2020-02-02: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-02). Top official in PM Modi's party says 'entire world' believes 'only' India can mediate & resolve US-Iran conflict. rt.com The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a prominent member of Indian PM Narendra Modi's party, has suggested that the world is waiting for New Delhi to step into the row and reduce the tension between the US and Iran. | Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was speaking at a campaign rally in Rohini, to the northwest of New Delhi, on Saturday. He argued that the time when the US acted as a mediator in international disputes has long gone, and it's now time for India, which has become a major world power, to fill the void. | "Earlier, when small nations sparred over various issues, the United States would jump in," Adity…

teleSUR (2020-02-02). High-Ranking EU Official to Visit Iran Amid Increased Tensions. telesurenglish.net Josep Borrell, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, will visit Iran on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi announced on Sunday. | Borrell will visit the Iranian capital for the first time after taking office in December 2019 amid escalating disputes over Tehran's nuclear program. | He is scheduled to hold meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other senior Iranian officials during his trip. | On January 16, Borrell met with Zarif on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India. During the meeting, Zarif urged the European c…

Staff (2020-02-02). Decolonization Is Essential to Successfully Resist Extractivism. truthout.org "Colonialism, imperialism, and racial capitalism are impacting people across the globe, both historically and in the contemporary moment," write Nick Estes and Jaskiran Dhillon, editors of

sputniknews (2020-02-02). Iran's Revolutionary Guards Claim US Troops' 'Brain Injuries' Toll a 'Metaphor' for Deaths – Reports. sputniknews.com Following the strike on two US military outposts in retaliation for the Trump-commissioned killing of General Qasem Soleimani, POTUS reported no losses, with the Pentagon eventually saying 64 service personnel sustained what he referred to as "brain injuries".

Staff (2020-02-01). Iraqi Blocs Choose New PM-Designate After Weeks of Jockeying. truthdig.com BAGHDAD — Former communications minister Mohammed Allawi was named prime minister-designate by rival Iraqi factions Saturday after weeks of political deadlock. | The choice comes as the country weathers troubled times, including ongoing anti-government protests and the constant threat of being ensnared by festering U.S.-Iran tensions. | Related Articles: …

Aaron Maté (2020-02-01). Israel has played a key role in US aggression towards Iran. thegrayzone.com Before the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Israel played a key and overlooked role in the Trump administration's aggression campaign against…

Stephen Lendman (2020-02-01). Rising Numbers of US Troops in Iraq with Traumatic Brain Injuries. globalresearch.ca In retaliation for the Trump regime's assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, the IRGC struck two Pentagon bases in Iraq days later. | Iranian missiles successfully penetrated US air defenses, striking targets with pinpoint accuracy — causing significant …

WSWS (2020-02-01). South Korea deploys naval unit to Strait of Hormuz. wsws.org Behind the backs of the South Korean working class, Seoul is supporting US war plans that could lead to a wider conflict with China and Russia.

WSWS (2020-02-01). US deploys "usable" nuclear weapon amid continuing war threats against Iran. wsws.org For all the talk of war with Iran having been averted, the reality is that the world remains on the knife's edge of a catastrophic military confrontation.

Agha Hussain (2020-01-31). Wealthy Gulf States Plan to Spend Big to Coax Syria Away from Iran. mintpressnews.com In the first of a three-part series, Agha Hussein investigates efforts by wealthy Gulf Arab countries to ply post-war Syria away from Iran by investing heavily in its post-war reconstruction.

Whitney Webb (2020-01-31). How government and media are prepping America for a failed 2020 election. mronline.org Russia, China and Iran are already being blamed for using tech to undermine the 2020 election. Yet, the very technologies they are allegedly using were created by a web of companies with deep ties to Israeli intelligence. |

Staff (2020-01-31). Headlines for January 31, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Poised to Acquit President Trump in Impeachment Trial, World Health Organization Declares International Public Health Emergency, U.S. Special Envoy Warns of International Crisis in Idlib, Syria, Britain Formally Withdrawing from European Union Tonight, Pentagon Deploys 1st Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead-Armed Submarine, Trump Admin Poised to Loosen Restrictions on Use of Landmines, Human Rights Groups Condemn Mexico for Crackdown on Central American Migrants, Mexican Butterfly Conservationist Found Dead, Bolivia's Movement for Socialism Candidate Luis Arce Returns to Bolivia, U.S. Pushes EU to End Ban on Chemic…

Jon Rainwater (2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …

Fight Back (2020-01-31). East LA demands: "No war against Iran" fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – On January 25, protesters joined together at the U.S. Marine recruitment center to demand "No war against Iran!" The event was organized by the 50th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee and was part of a day of action across the U.S. against war with Iran. | The largest Chicano Moratorium happened on August 29, 1970 in which 30,000 Chicanos marched through East Los Angeles (ELA) to demand an end of the Vietnam War and against the draft. The protest was met with heavy repression from the sheriffs, and hundreds were arrested and three left dead, including Chicano journalist Ruben Salazar. | Pr…

David Rosen (2020-01-31). Terrorism and the Militarization of the NYPD. counterpunch.org President Donald Trump's decision to assassinate Qassem Suleimani (the leader of Iran's Quds Force) and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units) on January 3rd provoked deep fears in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio pointed out, "the US Government effectively declared war on Iran tonight. The American people had no say in the matter, despite

RT (2020-01-30). Leaked memo shows US border patrol agents instructed to interrogate travelers with 'Iranian links' at Canadian border — report. rt.com An apparent US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) memo sent anonymously to a Canadian immigration lawyer purports to show instructions to border officers to interrogate travelers with 'links' to Iran. | The memo was obtained by Canada's CBC News after it was dropped off at the office of lawyer Len Saunders in a blank envelope by an anonymous source on Wednesday. | The missive orders border agents to "conduct vetting" on people between the ages of 20 and 58 with links to Iran and Lebanon, whether they were born there or traveled there for other reasons, CBC reported. | It seems to have come into effect in the imme…

Nicolas J. S. Davies (2020-01-30). The U.S. is recycling its big lie about Iraq to target Iran. mronline.org The U.S.'s campaign against Iran has violated the most critical lessons that U.S. and UN officials claimed to have learned from the debacle in Iraq. |

RT (2020-01-30). Bush-era Iraq war authorization voted out by US House. rt.com The House of Representatives has voted to repeal a 2002 resolution authorizing the US to wage war on Iraq. The law was used by the Trump administration to justify the recent drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. | The House voted 236 to 166 to kill the 2002 Authorization for Military Force (AUMF) on Iraq, with eleven Republicans joining the Democrats to vote in favor, and two Democrats bucking their party to oppose it. | The 2002 AUMF was drafted during the presidency of George W. Bush to authorize the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and has been used by subsequent administrations to continue military acti…

RT (2020-01-30). US House votes to block funding for military action against Iran. rt.com The House of Representatives has voted to restrict President Donald Trump's ability to launch military strikes on Iran, and will debate a measure to repeal a 2002 act that gives the US broad warmaking powers in Iraq. | The first bill, which would block Trump from using federal funds to for "unauthorized military force against Iran" passed by a largely party-line vote of 228-175. It comes two weeks after the House

Anya Parampil (2020-01-30). US government censorship? Social media giants disappear accounts of Iranian and Venezuelan academics, journalists. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil talks with Professor Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran. Professor Marandi's Facebook and Instagram…

Alan Macleod (2020-01-29). US Announces Three New Bases in Iraq After Iraqis Demand Full Withdrawal. mintpressnews.com The three sites chosen for the news bases, Erbin, Sulimania and Halabja are all extremely close to Iran, with Halabja just eight miles from its border.

Tyler Durden (2020-01-29). Pentagon Now Says 50 US Troops Suffered Brain Injuries in Iran's Missile Strike. theantimedia.com Hours after the attack, President Trump had announced that "no Americans were harmed."

Staff (2020-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2020. democracynow.org Impeachment Trial Resumes as Leaked Bolton Manuscript Bolsters Democrats' Case, Coronavirus Death Toll Reaches 81 in China as Disease Spreads Around the World, Pentagon: 34 U.S. Troops Have Brain Injuries After Iranian Attack on Iraqi Airbase, Deadly Crackdown on Iraqi Protests Continue as 100,000s March Against U.S. Military Presence, Turkey Earthquake Kills 38; At Least 1,600 Hospitalized, Ugandan Activist Vanessa Nakate Slams Racist Media After Being Cropped from Photo with White Activists, Trump Attends Anti-Abortion "March for Life" as Admin Continues Assault on Reproductive Rights, High-Ranking Pharma Exec…

Aaron Maté (2020-01-26). Debating Trump's 'maximum pressure' on Iran w/ Michael Doran. thegrayzone.com A former Bush administration official defends Trump's "maximum pressure" on Iran. Michael Doran, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute…

Tyler Durden (2020-01-26). 20,000 US Troops Have Surged Into Middle East Since Last Spring to 'Counter Iran'. theantimedia.com Over the past eight months, the United States has poured more than 20,000 additional troops into the Middle East to counter Iran.

pip.hinman (2020-01-25). Protesters say no war on Iran. greenleft.org.au The protest took…

Tyler Durden (2020-01-24). Pentagon Now Says 34 US Soldiers Suffered Traumatic Brain Injuries in Iran Attack. theantimedia.com (ZH) — In the latest major revelation contradicting the White House and Pentagon significantly downplayed casualty count regarding the Jan.8 Iranian ballistic missile attack on Ayn al-Asad airbase in Iraq, The New York Times is reporting that a total of 34 American soldiers have been diagnosed with serious head injuries ranging from concussion to traumatic brain injury. Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman confirmed …

CounterSpin (2020-01-10). Gregory Shupak on Iran Assassination, Brett Hartl on Biodiversity Loss. fair.org Media…

Jon Rainwater (2020-01-08). In the ongoing crisis, Congress must rein in Trump's war powers. peaceaction.org As we feared, President Trump's reckless assassination of Iran's Gen. Soleimani resulted in escalation — direct Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq. It's painful to watch more violence in a country that has already suffered far too much from endless war. All parties in the US/Iran conflict must cease military action and …

Lawrence Wittner (2019-12-22). Americans Are Ready for a Different Approach to Nuclear Weapons. zcomm.org Although today's public protests against nuclear weapons can't compare to the major antinuclear upheavals of past decades, there are clear indications that most Americans reject the Trump administration's nuclear weapons policies. Since entering office in 2017, the Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …

Jon Rainwater (2019-09-25). Take Action to Avoid War with Iran. peaceaction.org photo credit Dear Groundswell Readers, We have to keep pushing Congress this week if we want to avoid war with Iran. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said recently that the U.K. might join a U.S.-led military effort in the Gulf. When other nations step up to join the "coalition of the willing" it's often a bad sign. …

Paul Kawika Martin (2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …

Paul Kawika Martin (2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Jon Rainwater (2019-06-20). Striking Iran Now Could Spark a Major War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to reports that the Trump administration is considering strikes on Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "The United States has stumbled into a perilous situation. If, for example, the U.S. …