish “ homeland.
” This will surprise no one familiar with Erdogan ’ s territorial ambitions toward parts of the former Ottoman Empire .
Erdogan is , in fact , sometimes referred to as “ Sultan ” or “ Caliph ” in the press , a moniker he doesn ’ t seem to mind .
He has brought thousands of Chinese Uyghurs and other nationalities to fight against the Syrian government and has invited their families to settle in Idlib , where schools now teach students in Turkish instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erdogan ’ s intent is clearly to colonize that part of Syria .
Is this the quid that Erdogan got in exchange for the quo with Putin ?
The terms of the agreement call for a Turkish withdrawal to the north of the M4 highway but assure a separation with Syrian forces to the south to be enforced by joint Russian-Turkish patrols in a 12-kilometer wide demilitarized zone ( DMZ ) along the M4 .
Is this not in effect a gift of a portion of Idlib province to Turkey – a quasi-permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is Turkey saying that if Israel is allowed to occupy the Golan Heights and the U.S. the eastern Syrian oil fields , why shouldn ’ t Turkey be allowed its piece of the colonialist pie ?
Of course , we can not know for certain that such a gift was part of the Moscow understanding .
At most , it ’ s implied by the separation protocol along the M4 .
But Erdogan is not known for quietly making deals that are to his disadvantage .
Some will point out that the agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , respecting Syrian sovereignty in all Syrian territory .
Unfortunately , this provision lacks implementation other than by the Syrian army , and the Russian-Turkish patrols specified in the Moscow agreement would seem to assure that the Syrian army will be kept at bay .
Erdogan can afford to be generous with wording that has no backing .
A further consideration is that the Moscow negotiation was conducted between Russia and Turkey only , not Syria , with the exception of updates via telephone .
Of course , Syria is a valued ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian interests .
But Russia also has interests , which are not necessarily the same as Syria ’ s .
Russia supports Syria but tries to keep good relations with Turkey .
Unfortunately , the Idlib conflict has come close to forcing Russia to make a choice between the two , with several close confrontations between Turkish and Russian forces .
Russia wants to avoid such a choice , and remain on good terms with both Syria and Turkey .
So why would Russia not be willing to make a compromise ?
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view – let Turkey keep a corner of Syria for an extended , possibly indefinite , period of time in exchange for both sides accomplishing their short term goals ?
Of course , this is not explicitly spelled out in the agreement , but if Turkey really wishes to respect Syrian sovereignty , why does it not pull back behind the Turkish border rather than the M4 DMZ ?
Why have a DMZ at all ?
How does it protect Syrian sovereignty ?
On the contrary , it protects Turkish “ sovereignty ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian troops .
In fact , Russian troops have already escorted 13 convoys of Turkish troops to Idlib city , just north of the DMZ , as if to prove the point , while Syrian troops are busy mopping up the territories to the south , without Turkish opposition .
Clearly the M4 DMZ is intended as a barrier , with Turkish troops on one side and Syrians on the other with Russians in between .
How long will this barrier remain in place ?
Syrian optimists argue that it is very temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gift of a small piece of Syrian territory is a small price to pay for getting out of a very dangerous situation , what can Syria do about it ?
Syria can not afford to split with Russia over such an issue , and will defer any action to recover the rest of Idlib province until… when ?
Perhaps the case of Korea is instructive .
Feature photo | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses to his ruling party ’ s legislator at parliament , in Ankara , Turkey , Feb. 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @

There was a celebration in Syria when Russia announced a ceasefire agreement with Turkey on March 3 following a six-hour meeting between Presidents Erdogan and Putin in Moscow. Under the agreement, Erdogan agreed to pull back Turkish forces and not to contest territory that Syria had recently reclaimed from terrorist groups in eastern Aleppo and southern Idlib provinces. In fact, Turkey agreed not to intervene against Syrian troops in any of the areas from which it pulled back, in effect allowing Syrian forces to reclaim even more of its territory from terrorists in southern Idlib.
The agreement appeared to be a capitulation by Erdogan, who, prior to his trip to Moscow, had been demanding that Syria return the reclaimed territory under terms of the Astana agreement inked in September 2018. Syria, on the other hand, argued that Turkey had not fulfilled its obligations under the agreement, thereby allowing Syria to use its military to enforce the terms against the terrorist groups occupying Syrian territory.
But when the Syrians expelled the forces of al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from towns and villages along the previous ceasefire lines, Turkey reacted by sending thousands of Turkish reinforcements and massive armaments to the aid of its terrorist allies. Dozens of Turkish troops were killed and Turkey threatened to take direct military action to repel Syrian forces.
How did Turkish demands change so drastically after the Moscow meeting? Was it a capitulation as many Syrians seemed to think? What did Putin say that led Erdogan to an apparent about-face? Did Erdogan really concede in exchange for essentially nothing in return?
A possible clue is a statement by Erdogan to the Turkish parliament on March 4, claiming Idlib as part of the Turkish “homeland.” This will surprise no one familiar with Erdogan’s territorial ambitions toward parts of the former Ottoman Empire. Erdogan is, in fact, sometimes referred to as “Sultan” or “Caliph” in the press, a moniker he doesn’t seem to mind. He has brought thousands of Chinese Uyghurs and other nationalities to fight against the Syrian government and has invited their families to settle in Idlib, where schools now teach students in Turkish instead of Syria’s native Arabic. Erdogan’s intent is clearly to colonize that part of Syria.
Erdogan’s quid pro quo
Is this the quid that Erdogan got in exchange for the quo with Putin? The terms of the agreement call for a Turkish withdrawal to the north of the M4 highway but assure a separation with Syrian forces to the south to be enforced by joint Russian-Turkish patrols in a 12-kilometer wide demilitarized zone (DMZ) along the M4. Is this not in effect a gift of a portion of Idlib province to Turkey – a quasi-permanent Turkish occupation zone inside of Syria? Is Turkey saying that if Israel is allowed to occupy the Golan Heights and the U.S. the eastern Syrian oil fields, why shouldn’t Turkey be allowed its piece of the colonialist pie? Of course, we cannot know for certain that such a gift was part of the Moscow understanding. At most, it’s implied by the separation protocol along the M4. But Erdogan is not known for quietly making deals that are to his disadvantage.
Some will point out that the agreement reinforces the wording of the Astana accord, respecting Syrian sovereignty in all Syrian territory. Unfortunately, this provision lacks implementation other than by the Syrian army, and the Russian-Turkish patrols specified in the Moscow agreement would seem to assure that the Syrian army will be kept at bay. Erdogan can afford to be generous with wording that has no backing.
A further consideration is that the Moscow negotiation was conducted between Russia and Turkey only, not Syria, with the exception of updates via telephone. Of course, Syria is a valued ally of Russia, which prefers to respect Syrian interests. But Russia also has interests, which are not necessarily the same as Syria’s. Russia supports Syria but tries to keep good relations with Turkey. Unfortunately, the Idlib conflict has come close to forcing Russia to make a choice between the two, with several close confrontations between Turkish and Russian forces.
Russia wants to avoid such a choice, and remain on good terms with both Syria and Turkey. So why would Russia not be willing to make a compromise? Why not – from the Russian point of view – let Turkey keep a corner of Syria for an extended, possibly indefinite, period of time in exchange for both sides accomplishing their short term goals?
Of course, this is not explicitly spelled out in the agreement, but if Turkey really wishes to respect Syrian sovereignty, why does it not pull back behind the Turkish border rather than the M4 DMZ? Why have a DMZ at all? How does it protect Syrian sovereignty? On the contrary, it protects Turkish “sovereignty” on Syrian soil from possible confrontation with Syrian troops. In fact, Russian troops have already escorted 13 convoys of Turkish troops to Idlib city, just north of the DMZ, as if to prove the point, while Syrian troops are busy mopping up the territories to the south, without Turkish opposition.
Clearly the M4 DMZ is intended as a barrier, with Turkish troops on one side and Syrians on the other with Russians in between. How long will this barrier remain in place? Syrian optimists argue that it is very temporary. But if Russia has decided that a gift of a small piece of Syrian territory is a small price to pay for getting out of a very dangerous situation, what can Syria do about it? Syria cannot afford to split with Russia over such an issue, and will defer any action to recover the rest of Idlib province until… when? Perhaps the case of Korea is instructive.
Feature photo | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses to his ruling party’s legislator at parliament, in Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 19, 2020. Burhan Ozbilici | AP


mintpressnews--2020-03-10--Abuse, Oppression and Murder: The PA Does Israel’s Dirty Work in the West Bank

Merely two weeks after Palestinian Authority President , Mahmoud Abbas , declared that the PA will suspend all ‘ security coordination ’ with Israel , Palestinian security forces in the West Bank killed unarmed teenager , Salah Zakareneh .
Zakareneh is not the first and , sadly , will not be the last Palestinian to be killed by the PA security forces , which in recent years have dramatically increased their oppressive tactics against any form of political dissent in Palestine .
The 17-year-old boy died soon after PA security was dispatched to the village of Qabatiya , south of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allegedly confront a “ military-style demonstration ” that was being planned .
The official version of the story claimed that as soon as the PA force arrived in Qabatiya , armed men from the village opened fire while others hurled rocks , prompting PA officers to respond with live bullets and teargas canisters , resulting in the death of Zakareneh and the wounding of others .
No PA officers were wounded by gunfire .
There is no denying that anti-PA sentiment has grown exponentially throughout the occupied Palestinian territories in recent months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with corruption and continues to rule over Palestinians , in whatever limited capacity permitted by Israel , with no democratic mandate whatsoever .
Moreover , the PA consists largely of loyalists to Abbas ’ s Fatah party , which is itself divided between various centers of power .
In 2016 , the PA set up a joint body of Palestinian intelligence agencies in Jericho with the sole purpose of cracking down on supporters of Abbas ’ s arch-enemy , Mohammed Dahlan , who is currently in exile .
Since its creation , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the President , has expanded its mandate and is actively cracking down on any individual , organization or political entity that dares question the policies of Abbas and his party .
Soon after Abbas claimed in a speech before the Arab League in Cairo , on February 1 , that the PA will severe all contacts with Israel “ including security relations ” , a senior PA official informed Israeli media that the cooperation between the PA and Israel is still ongoing .
“ Until now , the coordination is ongoing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the official told the Times of Israel .
‘ Security coordination ’ is perhaps the only reason why Israel is allowing the PA to exist despite the fact that Israel , with the support of the United States , has completely reneged on all of its commitments to the Oslo accords and all subsequent agreements .
It is quite surreal that the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah , which once promised Palestinians freedom and liberation in an independent , sovereign state , now exists mostly to ensure the very security of the Israeli army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The PA and the Israeli occupation now co-exist in some kind of symbiotic relationship .
To ensure the continuation of that mutually beneficial relationship , both entities are invested in suppressing any form of resistance , or even mere protest , in the occupied West Bank .
In truth , whether the protesters in Qabatiya were accompanied by gunmen or not would have made little difference .
The only form of protest or mass gathering which is currently allowed in the West Bank are those held by Abbas ’ s own loyalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemies .
Last year , the Arab Organization for Human Rights in the UK accused PA security services of using repressive measures against Palestinian activists and employing psychological and physical torture against its critics ; in other words , duplicating Israeli policies in dealing with Palestinians .
Those who are often targeted by the PA ’ s Preventive Security Service ( PSS ) and various other intelligence units include students and previously released prisoners .
In its 2020 report on “ Israel and Palestine ” , Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tortured by PA security forces for the most insignificant ‘ offenses ’ .
“ The PA held 1,134 people in detention as of April 21 ( 2019 ) , ” according to HRW figures .
The rights groups also reported that “ between January 2018 and March 2019 , ( the PA ) detained 1,609 persons for insulting ‘ higher authorities ’ and creating ‘ sectarian strife , ’ charges that in effect criminalize peaceful dissent , and 752 for social media posts.
” While many Palestinian prisoners held unlawfully in Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release or better imprisonment conditions , news of Palestinian prisoners on open hunger strikes in PA prisons often go unreported .
Ahmad al-Awartani , 25 , was one of the thousands of Palestinians to be arrested based on outrageous charges , as the young man was detained under the so-called Cyber Crimes Law .
He was arrested by PA police for a single Facebook post in which he criticized the Palestinian Authority .
In April 2018 , al-Awartani entered a hunger strike that went almost completely unnoticed by Palestinian , Arab , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and violence are regular occurrences in occupied Palestine .
While Israel is responsible for the greater share of the violation of Palestinian human rights , the PA is part and parcel of that same Israeli strategy .
While it is true that Abbas ’ s crackdowns are tailored to serve his personal interests , PA action has ultimately served the interests of Israel which aims to keep Palestinians divided and is using PA security forces as an extra layer of protection for its soldiers and settlers alike .
That in mind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewed as a marginal occurrence in the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and apartheid .
Indeed , the Palestinian Authority has made it crystal clear that its violence against dissenting Palestinians is no different than Israeli violence targeting any form of resistance , anywhere in Palestine .
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
He is the author of five books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs ( CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is www.ramzybaroud.net

Merely two weeks after Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, declared that the PA will suspend all ‘security coordination’ with Israel, Palestinian security forces in the West Bank killed unarmed teenager, Salah Zakareneh.
Zakareneh is not the first and, sadly, will not be the last Palestinian to be killed by the PA security forces, which in recent years have dramatically increased their oppressive tactics against any form of political dissent in Palestine.
The 17-year-old boy died soon after PA security was dispatched to the village of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, in the northern West Bank to allegedly confront a “military-style demonstration” that was being planned.
The official version of the story claimed that as soon as the PA force arrived in Qabatiya, armed men from the village opened fire while others hurled rocks, prompting PA officers to respond with live bullets and teargas canisters, resulting in the death of Zakareneh and the wounding of others. No PA officers were wounded by gunfire.
There is no denying that anti-PA sentiment has grown exponentially throughout the occupied Palestinian territories in recent months. Abbas’s Authority is rife with corruption and continues to rule over Palestinians, in whatever limited capacity permitted by Israel, with no democratic mandate whatsoever.
Moreover, the PA consists largely of loyalists to Abbas’s Fatah party, which is itself divided between various centers of power.
In 2016, the PA set up a joint body of Palestinian intelligence agencies in Jericho with the sole purpose of cracking down on supporters of Abbas’s arch-enemy, Mohammed Dahlan, who is currently in exile.
Since its creation, the new intelligence body, which reports directly to the President, has expanded its mandate and is actively cracking down on any individual, organization or political entity that dares question the policies of Abbas and his party.
Soon after Abbas claimed in a speech before the Arab League in Cairo, on February 1, that the PA will severe all contacts with Israel “including security relations”, a senior PA official informed Israeli media that the cooperation between the PA and Israel is still ongoing.
“Until now, the coordination is ongoing, but relations are extremely tense,” the official told the Times of Israel.
‘Security coordination’ is perhaps the only reason why Israel is allowing the PA to exist despite the fact that Israel, with the support of the United States, has completely reneged on all of its commitments to the Oslo accords and all subsequent agreements.
It is quite surreal that the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, which once promised Palestinians freedom and liberation in an independent, sovereign state, now exists mostly to ensure the very security of the Israeli army and illegal Jewish settlers in occupied Palestine.
The PA and the Israeli occupation now co-exist in some kind of symbiotic relationship. To ensure the continuation of that mutually beneficial relationship, both entities are invested in suppressing any form of resistance, or even mere protest, in the occupied West Bank.
In truth, whether the protesters in Qabatiya were accompanied by gunmen or not would have made little difference. The only form of protest or mass gathering which is currently allowed in the West Bank are those held by Abbas’s own loyalists, chanting his name and chastising his enemies.
Last year, the Arab Organization for Human Rights in the UK accused PA security services of using repressive measures against Palestinian activists and employing psychological and physical torture against its critics; in other words, duplicating Israeli policies in dealing with Palestinians.
Those who are often targeted by the PA’s Preventive Security Service (PSS) and various other intelligence units include students and previously released prisoners.
In its 2020 report on “Israel and Palestine”, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that hundreds of Palestinians have been detained and tortured by PA security forces for the most insignificant ‘offenses’.
“The PA held 1,134 people in detention as of April 21 (2019),” according to HRW figures.
The rights groups also reported that “between January 2018 and March 2019, (the PA) detained 1,609 persons for insulting ‘higher authorities’ and creating ‘sectarian strife,’ charges that in effect criminalize peaceful dissent, and 752 for social media posts.”
While many Palestinian prisoners held unlawfully in Israel undergo prolonged hunger strikes demanding their immediate release or better imprisonment conditions, news of Palestinian prisoners on open hunger strikes in PA prisons often go unreported.
Ahmad al-Awartani, 25, was one of the thousands of Palestinians to be arrested based on outrageous charges, as the young man was detained under the so-called Cyber Crimes Law. He was arrested by PA police for a single Facebook post in which he criticized the Palestinian Authority.
In April 2018, al-Awartani entered a hunger strike that went almost completely unnoticed by Palestinian, Arab, and international media.
Arbitrary arrests, torture, and violence are regular occurrences in occupied Palestine. While Israel is responsible for the greater share of the violation of Palestinian human rights, the PA is part and parcel of that same Israeli strategy.
While it is true that Abbas’s crackdowns are tailored to serve his personal interests, PA action has ultimately served the interests of Israel which aims to keep Palestinians divided and is using PA security forces as an extra layer of protection for its soldiers and settlers alike.
That in mind, Zakareneh’s death cannot be viewed as a marginal occurrence in the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and apartheid. Indeed, the Palestinian Authority has made it crystal clear that its violence against dissenting Palestinians is no different than Israeli violence targeting any form of resistance, anywhere in Palestine.
Feature photo | Members of Palestinian security forces wear masks outside a hotel n Bethlehem, West Bank,, March 6, 2020. Majdi Mohammed | AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net


mintpressnews--2020-03-11--Creative Coronavirus Responses Appear Across the World, but Not in Trump’s America

As the World Health Organization declared the novel COVID-19 virus a pandemic today , countries across the globe are coming up with clever and creative methods of halting its spread or dampening its impact , putting the U.S. ’ lackluster response to shame .
The world ’ s smallest country , the Vatican , confirmed its first case of coronavirus last week .
Today , Pope Francis canceled public events and held his first ever online general audience instead , announcing he felt close to “ all the sick people who have contracted the virus and are suffering from sickness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertainty.
” The Holy See , like the rest of the Italian peninsula that surrounds it , is in complete lockdown .
The Italian government announced yesterday that all mortgage repayments would be suspended during the crisis , allowing poor and middle-class families financial breathing space .
In the face of a severe outbreak inside the country , the government of Iran temporarily freed 70,000 prisoners from its jails .
9,000 people inside the Islamic Republic have contracted the virus , with 354 recorded deaths , and the government is keen its prisons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Japan , Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced the government will provide subsidies for parents forced to take time off work to look after their children .
South Korea has established “ drive-thru ” coronavirus testing facilities that can process 10,000 people per day and diagnose an individual in less than 10 minutes .
Meanwhile , in Vietnam , local food bloggers report that authorities are delivering free meals to all those in self-quarantine .
Other countries are taking more drastic measures .
Israel , for instance , is only allowing foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can self-quarantine for 14 days , while some European countries so far untouched by the virus have simply closed their borders to those coming from infected regions .
China , the epicenter of the virus , appears to have already hit rock bottom and begun to recover .
While the government was criticized in the West for its response , there have been only 43 new cases in the previous two days across the entire country , with some industries in Wuhan itself re-opening for business , suggesting that their all-encompassing approach paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the American government has been slow .
On Monday Vice President Mike Pence finally announced that citizens could be tested for the virus free of charge , something taken for granted in virtually every other country in the world .
However , the damage may have already been done ; the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was nearly two months ago , with the White House slow to acknowledge its spread in the beginning .
Individuals displaying symptoms and wishing to be tested have been turned away multiple times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was at risk .
Still others have been presented with bills of $ 3,500 for securing precautionary checks .
And because there is no guaranteed sick pay , rent or mortgage relief , many poor Americans have had to choose between doing the right thing in self-quarantining , or potentially losing their job and their house .
There are more than 1,000 confirmed cases in the United States , but because of sparse testing , the real number of cases will undoubtedly be higher .
One of those confirmed cases was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also attended by the president and vice president .
But only five Republican lawmakers are self-quarantining as a result of being in contact with the individual .
Trump , however , maintains that he is “ not concerned at all ” with the news , claiming , “ we ’ ve done a fantastic job ” combatting it .
He has also used the coronavirus to stoke xenophobic sentiment , tweeting that “ we need the Wall more than ever , ” implying that Latinos are the source of the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has repeatedly claimed that climate change is a Chinese hoax , while Pence has lobbied to use federal money for so-called “ gay conversion therapy.
” But perhaps more concerning is that the U.S. is driven more than most countries by the profit motive .
The country is unique in the developed world in not providing some sort of universal healthcare to its citizens , a serious drawback during a pandemic .
Public health crises often require public healthcare systems .
Furthermore , as NBC News reported , scientists in Texas were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 but could not find funding as the project was deemed unprofitable , and therefore , unworthy of further research .
Faced with a pandemic that requires serious leadership , the Trump administration appears unwilling or unable to enact any policy that does not increase profits for those at the top .
Feature photo | President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting on the Coronavirus with health care executives at the White House , March 10 , 2020 , in Washington .
From left , Vice President Mike Pence , Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Medicaid Services Seema Verma .
Evan Vucci | 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 .

As the World Health Organization declared the novel COVID-19 virus a pandemic today, countries across the globe are coming up with clever and creative methods of halting its spread or dampening its impact, putting the U.S.’ lackluster response to shame.
The world’s smallest country, the Vatican, confirmed its first case of coronavirus last week. Today, Pope Francis canceled public events and held his first ever online general audience instead, announcing he felt close to “all the sick people who have contracted the virus and are suffering from sickness and the many who are suffering from uncertainty.” The Holy See, like the rest of the Italian peninsula that surrounds it, is in complete lockdown. The Italian government announced yesterday that all mortgage repayments would be suspended during the crisis, allowing poor and middle-class families financial breathing space.
In the face of a severe outbreak inside the country, the government of Iran temporarily freed 70,000 prisoners from its jails. 9,000 people inside the Islamic Republic have contracted the virus, with 354 recorded deaths, and the government is keen its prisons do not become hotbeds of contagion. In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced the government will provide subsidies for parents forced to take time off work to look after their children. South Korea has established “drive-thru” coronavirus testing facilities that can process 10,000 people per day and diagnose an individual in less than 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, local food bloggers report that authorities are delivering free meals to all those in self-quarantine.
Other countries are taking more drastic measures. Israel, for instance, is only allowing foreign travels to enter the country if they can self-quarantine for 14 days, while some European countries so far untouched by the virus have simply closed their borders to those coming from infected regions.
China, the epicenter of the virus, appears to have already hit rock bottom and begun to recover. While the government was criticized in the West for its response, there have been only 43 new cases in the previous two days across the entire country, with some industries in Wuhan itself re-opening for business, suggesting that their all-encompassing approach paid dividends.
In contrast, the response from the American government has been slow. On Monday Vice President Mike Pence finally announced that citizens could be tested for the virus free of charge, something taken for granted in virtually every other country in the world. However, the damage may have already been done; the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was nearly two months ago, with the White House slow to acknowledge its spread in the beginning. Individuals displaying symptoms and wishing to be tested have been turned away multiple times by hospitals following extremely narrow guidelines on who was at risk. Still others have been presented with bills of $3,500 for securing precautionary checks. And because there is no guaranteed sick pay, rent or mortgage relief, many poor Americans have had to choose between doing the right thing in self-quarantining, or potentially losing their job and their house.
There are more than 1,000 confirmed cases in the United States, but because of sparse testing, the real number of cases will undoubtedly be higher. One of those confirmed cases was an attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference, also attended by the president and vice president. But only five Republican lawmakers are self-quarantining as a result of being in contact with the individual. Trump, however, maintains that he is “not concerned at all” with the news, claiming, “we’ve done a fantastic job” combatting it. He has also used the coronavirus to stoke xenophobic sentiment, tweeting that “we need the Wall more than ever,” implying that Latinos are the source of the pandemic.
The current administration is infamously anti-science. Trump has repeatedly claimed that climate change is a Chinese hoax, while Pence has lobbied to use federal money for so-called “gay conversion therapy.” But perhaps more concerning is that the U.S. is driven more than most countries by the profit motive. The country is unique in the developed world in not providing some sort of universal healthcare to its citizens, a serious drawback during a pandemic. Public health crises often require public healthcare systems. Furthermore, as NBC News reported, scientists in Texas were close to creating a vaccine against coronavirus in 2016 but could not find funding as the project was deemed unprofitable, and therefore, unworthy of further research. Faced with a pandemic that requires serious leadership, the Trump administration appears unwilling or unable to enact any policy that does not increase profits for those at the top.
Feature photo | President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting on the Coronavirus with health care executives at the White House, March 10, 2020, in Washington. From left, Vice President Mike Pence, Trump, and Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma. Evan Vucci | 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--2020-03-11--The Corporate Media Celebrates After Handing Joe Biden Another Win

Joe Biden is once again celebrating after a big night on “ Mini Tuesday.
” The former vice-president won the popular vote in at least four of the six states on offer yesterday , putting him ahead of his last credible challenger , Bernie Sanders .
At a rally in Philadelphia , he framed the contest as over , addressing the Vermont senator ’ s surrogates directly : “ We need you , we want you , and there ’ s a place in our campaign for each of you .
I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ We share a common goal , and together we ’ ll beat Donald Trump.
” Biden , a consummate Democratic insider , has received the wholehearted backing of the party ’ s establishment and the Democratic-aligned media .
Yet his campaign is aware of his serious weaknesses both on his record and as a candidate .
He has deliberately refrained from public or media appearances due to his propensity for making egregious errors .
Democratic House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn suggested to NPR that the DNC should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the contest , canceling any future debates in order to prevent Biden “ getting himself into trouble ; ” something that could hurt the party come November .
Even as Clyburn was speaking , Biden was doing exactly what he feared .
While making a publicity stop in Michigan , he was confronted by a union autoworker who challenged his stance on guns .
An angry Biden immediately went on the attack .
“ You ’ re full of shit , ” he said , while aggressively pointing at the man ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horse ’ s ass.
” After the autoworker asked him to stop behaving that way , Biden challenged him to a fight , telling him they should go outside .
While the video went viral online , corporate media did their best to sanitize it .
MSNBC , for example , managed to cut out all of the above from the short confrontation , showing its viewers only a short clip where Biden lectures the man that he is pro-Second Amendment , also cutting out when he shushed his female colleague and threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitchell then went on to attack the Sanders campaign for supposedly siding with Trump on the issue .
The incident led many on social media to wonder aloud whether Twitter would flag MSNBC ’ s account as a purveyor of manipulated videos .
Meanwhile , CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza spun the event as “ probably a good thing for Biden.
” Media have been engaged in an all-out war to stop Sanders from gaining the Democratic nomination .
For months it ignored the democratic socialist ’ s campaign , hoping to starve it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , the coverage was overtly hostile ; a study published this week found that CNN ’ s Sanders coverage was three times more negative than Biden ’ s .
While much of the corporate media discussion about Sanders has centered around his supposedly toxic online army , research from a computational social scientist at Harvard University found that Bernie Bros are no less or more likely to be rude or threatening online than supporters of other Democratic candidates , suggesting that the media circus surrounding the so-called “ Bernie bros ” served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls show wild contrasts in the age range of each candidate ’ s supporters .
Bernie won over three-quarters of the under 30 vote , with Biden picking up just 18 percent .
In contrast , the former Delaware senator beat Sanders 73 percent to 21 among the over 65s .
The median age of a CNN viewer is 60 , MSNBC , 65 .
Thus , those age groups that rely on corporate-owned media with a strong Biden bias backed the former vice-president , while younger groups that get their news online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a completely different light .
News media , in other words , successfully manufactured consent among their audience for Biden ’ s campaign .
If Biden is to win the nomination , he will face a stiff challenge winning over Sanders supporters .
Branko Marcetic , a journalist and biographer of the former vice-president told MintPress News that his image as a liberal Democrat who has spent his life fighting for the middle class is “ wrong is every aspect , ” saying : On foreign policy , too , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and author of the devastating Plan Colombia initiative that has led to 7.7 million internally displaced people in the South American nation , and played a key role in the expansion of NATO to Russia ’ s border , helping to ramp up tensions with the nuclear-armed nation .
As Marcetic said , While Biden has received endorsements from virtually the entire Democratic field – including , as of yesterday , Andrew Yang – he has failed to win over the left of the party , many of whom see him as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist Max Blumenthal wrote : “ As a pandemic bears down on America , a decrepit babbler with a shell of a campaign kept on life support by 60 billionaires in a wine cave is being sent into battle against an animalistic casino baron .
This campaign promises a ghastly portrait of the decadent rot of US politics.
” Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media at a campaign stop at the Mount Pleasant Lodge , Jan. 31 , 2020 , in Mount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

Joe Biden is once again celebrating after a big night on “Mini Tuesday.” The former vice-president won the popular vote in at least four of the six states on offer yesterday, putting him ahead of his last credible challenger, Bernie Sanders. At a rally in Philadelphia, he framed the contest as over, addressing the Vermont senator’s surrogates directly: “We need you, we want you, and there’s a place in our campaign for each of you. I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy and their passion,” he said. “We share a common goal, and together we’ll beat Donald Trump.”
Biden, a consummate Democratic insider, has received the wholehearted backing of the party’s establishment and the Democratic-aligned media. Yet his campaign is aware of his serious weaknesses both on his record and as a candidate. He has deliberately refrained from public or media appearances due to his propensity for making egregious errors. Democratic House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn suggested to NPR that the DNC should consider stepping in to “shut down” the contest, canceling any future debates in order to prevent Biden “getting himself into trouble;” something that could hurt the party come November.
This video shows that the autoworker says “this is not OK” in reference to Biden pointing his finger in his face, and Biden flips out and says “you want to take this outside?” pic.twitter.com/UN1Di19v0i — 29 U.S.C. § 157 (@OrganizingPower) March 10, 2020
Even as Clyburn was speaking, Biden was doing exactly what he feared. While making a publicity stop in Michigan, he was confronted by a union autoworker who challenged his stance on guns. An angry Biden immediately went on the attack. “You’re full of shit,” he said, while aggressively pointing at the man’s face and calling him a “horse’s ass.” After the autoworker asked him to stop behaving that way, Biden challenged him to a fight, telling him they should go outside.
While the video went viral online, corporate media did their best to sanitize it. MSNBC, for example, managed to cut out all of the above from the short confrontation, showing its viewers only a short clip where Biden lectures the man that he is pro-Second Amendment, also cutting out when he shushed his female colleague and threatened to slap the questioner. Host Andrea Mitchell then went on to attack the Sanders campaign for supposedly siding with Trump on the issue. The incident led many on social media to wonder aloud whether Twitter would flag MSNBC’s account as a purveyor of manipulated videos. Meanwhile, CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza spun the event as “probably a good thing for Biden.”
Media have been engaged in an all-out war to stop Sanders from gaining the Democratic nomination. For months it ignored the democratic socialist’s campaign, hoping to starve it of publicity. When it did mention him, the coverage was overtly hostile; a study published this week found that CNN’s Sanders coverage was three times more negative than Biden’s. While much of the corporate media discussion about Sanders has centered around his supposedly toxic online army, research from a computational social scientist at Harvard University found that Bernie Bros are no less or more likely to be rude or threatening online than supporters of other Democratic candidates, suggesting that the media circus surrounding the so-called “Bernie bros” served another purpose from the beginning.
If you think the criticism about Biden threatening to slap an autoworker is about policy differences, and not about a candidate for president shoving a finger in a union worker’s face and yelling “I’m not working for you,” then really I don’t know what to tell you. — Josh Orton (@joshorton) March 10, 2020
Exit polls show wild contrasts in the age range of each candidate’s supporters. Bernie won over three-quarters of the under 30 vote, with Biden picking up just 18 percent. In contrast, the former Delaware senator beat Sanders 73 percent to 21 among the over 65s. The median age of a CNN viewer is 60, MSNBC, 65. Thus, those age groups that rely on corporate-owned media with a strong Biden bias backed the former vice-president, while younger groups that get their news online and from alternative sources saw the campaign in a completely different light. News media, in other words, successfully manufactured consent among their audience for Biden’s campaign.
If Biden is to win the nomination, he will face a stiff challenge winning over Sanders supporters. Branko Marcetic, a journalist and biographer of the former vice-president told MintPress News that his image as a liberal Democrat who has spent his life fighting for the middle class is “wrong is every aspect,” saying:
Biden insisted for many years that he was more of a conservative (and legislated like it), he flirted with being a Republican before joining the Democrats in 1969, and there are few politicians who can claim credit to doing more to eviscerate the middle class than him, whether through his bankruptcy bill, his consistent opposition to national health care, or the pushing of trade deals like NAFTA.”
On foreign policy, too, he was an important backer of the Iraq War, and author of the devastating Plan Colombia initiative that has led to 7.7 million internally displaced people in the South American nation, and played a key role in the expansion of NATO to Russia’s border, helping to ramp up tensions with the nuclear-armed nation. As Marcetic said,
Biden spent the 1980s and 1990s pushing the Democratic Party and its leaders to embrace a more interventionist foreign policy not far removed from that of Reagan, helping produce the endless wars that so many Americans are now rejecting. And while he did reportedly oppose some of Obama’s more foolhardy adventures (e.g. Libya), the administration’s “counterterrorism plus” strategy was his idea, and one that, as we see with Trump’s killing of Soleimani, has left a dangerous legacy.”
https://twitter.com/JosieIsTired/status/1237470995818086404
While Biden has received endorsements from virtually the entire Democratic field – including, as of yesterday, Andrew Yang – he has failed to win over the left of the party, many of whom see him as the face of the establishment. As journalist Max Blumenthal wrote: “As a pandemic bears down on America, a decrepit babbler with a shell of a campaign kept on life support by 60 billionaires in a wine cave is being sent into battle against an animalistic casino baron. This campaign promises a ghastly portrait of the decadent rot of US politics.”
Feature photo | Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media at a campaign stop at the Mount Pleasant Lodge, Jan. 31, 2020, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Andrew Harnik | 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--2020-03-11--US Army Cites Cybersecurity Concerns In Scrapping Planned Purchase of Israeli Military Tech

After spending $ 373 million to buy two batteries of the Israeli-made Iron Dome missile defense system , the U.S. Army has announced that it is unable to integrate the batteries it purchased with its other air defense systems because Israel has refused to provide the Army with the source code .
The Army asserted that without the source code , the system could not be integrated without causing grave cybersecurity vulnerabilities .
As a result , the Army has now scrapped its plans to purchase an additional $ 600 million worth of Iron Dome components .
Adding insult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dome system itself was largely financed by U.S. taxpayers after Congress authorized over $ 1.5 billion in taxpayer funds to be used by Israel for the development and production of the Iron Dome system , which has suffered from a series of embarrassing failures since it entered the market .
It remains to be seen if the other countries that have signed deals with Israel to purchase Iron Dome , including Azerbaijan and India , will take notice of the U.S. Army ’ s decision and similarly scrap those plans given Israel ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ code to even its closest military ally following purchase .
News of the Army ’ s decision was made public last Thursday when Gen. Mike Murray , commander of Army Futures Command , spoke to the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee .
“ We believe we can not integrate them into our air-defense system based upon some interoperability challenges , some cyber [ security ] challenges and some other challenges .
So what we ended up having is two stand-alone batteries that will be very capable , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the subcommittee .
Murray further stated that it would prove “ exceptionally difficult to integrate Iron Dome into our layered air-defense architecture [ and ] to get Iron Dome to talk to other systems [ and ] other radars , specifically the Sentinel radar.
” “ What you ’ re probably – almost certainly – going to see is two stand-alone systems .
And if the best we can do is stand-alone systems , we do not want to buy another two batteries , ” Murray added .
If future international purchases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the U.S. Army ’ s decision , it will not only be a setback for Israel ’ s defense industry , but also that of the United States , given that U.S. weapons manufacturer Raytheon produces some of the system ’ s components and markets the systems within the United States .
Notably , current U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is a former lobbyist for Raytheon , a company that closely collaborates with Israel ’ s defense industry on other systems as well , such as “ David ’ s Sling.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a factor in a potential reversal of the Army ’ s recent decision , which was urged by Israel ’ s Defense Ministry following Gen. Murray ’ s statements before Congress .
Israel ’ s Defense Ministry asked the Army to reconsider their decision to halt future purchases and overlook the existing cybersecurity hurdles in integrating those already purchased “ as it would express confidence and recognition of the system ’ s ‘ exceptional capabilities ’ and the quality of Israel ’ s defense industries , ” the Jerusalem Post reported .
Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source code of a system the U.S. helped finance and subsequently purchased is striking , particularly given that their refusal to do so has resulted in the loss of considerable revenue and the potential collapse of future international sales of the system .
Israel ’ s history of using backdoors in software for intelligence and military purposes , including at sensitive U.S. government facilities , raise obvious concerns about the motive for such a decision .
Yet , while the U.S. Army has raised cybersecurity concerns about the lack of transparency regarding Iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same company that creates Iron Dome ’ s software has its software running on critical infrastructure systems throughout the United States .
Indeed , Iron Dome ’ s software was created by mPrest , whose largest stakeholder is Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems , which in turn is a state-owned company .
Rafael is also the principal developer of the Iron Dome system .
In just the past few years , mPrest has become a major provider of software to U.S. utility companies across the country — from California to New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European and Australian markets .
It remains to be seen if the scrutiny over mPrest ’ s code for the Iron Dome system and the motives behind it will lead to scrutiny of the software that is being used at critical points of the U.S. power grid , particularly at a time when government officials and private companies ( including Israeli-American cybersecurity company Cybereason ) are warning that “ foreign actors ” are targeting the U.S. power grid with malicious intent .
Feature photo | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , right , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near a naval Iron Dome defense system , Feb. 12 , 2019 .
Jack Guez | 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 .

After spending $373 million to buy two batteries of the Israeli-made Iron Dome missile defense system, the U.S. Army has announced that it is unable to integrate the batteries it purchased with its other air defense systems because Israel has refused to provide the Army with the source code. The Army asserted that without the source code, the system could not be integrated without causing grave cybersecurity vulnerabilities. As a result, the Army has now scrapped its plans to purchase an additional $600 million worth of Iron Dome components.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that the Iron Dome system itself was largely financed by U.S. taxpayers after Congress authorized over $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds to be used by Israel for the development and production of the Iron Dome system, which has suffered from a series of embarrassing failures since it entered the market.
It remains to be seen if the other countries that have signed deals with Israel to purchase Iron Dome, including Azerbaijan and India, will take notice of the U.S. Army’s decision and similarly scrap those plans given Israel’s apparent refusal to provide the source code to even its closest military ally following purchase.
News of the Army’s decision was made public last Thursday when Gen. Mike Murray, commander of Army Futures Command, spoke to the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. “We believe we cannot integrate them into our air-defense system based upon some interoperability challenges, some cyber[security] challenges and some other challenges. So what we ended up having is two stand-alone batteries that will be very capable, but they cannot be integrated,” Murray told the subcommittee.
Murray further stated that it would prove “exceptionally difficult to integrate Iron Dome into our layered air-defense architecture [and] to get Iron Dome to talk to other systems [and] other radars, specifically the Sentinel radar.” “What you’re probably – almost certainly – going to see is two stand-alone systems. And if the best we can do is stand-alone systems, we do not want to buy another two batteries,” Murray added.
If future international purchases of Iron Dome are to be impacted by the U.S. Army’s decision, it will not only be a setback for Israel’s defense industry, but also that of the United States, given that U.S. weapons manufacturer Raytheon produces some of the system’s components and markets the systems within the United States. Notably, current U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is a former lobbyist for Raytheon, a company that closely collaborates with Israel’s defense industry on other systems as well, such as “David’s Sling.”
Esper’s history may be a factor in a potential reversal of the Army’s recent decision, which was urged by Israel’s Defense Ministry following Gen. Murray’s statements before Congress. Israel’s Defense Ministry asked the Army to reconsider their decision to halt future purchases and overlook the existing cybersecurity hurdles in integrating those already purchased “as it would express confidence and recognition of the system’s ‘exceptional capabilities’ and the quality of Israel’s defense industries,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
Israel’s decision to not reveal the source code of a system the U.S. helped finance and subsequently purchased is striking, particularly given that their refusal to do so has resulted in the loss of considerable revenue and the potential collapse of future international sales of the system. Israel’s history of using backdoors in software for intelligence and military purposes, including at sensitive U.S. government facilities, raise obvious concerns about the motive for such a decision.
Yet, while the U.S. Army has raised cybersecurity concerns about the lack of transparency regarding Iron Dome’s source code, the same company that creates Iron Dome’s software has its software running on critical infrastructure systems throughout the United States. Indeed, Iron Dome’s software was created by mPrest, whose largest stakeholder is Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which in turn is a state-owned company. Rafael is also the principal developer of the Iron Dome system.
In just the past few years, mPrest has become a major provider of software to U.S. utility companies across the country — from California to New York — and has also entered the European and Australian markets. It remains to be seen if the scrutiny over mPrest’s code for the Iron Dome system and the motives behind it will lead to scrutiny of the software that is being used at critical points of the U.S. power grid, particularly at a time when government officials and private companies (including Israeli-American cybersecurity company Cybereason) are warning that “foreign actors” are targeting the U.S. power grid with malicious intent.
Feature photo | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, listens to a soldier as he stands near a naval Iron Dome defense system, Feb. 12, 2019. Jack Guez | 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--2020-03-11--Saudi Arabia’s Brave Women Pull Back the Curtain on Crown Prince MBS

This week , Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ( MBS ) , Saudi Arabia ’ s 34-year-old de facto ruler , was on a tear .
He arrested members of his own royal family and initiated an oil price war with Russia that has sent the price of oil—and the world ’ s stock markets—plummeting .
Behind the headlines , however , another critical event will take place in Saudi Arabia starting March 18 : women ’ s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul , who was arrested almost two years ago for advocating the right to drive , is due in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world to believe he is the Arab world ’ s liberal reformer and took credit for eventually granting women the right to drive , but he is also the one who had al-Hathloul and nine other women thrown in prison , charging them as foreign agents and spies .
The imprisonment of these peaceful women activists exposes the brutal nature of MBS ’ s regime and the duplicity of the Western democracies that continue to support him .
Loujain al-Hathloul gained notoriety in 2013 for campaigning against the driving ban when she posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of civil disobedience .
She was first arrested in December 2014 when she attempted to drive from the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia and spent 73 days in prison at that time .
Al-Hathloul has also been an outspoken advocate for an end to the male guardianship system that treats women as no more than children throughout their entire lives .
On May 15 , 2018 , a group of armed men from the state security agency raided Loujain ’ s family ’ s house and arrested her .
For the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was held incommunicado with no access to her family or a lawyer .
According to the communication she was later able to have with her family , during those three months , she was beaten , waterboarded , given electric shocks , sexually harassed , and threatened with rape and murder .
Loujain languished in a Saudi prison for almost a year before the public prosecutor ’ s office finally announced that it had concluded its investigation and alleged that Loujain was involved in activities that “ aim to undermine the Kingdom ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unity.
” She was accused of contacting “ enemy groups ” —a reference to cooperation with the United Nations and human rights groups such as Amnesty International .
Loujain ’ s initial hearing was in March 2019 , but she was not allowed access to a lawyer or to hear the charges prior to the hearing .
Her family members were permitted to attend , but the court was closed to both diplomats and journalists .
According to her family , in August 2019 , Al-Hathloul was offered her freedom in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was subjected to torture .
She refused .
For her incredible bravery and determination to fight for women ’ s rights , eight members of US Congress have nominated Al-Hathloul for the Nobel Peace Prize .
The case of Al-Hathloul and the other women ’ s rights activists on trial in Saudi Arabia is a tremendous embarrassment for MBS , who has been putting an enormous effort into convincing his Western allies that he is a reformer and that Saudi Arabia is becoming more liberal .
But behind the facade of new musical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prince has overseen a vast crackdown on all forms of opposition and dissent .
In November 2018 , the CIA concluded that MBS was the one who ordered the gruesome assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
MBS is also responsible for dragging Saudi Arabia into an internal conflict in Yemen , where constant Saudi bombings have decimated what was already a poor country .
The fact that MBS lifted the driving ban and simultaneously put in prison those who had campaigned and suffered for such reforms makes clear his actual motive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ’ s voices from being heard .
Loujain ’ s sister Lina al-Hathloul says that the regime arrested these women ’ s rights activists “ so that they make the [ Saudi ] people understand that change only comes top down .
And the people should not even try to make the changes.
” This sentiment was echoed by Suzanne Nossel , the head of PEN America.
“ These gutsy women have challenged one of the world ’ s most notoriously misogynist governments , inspiring the world with their demand to drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to liberate all Saudi women from a form of medieval bondage that has no place in the 21st century , ” she said .
“ The very existence of this sham trial pulls the veil off of the authorities ’ so-called push for reforms in the Kingdom , ” said Lynn Maalouf , Amnesty International ’ s Middle East Research Director .
“ How can they initiate change in the country when the very women who fought for these reforms are still being punished for it ?
” The bogus trial of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compel governments around the world to put more pressure on the Saudis and demand Al Houthloul ’ s immediate and unconditional release .
Her imprisonment — as well as MBS ’ s arrest of royal family members and Saudi ’ s brutal war in Yemen — should be particularly embarrassing to the world community in light of the G20 meeting scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in November .
How can the world ’ s leaders pretend that it is acceptable to meet in a country that imprisons and tortures peaceful women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It isn ’ t .
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace , and author of several books , including Kingdom of the Unjust : Behind the US-Saudi Connection .
Ariel Gold is the national co-director of CODEPINK and runs the organization ’ s Middle East Program .

This week, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia’s 34-year-old de facto ruler, was on a tear. He arrested members of his own royal family and initiated an oil price war with Russia that has sent the price of oil—and the world’s stock markets—plummeting. Behind the headlines, however, another critical event will take place in Saudi Arabia starting March 18: women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who was arrested almost two years ago for advocating the right to drive, is due in court. The diabolical MBS wants the world to believe he is the Arab world’s liberal reformer and took credit for eventually granting women the right to drive, but he is also the one who had al-Hathloul and nine other women thrown in prison, charging them as foreign agents and spies. The imprisonment of these peaceful women activists exposes the brutal nature of MBS’s regime and the duplicity of the Western democracies that continue to support him.
Loujain al-Hathloul gained notoriety in 2013 for campaigning against the driving ban when she posted videos of herself driving as an act of civil disobedience. She was first arrested in December 2014 when she attempted to drive from the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia and spent 73 days in prison at that time. Al-Hathloul has also been an outspoken advocate for an end to the male guardianship system that treats women as no more than children throughout their entire lives.
On May 15, 2018, a group of armed men from the state security agency raided Loujain’s family’s house and arrested her. For the first three months of her detention, she was held incommunicado with no access to her family or a lawyer. According to the communication she was later able to have with her family, during those three months, she was beaten, waterboarded, given electric shocks, sexually harassed, and threatened with rape and murder.
Loujain languished in a Saudi prison for almost a year before the public prosecutor’s office finally announced that it had concluded its investigation and alleged that Loujain was involved in activities that “aim to undermine the Kingdom’s security, stability, and national unity.” She was accused of contacting “enemy groups”—a reference to cooperation with the United Nations and human rights groups such as Amnesty International.
Loujain’s initial hearing was in March 2019, but she was not allowed access to a lawyer or to hear the charges prior to the hearing. Her family members were permitted to attend, but the court was closed to both diplomats and journalists.
According to her family, in August 2019, Al-Hathloul was offered her freedom in exchange for denying, on video, that she was subjected to torture. She refused. For her incredible bravery and determination to fight for women’s rights, eight members of US Congress have nominated Al-Hathloul for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The case of Al-Hathloul and the other women’s rights activists on trial in Saudi Arabia is a tremendous embarrassment for MBS, who has been putting an enormous effort into convincing his Western allies that he is a reformer and that Saudi Arabia is becoming more liberal. But behind the facade of new musical concerts and theme parks, the Crown Prince has overseen a vast crackdown on all forms of opposition and dissent. In November 2018, the CIA concluded that MBS was the one who ordered the gruesome assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. MBS is also responsible for dragging Saudi Arabia into an internal conflict in Yemen, where constant Saudi bombings have decimated what was already a poor country.
The fact that MBS lifted the driving ban and simultaneously put in prison those who had campaigned and suffered for such reforms makes clear his actual motive: to silence dissent and prevent these women’s voices from being heard. Loujain’s sister Lina al-Hathloul says that the regime arrested these women’s rights activists “so that they make the [Saudi] people understand that change only comes top down. And the people should not even try to make the changes.” This sentiment was echoed by Suzanne Nossel, the head of PEN America.“These gutsy women have challenged one of the world’s most notoriously misogynist governments, inspiring the world with their demand to drive, to govern their own lives, and to liberate all Saudi women from a form of medieval bondage that has no place in the 21st century,” she said.
“The very existence of this sham trial pulls the veil off of the authorities’ so-called push for reforms in the Kingdom,” said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East Research Director. “How can they initiate change in the country when the very women who fought for these reforms are still being punished for it?”
The bogus trial of Loujan al-Hathloul taking place this week should compel governments around the world to put more pressure on the Saudis and demand Al Houthloul’s immediate and unconditional release. Her imprisonment — as well as MBS’s arrest of royal family members and Saudi’s brutal war in Yemen — should be particularly embarrassing to the world community in light of the G20 meeting scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in November. How can the world’s leaders pretend that it is acceptable to meet in a country that imprisons and tortures peaceful women activists and bombs civilians in Yemen? It isn’t.
Feature photo | An undated photo shows Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul. Credit | Wikimedia Commons
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace, and author of several books, including Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the US-Saudi Connection.
Ariel Gold is the national co-director of CODEPINK and runs the organization’s Middle East Program.


mintpressnews--2020-03-13--Government Spends Equivalent of Entire US Student Debt to Rally Stock Market for 15 Minutes

With financial markets in a state of near panic over an incoming COVID-19 pandemic , the Federal Reserve Bank of New York took the extraordinary step of injecting over $ 1.5 trillion into the stock market yesterday in a bid to calm investors ’ fears about a collapse .
To put that into perspective , that number is equal to the total amount of student debt held in the country , more than twice as much as the original TARP bailout during the 2008 financial crash , and nearly 30 times the net worth of former New York mayor Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run for president .
Despite the enormous investment , the market rallied for only around 15 minutes before immediately slumping , negating the spike within two hours .
Today , the Dow Jones Industrial Average is over 3,000 points lower than yesterday , with a third of all value wiped from the stock market in just two weeks .
President Trump has demanded more intervention to help the markets .
Meanwhile , his son Eric was busy deleting previous statements he made advising people that this would be a great time to invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government decreed that all medical facilities nationwide conduct coronavirus testing free of charge .
And even establishment Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden are demanding comprehensive social welfare reform , including emergency paid sick leave and healthcare , despite campaigning their whole lives against those policies .
As recently as Monday , Biden , the Democratic frontrunner for president , suggested he would veto any Medicare for All bill that the House of Representatives passed .
These new positions from the Democratic elite have certainly surprised many activists who have fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have faced committed opposition from Democrats , Republicans and the media alike .
During the Democratic primary debates , moderators asked 21 questions about where the money was going to come from to pay for programs like free healthcare or student loan relief , but never once asked about financing aggression against Iran or any other enemy nation .
Yet , in the face of a crisis , it appears Washington is trying to gauge how much free healthcare will be necessary to avoid a disaster .
In reality , the $ 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it always has : from thin air .
The Fed simply added some numbers into a balance sheet and the money was created .
Authorities could do the same to fight many of America ’ s most pressing social problems : homelessness , hunger , crumbling infrastructure , poverty , but to do so would be to use the power of the government to help the great mass of people , rather than those at the top .
Italy , for instance , has declared that all mortgage repayments were postponed .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. do the same with student debt .
The great anthropologist David Graeber notes that during periods of disaster , societies tend to move towards communism .
“ People tend to behave the same way , reverting to a kind of rough-and-ready communism , ” he writes .
“ Hierarchies , markets and the like become luxuries that no one can really afford them .
Anyone who has lived through such a moment can speak to the way strangers become sisters and brothers , and human society itself seems to be reborn.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overnight show that wholesale systemic change is distinctly possible .
However , the Trump administration appears focused on ensuring that there will be one rule for those at the top and another for the rest of society .
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States rose above 1,700 today , with 41 recorded deaths in total .
However , due to sparse testing , the actual figures are undoubtedly higher .
The U.S. has tested only around 8,000 people nationwide .
In comparison , South Korea is capable of testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prominent figures , such as actor Tom Hanks and NBA player Rudy Gobert , are among the confirmed cases .
Yesterday , MintPress spoke to Sarpoma Sefa-Boakye , a doctor in San Diego , CA .
She advised that : “ Quarantining is the only way to really tackle a virus that you don ’ t know , where transmission is questionable , or even how this virus came to be , quarantining has to be the only way that we can get a hold of transmission.
” Dr. Sefa-Boakye was also critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting : Feature photo | Tom Greene , the Vice President of Building Operations at the New York Stock Exchange , rings the opening bell , March 13 , 2020 .
Mark Lennihan | 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

With financial markets in a state of near panic over an incoming COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York took the extraordinary step of injecting over $1.5 trillion into the stock market yesterday in a bid to calm investors’ fears about a collapse. To put that into perspective, that number is equal to the total amount of student debt held in the country, more than twice as much as the original TARP bailout during the 2008 financial crash, and nearly 30 times the net worth of former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, the richest man to ever run for president.
Despite the enormous investment, the market rallied for only around 15 minutes before immediately slumping, negating the spike within two hours. Today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is over 3,000 points lower than yesterday, with a third of all value wiped from the stock market in just two weeks. President Trump has demanded more intervention to help the markets. Meanwhile, his son Eric was busy deleting previous statements he made advising people that this would be a great time to invest and win big.
imo, the best sort of economic system is one so fragile that we need to pretend a pandemic isn't happening to avoid frightening it to death — Shaun (@shaun_vids) March 12, 2020
Earlier this week the government decreed that all medical facilities nationwide conduct coronavirus testing free of charge. And even establishment Democrats like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden are demanding comprehensive social welfare reform, including emergency paid sick leave and healthcare, despite campaigning their whole lives against those policies. As recently as Monday, Biden, the Democratic frontrunner for president, suggested he would veto any Medicare for All bill that the House of Representatives passed.
These new positions from the Democratic elite have certainly surprised many activists who have fought for universal healthcare for decades, and have faced committed opposition from Democrats, Republicans and the media alike. During the Democratic primary debates, moderators asked 21 questions about where the money was going to come from to pay for programs like free healthcare or student loan relief, but never once asked about financing aggression against Iran or any other enemy nation. Yet, in the face of a crisis, it appears Washington is trying to gauge how much free healthcare will be necessary to avoid a disaster.
https://twitter.com/StephanieKelton/status/1238199214057959424
In reality, the $1.5 trillion came from the same place as it always has: from thin air. The Fed simply added some numbers into a balance sheet and the money was created. Authorities could do the same to fight many of America’s most pressing social problems: homelessness, hunger, crumbling infrastructure, poverty, but to do so would be to use the power of the government to help the great mass of people, rather than those at the top. Italy, for instance, has declared that all mortgage repayments were postponed. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has suggested the U.S. do the same with student debt.
The great anthropologist David Graeber notes that during periods of disaster, societies tend to move towards communism. “People tend to behave the same way, reverting to a kind of rough-and-ready communism,” he writes. “Hierarchies, markets and the like become luxuries that no one can really afford them. Anyone who has lived through such a moment can speak to the way strangers become sisters and brothers, and human society itself seems to be reborn.”
The radical measures being pushed through almost overnight show that wholesale systemic change is distinctly possible. However, the Trump administration appears focused on ensuring that there will be one rule for those at the top and another for the rest of society.
To the extent that our government is worried about the coronavirus, it seems like 99% of their worry is on how it will affect the bottom line of the biggest corporations in the world. — John Iadarola (@johniadarola) March 12, 2020
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States rose above 1,700 today, with 41 recorded deaths in total. However, due to sparse testing, the actual figures are undoubtedly higher. The U.S. has tested only around 8,000 people nationwide. In comparison, South Korea is capable of testing 20,000 every day. A number of prominent figures, such as actor Tom Hanks and NBA player Rudy Gobert, are among the confirmed cases. Yesterday, MintPress spoke to Sarpoma Sefa-Boakye, a doctor in San Diego, CA. She advised that: “Quarantining is the only way to really tackle a virus that you don’t know, where transmission is questionable, or even how this virus came to be, quarantining has to be the only way that we can get a hold of transmission.” Dr. Sefa-Boakye was also critical of the government’s response, noting:
The fact that we have to question potential stock market losses and question whether we are going to be able to provide paid or unpaid leave to our workers is telling you that we are not equipped for pandemics because our priority is markets and production.”
Feature photo | Tom Greene, the Vice President of Building Operations at the New York Stock Exchange, rings the opening bell, March 13, 2020. Mark Lennihan | 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--2020-03-13--Judge Orders Release of Whistleblower Chelsea Manning Following Suicide Attempt

Shadowproof — Federal judge Anthony Trenga ordered a jail in Alexandria , Virginia , to release United States Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning .
The order came after the grand jury investigating WikiLeaks was dismissed .
Manning was confined for 365 days or one year after being held in civil contempt because she refused to testify before a grand jury empaneled to investigate WikiLeaks .
She attempted to commit suicide on March 11 .
During her time in jail , Manning accumulated $ 256,000 in fines .
She faced a fine of $ 500 per day for 30 days .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was released .
Trenga refused to waive these fines .
She will still owe over a quarter of a million dollars .
In August , Trenga ruled , “ Manning has the ability to comply with the court ’ s financial sanctions or will have the ability after her release from confinement .
Therefore , the imposed fines of $ 500 per day after 30 days and $ 1,000 per day after 60 days is not so excessive as to relieve her of those sanctions or to constitute punishment rather than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team challenged the court .
“ She has no personal savings , an uncertain speaking career that has been abruptly halted by her incarceration , and is moving her few belongings into storage , as she can no longer afford to pay her rent.
” Furthermore , according to her legal team , Manning attempted to share her financial records with the federal court in an effort to show that she has debt and a “ compromised earning capacity , ” which has “ left her balance sheets near zero.
” But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her ability to pay fines .
While Manning was in jail , United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer condemned [ PDF ] the U.S. government ’ s “ coercive measures ” against Manning .
Melzer suggested authorities intentionally inflicted “ progressively severe mental and emotional suffering for the purposes of coercion and intimidation at the order of judicial authorities , ” and it compounded Manning ’ s post-traumatic symptoms and other mental and physical health problems , which she still experiences as a result of prior abuse she endured when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WikiLeaks .
“ I conclude that such deprivation of liberty does not constitute a circumscribed sanction for a specific offense but an open-ended , progressively severe measure of coercion fulfilling all the constitutive elements of torture or other cruel , inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment , ” Melzer declared .
It was the second time in the past ten years that a U.N. official condemned the U.S. government ’ s “ cruel , inhuman , or degrading treatment ” against Manning .
Feature photo | Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning speaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal courthouse in Alexandria , Va. , May 16 , 2019 .
Cliff Owen | AP Kevin Gosztola is managing editor of Shadowproof Press .
He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast , “ Unauthorized Disclosure.
“

Shadowproof — Federal judge Anthony Trenga ordered a jail in Alexandria, Virginia, to release United States Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The order came after the grand jury investigating WikiLeaks was dismissed.
Manning was confined for 365 days or one year after being held in civil contempt because she refused to testify before a grand jury empaneled to investigate WikiLeaks. She attempted to commit suicide on March 11.
During her time in jail, Manning accumulated $256,000 in fines. She faced a fine of $500 per day for 30 days. That increased to $1,000 per day until she was released.
Trenga refused to waive these fines. She will still owe over a quarter of a million dollars.
In August, Trenga ruled, “Manning has the ability to comply with the court’s financial sanctions or will have the ability after her release from confinement. Therefore, the imposed fines of $500 per day after 30 days and $1,000 per day after 60 days is not so excessive as to relieve her of those sanctions or to constitute punishment rather than a coercive measure.”
Manning’s legal team challenged the court. “She has no personal savings, an uncertain speaking career that has been abruptly halted by her incarceration, and is moving her few belongings into storage, as she can no longer afford to pay her rent.”
Furthermore, according to her legal team, Manning attempted to share her financial records with the federal court in an effort to show that she has debt and a “compromised earning capacity,” which has “left her balance sheets near zero.” But the court apparently never completed a financial assessment of her ability to pay fines.
While Manning was in jail, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer condemned [PDF] the U.S. government’s “coercive measures” against Manning.
Melzer suggested authorities intentionally inflicted “progressively severe mental and emotional suffering for the purposes of coercion and intimidation at the order of judicial authorities,” and it compounded Manning’s post-traumatic symptoms and other mental and physical health problems, which she still experiences as a result of prior abuse she endured when she was imprisoned for releasing documents to WikiLeaks.
“I conclude that such deprivation of liberty does not constitute a circumscribed sanction for a specific offense but an open-ended, progressively severe measure of coercion fulfilling all the constitutive elements of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” Melzer declared.
It was the second time in the past ten years that a U.N. official condemned the U.S. government’s “cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment” against Manning.
Feature photo | Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning speaks with reporters, after arriving at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Va., May 16, 2019. Cliff Owen | AP
Kevin Gosztola is managing editor of Shadowproof Press. He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast, “Unauthorized Disclosure.“


mintpressnews--2020-03-13--Amid the Worse Public Crisis in Decades, Trump Admin Finds the Time and Money to Bomb Iraq

Amid a spreading COVID-19 pandemic , the United States government is continuing to ramp up aggression against Iran in lieu of responding to the true threat of disease .
Earlier today , the U.S. military launched a number of strikes against five separate targets in Iraq , all of which it alleges are “ pro-Iranian ” groups .
At least six deaths reported .
Washington has described the move as retaliation for previous attacks on Western forces .
“ The United States will not tolerate attacks against our people , our interests , or our allies , ” Defence Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have demonstrated in recent months , we will take any action necessary to protect our forces in Iraq and the region.
” The Iraqi government , which has formally requested the United States leave the country , condemned the action .
Iran is reeling from the coronavirus , with over 11,000 confirmed cases and 514 deaths – the most of any country outside of China and Italy .
A host of government officials and 23 members of the Iranian parliament have been diagnosed .
Yet the U.S. is using their misfortune to further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran is suffering from huge shortages of medical supplies , including crucial virus detection kits , precisely because other sovereign nations refuse to sell them to Tehran , fearing reprisals from the Trump administration .
Eventually , the World Health Organization was forced to step in and begin sending them directly .
Iranian-American blogger Hoda Katebi revealed that her aunt , a doctor in Iran , is even forced to share facemasks with other hospital staff , highlighting the intense shortages the country faces .
Because of the sanctions , it is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting the virus .
In January , MintPress reported that Silicon Valley tech firms had joined the Trump administration ’ s all-out war against Tehran .
The Iranian government recently released an app intended to inform citizens and medical workers about the virus and protect the population from infection .
Google , however , following United States law about aiding “ terrorist ” organizations , duly removed it , noting , “ developer accounts from Iran are not allowed on Google Play.
” In January , Trump ordered the assassination of top Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in Baghdad for peace talks .
The U.S. has sent around 2,500 troops to Saudi Arabia and many thousands more to other nations in the region as the buildup of military might continues .
Over the vehement protestations of locals , it has also begun to construct three new bases in Iraq , all very close to the Iranian border .
Anti-war group Code Pink are demanding that all sanctions be lifted , writing to the Treasury Department : Meanwhile , Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar introduced legislation attempting to rein in aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government has found plenty of money to carry out wars around the globe ( the Trump administration increased the military budget to $ 934 billion ) , when it comes to policies protecting public health , money is always apparently lacking .
At the Democratic debates , moderators have asked candidates 21 questions about how to pay for social programs , but zero about paying for war .
Omar herself is a vocal proponent of emergency legislation to protect the United States from the worst economic and societal decline the coronavirus threatens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced a provision of a bill that would introduce free virus testing for all Americans , two weeks ’ emergency paid sick leave for all , increased funding for Medicaid and guarantee food for poor children during the crisis .
“ As the country responds to coronavirus , we can not forget that many Americans could face hardship as a result of some of our preventative measures , ” she said .
“ Twenty-two million children rely on federal subsidized meals .
For many kids , it is the only meal they get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure that kids continue to get the meals they need.
” The deep inequalities in American society are harming the country ’ s ability to respond to the coronavirus effectively .
Without universal healthcare , sick Americans face bills of up to $ 3,500 simply for being tested , while others face financial ruin or homelessness if they miss work self-quarantining .
New York City announced it would only close its schools as a “ last resort ” on the basis that tens of thousands of homeless children have literally nowhere else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us if we don ’ t pass [ the legislation ] immediately , ” Omar added .
Although there is a seemingly bottomless pit of money to fund wars abroad or to bail out the rich ( yesterday the Federal Reserve injected $ 1.5 trillion into the stock market , leading to a 15-minute surge ) , the government moves at a glacier-like pace when it comes to provisions that would help ordinary citizens .
President Trump only recently agreed to make coronavirus testing free .
Still , only 8,000 Americans have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20,000 per day in South Korea .
The arrival of a worldwide pandemic puts into stark contrast what Washington ’ s priorities really are .
Feature photo | Iraqi army soldiers inspect the destruction from US airstrikes an airport under construction in Karbala , Iraq , March 13 , 2020 .
Five security force members and a civilian were killed early Friday in a barrage of U.S. airstrikes .
Anmar Khalil | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

Amid a spreading COVID-19 pandemic, the United States government is continuing to ramp up aggression against Iran in lieu of responding to the true threat of disease. Earlier today, the U.S. military launched a number of strikes against five separate targets in Iraq, all of which it alleges are “pro-Iranian” groups. At least six deaths reported. Washington has described the move as retaliation for previous attacks on Western forces. “The United States will not tolerate attacks against our people, our interests, or our allies,” Defence Secretary Mark Esper said. “As we have demonstrated in recent months, we will take any action necessary to protect our forces in Iraq and the region.” The Iraqi government, which has formally requested the United States leave the country, condemned the action.
Iran is reeling from the coronavirus, with over 11,000 confirmed cases and 514 deaths – the most of any country outside of China and Italy. A host of government officials and 23 members of the Iranian parliament have been diagnosed. Yet the U.S. is using their misfortune to further punish and destroy the Islamic Republic.
Iran is suffering from huge shortages of medical supplies, including crucial virus detection kits, precisely because other sovereign nations refuse to sell them to Tehran, fearing reprisals from the Trump administration. Eventually, the World Health Organization was forced to step in and begin sending them directly. Iranian-American blogger Hoda Katebi revealed that her aunt, a doctor in Iran, is even forced to share facemasks with other hospital staff, highlighting the intense shortages the country faces. Because of the sanctions, it is a crime to donate money to Iranian organizations fighting the virus.
In January, MintPress reported that Silicon Valley tech firms had joined the Trump administration’s all-out war against Tehran. The Iranian government recently released an app intended to inform citizens and medical workers about the virus and protect the population from infection. Google, however, following United States law about aiding “terrorist” organizations, duly removed it, noting, “developer accounts from Iran are not allowed on Google Play.”
In January, Trump ordered the assassination of top Iranian general and statesman Qassem Soleimani while he was in Baghdad for peace talks. The U.S. has sent around 2,500 troops to Saudi Arabia and many thousands more to other nations in the region as the buildup of military might continues. Over the vehement protestations of locals, it has also begun to construct three new bases in Iraq, all very close to the Iranian border.
Anti-war group Code Pink are demanding that all sanctions be lifted, writing to the Treasury Department:
Health, hygiene, and access to medical care are fundamental human rights, regardless of race, religion and nationality. For the sake of the health and well-being of 80 million Iranians and their neighbors, we demand that you immediately lift all sanctions on Iran pertaining to healthcare products, medicine, medical laboratory kits, and equipment. In addition, we call on you to lift all the sanctions on Iran, ending the campaign of maximum pressure that is crippling the Iranian economy.
Meanwhile, Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar introduced legislation attempting to rein in aggressive American foreign policy towards Iran.
As hundreds of public schools close, *22 million* children who count on their schools for free or reduced-price meals don’t know when they’ll eat next. I introduced the #MEALSAct to make sure no child goes without food. History will judge us if we don’t pass it immediately. https://t.co/n1ygHm3OG0 — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 11, 2020
While the government has found plenty of money to carry out wars around the globe (the Trump administration increased the military budget to $934 billion), when it comes to policies protecting public health, money is always apparently lacking. At the Democratic debates, moderators have asked candidates 21 questions about how to pay for social programs, but zero about paying for war.
Omar herself is a vocal proponent of emergency legislation to protect the United States from the worst economic and societal decline the coronavirus threatens to bring. On Wednesday, she introduced a provision of a bill that would introduce free virus testing for all Americans, two weeks’ emergency paid sick leave for all, increased funding for Medicaid and guarantee food for poor children during the crisis. “As the country responds to coronavirus, we cannot forget that many Americans could face hardship as a result of some of our preventative measures,” she said. “Twenty-two million children rely on federal subsidized meals. For many kids, it is the only meal they get each day. It is our responsibility to ensure that kids continue to get the meals they need.”
The deep inequalities in American society are harming the country’s ability to respond to the coronavirus effectively. Without universal healthcare, sick Americans face bills of up to $3,500 simply for being tested, while others face financial ruin or homelessness if they miss work self-quarantining. New York City announced it would only close its schools as a “last resort” on the basis that tens of thousands of homeless children have literally nowhere else to go. “History will judge us if we don’t pass [the legislation] immediately,” Omar added.
Although there is a seemingly bottomless pit of money to fund wars abroad or to bail out the rich (yesterday the Federal Reserve injected $1.5 trillion into the stock market, leading to a 15-minute surge), the government moves at a glacier-like pace when it comes to provisions that would help ordinary citizens. President Trump only recently agreed to make coronavirus testing free. Still, only 8,000 Americans have been tested in total, compared to nearly 20,000 per day in South Korea. The arrival of a worldwide pandemic puts into stark contrast what Washington’s priorities really are.
Feature photo | Iraqi army soldiers inspect the destruction from US airstrikes an airport under construction in Karbala, Iraq, March 13, 2020. Five security force members and a civilian were killed early Friday in a barrage of U.S. airstrikes. Anmar Khalil | 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.