- State terror embraces many forms of lawlessness, duplicity
and depravity. They include violence; war; conquest; colonization; plunder;
targeted killings; torture; financial, political and social terrorism,
and more.
-
- Washington and Israel fine-tuned it. Both nations redefined
the degeneracy of Western societies. They and others benefit from death,
destruction, exploitation, and human misery.
-
- Their policies spurn core democratic values, including
life, liberty, equity, justice, truth, and government of, for and by the
people. All are non-starters.
-
- Ordinary people are exploited, not served. Only wealth
and power matter, regardless of the body count to accumulate maximum amounts
and secure more of both.
-
- Wickedness has no bounds. Practitioners seek new ways
to do malevolent things to more people. Nothing is off limits. Rhetoric
masks sinister destructive agendas.
-
- Gandhi was asked what he thought of Western civilization.
"I think it would be a good idea," he responded. Maybe he had
Washington and Israel in mind. Both give new meaning to rogue state depravity.
-
- An October 16 Haaretz editorial headlined, "Free
press in Israel is in danger," saying:
-
- Extremist MKs allied with Netanhayu and Foreign Minister
Avigdor Lieberman want "to destroy the democratic component of Israel's
definition as a 'Jewish and democratic state....' "
-
- Their "new target: Silencing the free press through
the threat of libel suits that would jeopardize the economic foundations
of the media outlets."
-
- The Knesset Law and Justice Committee approved a first
reading for legislation to raise libel compensation six-fold "with
no need to prove actual damage."
-
- It could increase another five-fold if complainant responses
aren't published in full. Opponents of free expression call for protecting
people from "the great power of the media."
-
- At issue is suppressing dissent, truth, and controlling
the message. America faces similar threats with congressional extremists
wanting Internet freedom curtailed.
-
- If reactionary elements in both countries succeed, press
freedom's last frontier may disappear, and with it fragile free societies
in America, Israel and elsewhere.
-
- Israel's latest injustice involves journalist Anat Kamm.
At issue is prosecuting whistleblowers. She like Bradley Manning exposed
criminal wrongdoing. He awaits trial. Kamm was just sentenced.
-
- Originally accused of espionage, Tel Aviv's District
Court gave her 54 months imprisonment plus another 18 months suspended
sentence on charges of collecting, holding and passing on classified material
without authorization.
-
- Prior to being convicted, she spent two years under house
arrest. Like Manning, she obtained documents while on active military duty.
Some were marked "top secret." They involved approved targeted
Palestinian assassinations. Ordering them violated international law and
Israel's High Court.
-
- Kamm's information gave Haaretz writer Uri Blau material
to expose Israel's "license to kill." Two Palestinians were targeted.
Israel's then Central Command head, General Yair Naveh, and IDF Chief of
Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, were involved.
-
- On December 14, 2006, High Court President, Justice Aharon
Barak, ruled no one should be assassinated or harmed in lieu of nonviolent
workable alternatives. "In other words," he said, "a person
should not be assassinated if it is possible to arrest him, interrogate
and indict him."
-
- Israeli General Yair Naveh was quoted saying, "Don't
bother me with High Court orders." In other words, rule of law inviolability
and Supreme Court rulings don't matter.
-
- America is much the same. Preemptive war against nonbelligerent
countries is official policy. So is torture and targeted killings. Everyone,
including US citizens, is at risk. In Israel, exposing classified material
means up to 15 years in prison. Holding it alone can bring seven.
-
- Imprisoned awaiting trial, Manning's been brutalized
in solitary confinement. If convicted on all or most serious charges, possible
life in prison may follow for exposing state crimes.
-
- He and Kamm are heros. America and Israel call them criminals.
The malevolence of both nations knows no bounds.
-
- UNESCO Punished for Doing the Right Thing
-
- Another issue involves UNESCO members voting overwhelmingly
for full Palestinian membership despite intense US and Israeli opposition.
-
- Israel called it a "tragedy." Foreign Ministry
spokesman Yigal Palmor said it was "a big diplomatic car crash."
Israeli ambassador Nimrod Barkan claimed UNESCO performed "a great
disservice."
-
- Ahead of the vote, Washington called admitting Palestine
"counterproductive (and) premature." Retaliatory measures followed,
America's usual response.
-
- State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said America's
$60 million contribution (22% of UNESCO's budget) won't be paid this month.
-
- Members supported Palestine anyway. US 1990 and 1994
laws mandate defunding UN agencies granting Palestine full membership.
-
- Legislation passed in 1990 prohibits funds "for
the United Nations or any specialized agency thereof which accords the
Palestinian Liberation Organization the same standing as a member state."
-
- The 1994 law bars funding "any affiliated organization
of the United Nations which grants full membership as a state to any organization
or group that does not have the internationally recognized attributes of
statehood."
-
- Palestine's had them for over six decades. Nonetheless,
full recognition's been denied. Israel (through its Lobby) pressured Congress
for both laws.
-
- Washington's subservience to Israel is longstanding and
pernicious, especially since the 1960s. Whatever Israel wants, it gets,
even when US interests are harmed. Both dance together destructively, living
by the sword. One day perhaps they'll perish by it.
-
- From 1984 to 2003, Washington boycotted UNESCO, claiming
the organization was corrupt, anti-Israel, anti-Western, and critical of
major media sources.
-
- A previous article said lawless extremists infest Congress
like crabgrass besets lawns. Rep. Eleana Ros-Lehtinen (R. FL) is one of
the worst. She called UNESCO's vote "reckless," "anti-Israel",
and "anti-peace."
-
- She and other bipartisan extremists defiantly support
wrong over right. Discussions now include new legislation to restrict overall
UN funding, cut off Palestinian aid entirely, and punish nations voting
for Palestinian membership.
-
- Nonetheless, cheers erupted at UNESCO's General Assembly
after the vote. One delegated shouted "Long live Palestine!"
in French. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki called membership:
-
- "the beginning of a road that is difficult, but
will lead to the freedom of our land and people from occupation,"
adding it "help(s) erase a tiny part of the injustice done to the
Palestinian people."
-
- A significant symbolic victory was achieved. Others perhaps
will follow.
-
- On November 2, Haaretz said Palestine seeks membership
in 16 more UN agencies, including the World Health Organization, International
Labor Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, International
Telecommunication Union, and 12 others.
-
- Hopefully full de jure UN membership will follow. It's
decades overdue.
-
- A Final Comment
-
- On November 1, the International Middle East Media Center
said Israel may impose sanctions on Palestine following admittance to UNESCO,
saying:
-
- "....Netanyahu decided to convene with his 'cabinet
of eight' on Tuesday to discuss a series of sanctions against the Palestinian
Authority (PA)...."
-
- An unnamed Israeli official said punishments may include
canceling VIP privileges for senior PA officials, additional settlement
construction, and halting tax revenue transfers due Palestine.
-
- Also under consideration is suspending future cooperation
with UNESCO.
-
- Israeli and US governance is so out-of control perhaps
declaring war is next. Why not. Both countries thrive on it. America's
agenda embraces permanent war. Israel is a modern-day Sparta.
-
- Together with like-minded partners they plan world conquest
and dominance. Why worry about UNESCO with those goals in mind.
-
- Neither tolerates embarrassment. Anything ahead is possible.
None of it will be humanitarian or socially beneficial. Expect new broadsides
any time when least expected. That's how rogue states operate.
-
- 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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