- Currently waging multiple imperial wars, Obama perhaps
plans more.
-
- On October 11, the Department of Justice charged Iranian
involvement in a fake terror plot to kill Saudi Arabia's US ambassador,
blow up the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Argentina, and smuggle opium
into Mexico.
-
- Charges, of course, are brazen, fabricated and laughable
on their face, but major media scoundrels headlined them since announced.
Regurgitating official lies, they declared Iran and three alleged suspects
guilty by accusation.
-
- On October 13, Manssor Arbabsair, a naturalized US citizen
holding an Iranian passport, was indicted in Manhattan's federal court
for New York's southern district.
-
- Also implicated, Gholam Shakuri, an Iranian-based member
of its Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, is still at large. So is Abdul Reza
Shahlai, identified as his deputy with "a notorious past as one of
the central architects of Iran's strategy in Iraq."
-
- The Justice Department said Arbabsair confessed and provided
"other valuable information." His lawyer, Sabrina Shroff, said
her client will plead not guilty to all charges.
-
- On October 13, New York Times writer Helene Cooper headlined,
"Obama Says Facts Support Accusation of Iranian Plot," saying:
-
- Vowing to push for the "toughest sanctions,"
Obama said Washington has "strong evidence that Iranians were complicit
in an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States."
-
- Obama's a serial liar. Where's the evidence? There's
none except what's concocted without corroboration.
-
- "In his first public remarks....Obama sought to
counter skepticism about whether Iran's Islamic government directed an
Iranian-American car salesman to engage with a Mexican drug cartel"
to commit terror attacks.
-
- On October 12, the London Guardian reported that "Iran's
alleged Mexican hitman was a US drugs informant" with a past criminal
record.
-
- Russia and China may refuse support for tougher sanctions
given commercial and political ties to Iran. Hawkish congressional members
want Obama to punish Russian and Chinese companies doing business with
the Islamic Republic. So far he resisted.
-
- Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague endorsed Obama's
lie, telling the House of Commons that the alleged plot "would appear
to constitute a major escalation in Iran's sponsorship of terrorism outside
its borders."
-
- In fact, Washington, Britain and Israel are unequalled
perpetrators of state-sponsored terrorism globally. As a result, they point
fingers at present or perhaps future targets to divert attention from themselves.
-
- Obama officials declined to say how high in Iran's leadership
the alleged conspiracy goes. Nonetheless, baseless accusations suggest
Revolutionary Guard commanders, President Ahmadinejad, and/or Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei's involvement.
-
- On October 13, Wall Street Journal writer Adam Entous
headlined, "Obama Intensifies Pressure on Iran," saying:
-
- Tehran must "pay a price" for its behavior.
"Mr. Obama injected a new level of gravity into the incident by taking
the unusual step of authorizing US diplomats to deliver a tough message
directly to Iranian representatives" even though Washington's had
no direct contact since 1980.
-
- Obama also accused Iran of "dangerous and reckless
behavior," saying Washington won't "take any options off the
table in terms of how we operate with Iran." Clearly, he suggested
open confrontation perhaps leading to war.
-
- Claiming undisclosed evidence, he urged other countries
back tough retaliatory measures. "Russian and Chinese officials expressed
skepticism." They've seen numerous past examples of US duplicity and
may refuse to provide support.
-
- They know how America and NATO partners used Resolution
1973 to terror bomb Libya since March 19. They want no part in instigating
more regional conflict so will likely back efforts to prevent it.
-
- On October 13, tensions were further heightened by claiming
Iranian involvement in attacking US forces in Iraq. New York Times writer
Michael Schmidt headlined, "Militants Aided by Iran Fired at GI's
in Iraq, Officials Say," claiming:
-
- Iran's Quds Force financed and trained militants "attacked
United States forces in Iraq on Wednesday, continuing a role they have
played in recent years in a proxy war between the United States and Iran."
-
- No evidence was given, just baseless charges that Iranian-connected
militants fired rockets at Contingency Operating Station Garry Owen US
forces in Maysan province, bordering Iran, saying three soldiers were wounded.
-
- "The military provided few other details of the
attack." Iran, however, is often accused with involvement in assaults
targeting US forces, Iraqi civilians, its military and members of its government.
According to Washington, Tehran wants a weakened Iraq more dependent on
Iran.
-
- Schmidt quoted General Jeffrey Buchanan saying:
-
- "Anything they can do to cause separation between
us and Iraq helps achieve their greater aims. Anything they can do to cause
dissent or attack our forces and cause us to leave" serves their purpose.
-
- He like other US military and political officials provided
no evidence to substantiate charges.
-
- Accused "mastermind" Arbabsiar is an Iranian/American
failed used car salesman. Previously he was arrested for passing bad checks.
College associates recall him making hostile comments about Iran.
-
- Iran's Quds Force is highly professional and well trained.
It's ludicrous to imagine they'd enlist someone like Arbabsiar for any
overt or covert activity, let alone something as bizarre as what Washington's
charges. Suggesting it, in fact, is absurd and insulting on its face.
-
- In contrast, the Bush administration authorized covert
CIA destabilization of Iran. Congress appropriated $400 for it. The Obama
administration continues similar policies. It also has "kill lists"
of targets (including US citizens) to be assassinated by drones or covert
Special Forces death squads.
-
- Moreover, Iranian scientists involved in its nuclear
program have been murdered. Last spring, Iranian intelligence determined
that the Stuxnet malware computer virus infected its Bushehr nuclear facility.
At the time, its operations were halted indefinitely.
-
- Israel was blamed. Washington was also implicated. Calling
it a hostile act, General Gholam-Reza Jalali said if Bushehr went online
infected, Iran's entire electrical power grid could have been shut down.
-
- Washington has many ways to destabilize, weaken and oust
regimes. They include provocations, fake accusations, political and economic
sanctions, isolation, covert or direct confrontation, and cyberwar, among
other tactics in its arsenal of dirty tricks.
-
- All are ruthless ways to advance America's imperium,
no matter what it takes to make it unchallenged globally, including all
out general war.
-
- A Final Comment
-
- Interviewed on Press TV, US Army Lt. General Anthony
Shaffer said an FBI insider told him that Obama officials likely manufactured
the plot.
-
- Political scientist Kaveh Afrasiabi said charges will
"make a laughing stock of US diplomacy because by all indications
(they're) absurd and baseless and they (won't) be sustainable."
-
- He added that sooner or later the whole scheme will unravel.
Notably, they follow a familiar "pattern of Iran bashing behavior
(by) the United States."
-
- Ismail Salami said:
-
- "Regardless of the impertinence and hollowness of
the claim, one should not disregard the influence of" America's powerful
Israeli Lobby "in the new mudslinging campaign."
-
- It's part of a longstanding US/Israeli plan to vilify
and destabilize Iran. So far, in fact, nothing's worked, including sanctions
countries like Russia, China and others mostly or entirely ignore.
-
- Iran's UN ambassador Mohammad Khazaei called the scheme
an "insult to the intelligence" of people globally, saying:
-
- "We are used to the baseless allegations made by
some US officials over the past three decades, but the big lie they told
today is so unfounded that it sounds like the work of Hollywood (script)
writers."
-
- Notably post-9/11, US policy has been bomb first, then
ask questions when it's too late to matter. NATO allies France and Britain
go along willingly and institute other measures.
-
- Last August, UK Prime Minister Cameron targeted free
expression, saying social network sites can be used for good or ill. As
a result, he called for monitoring and perhaps censoring them to curtail
anti-government communication that could lead to violence.
-
- On October 12, Britain's Office of Communications (Ofcom)
banned Iran's Press TV for alleged noncompliance with UK law. In fact,
it was brazen censorship to silence a vital source for news, information
and analysis.
-
- A personal note. Press TV interviews this writer often.
A platform is provided to speak openly and freely on many topics. Other
independent writers, authors, academics and global analysts also appear
regularly. They rarely ever get air time on BBC or US major media.
-
- Press TV said Ofcom bowed to government and royal family
pressure. Doing so violates UK media law. Last May, Ofcom said Press TV
breached rules "by airing a 10 second extract from an interview with
Iranian-born Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari while (detained) in an Iranian
prison."
-
- WikiLeaks documents revealed that Britain's Foreign Office
told Washington's London embassy that it was "exploring ways to limit
(Press TV's) operations...."
-
- Tehran-based Press TV is a 24-hour English language global
news service available in most parts of the world by satellite, cable or
online. Its US presence is limited through intermediary companies.
-
- Major cable operators Comcast and Time Warner exclude
it from their lineups. So do media conglomerates Disney, Viacom and Fox.
-
- Controlled and funded by Britain's government, BBC's
an imperial tool. Throughout its history, it's suppressed information,
commentaries and analysis critical of its policies.
-
- Money power in private hands controls America's media,
including long ago corrupted National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting.
-
- In contrast, Press TV, like Russia Today and Voice of
Russia, airs diverse discussions and opinions on major global issues.
-
- UK and US viewers can access all three online. Do so
daily for real information and analysis to stay current and well informed
- free from Western propaganda.
-
- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
-
- Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive
Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central
time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy
listening.
-
- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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