Daily Archives: February 9, 2020

2020-02-09: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-09). Unpleasant surprise for Washington? US oil sanctions on Iran force India to look to Russia. rt.com Escalating US pressure on Iran, including sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports, may have had an unexpected consequence — pushing India to diversify its energy supplies by shifting from Tehran to Moscow as a major oil supplier. | State-owned oil refiner Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has just signed a contract with Russia's Rosneft for the supply of up to 2 million tons of oil by the end of 2020. The meeting took place on the sidelines of India's largest weapons fair, DefExpo, currently going on in Lucknow. | "This is just the beginning," Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters after meetin…

Larry Romanoff (2020-02-09). Iran Attack on Two US Bases, The "Evil Empire" Strikes Back. The Casualties? globalresearch.ca After their excessive and macabre display of delight and satisfaction, and even celebration, over the killing of Solemani, the White House was tight-lipped about Iran's almost immediate retaliatory missile attack on two US bases in Iraq, with Donald Trump soon …

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-02-08). U.S. uneasy as Iraq gets new prime minister. mronline.org The protest movement in Iraq, which is now entering its fourth month, has come to be the principal instrument for Washington to surreptitiously advance the broader geopolitical confrontation with Iran that is being played out within the country. |

Strategic Culture (2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.

Staff (2020-02-07). Risk of Nuclear War Rises as U.S. Deploys a New Nuclear Weapon for the First Time Since the Cold War. democracynow.org The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) called the news "an alarming development that heightens the risk of nuclear war." We're joined by William Arkin, longtime reporter…

Agha Hussain (2020-02-07). Russia and Iran's Clashing Visions for Syria's future. mintpressnews.com Rivals of the West in their own right, Iran and Russia today are major power players in the Syrian imbroglio. Their convergence of interests in helping eradicate extremist terrorist proxies utilized by an array of rival states against their mutual Syrian ally has allowed them both a significant degree of say in Syrian affairs and how that country's future will pan out | However, their cooperation against the terrorist threat has often been the pivot of inaccurate portrayals of Russia-Iran ties and the extent of their shared interests versus their many highly divergent objectives in Syria, many of which are rooted…

Scarlet Kim (2020-02-07). CBP Lied About Iranian-American Detentions, Leaked Memo Suggests. globalresearch.ca Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Simon Watkins (2020-02-07). Iraq Is on the Brink of an Energy Crisis. globalresearch.ca As the deadline for the U.S. to renew its waiver on Iraq importing gas and electricity from Iran approaches later this month, the three key players in this ongoing geopolitical saga have been preparing for all possible outcomes. As always …

Andrew Korybko (2020-02-07). Expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Tehran Wants to Build "the Golden Ring" globalresearch.ca BRI-led Eurasian integration processes are one of the defining characteristics of contemporary International Relations, and the Golden Ring could eventually become the centerpiece of these efforts if Ambassador Hosseini's W-CPEC+ proposal succeeds, especially if it's done in parallel with N-CPEC+….

RT (2020-02-05). US Space Force conducts first ICBM launch after Moscow warned of threat of renewed arms race (PHOTOS). rt.com The newly-created US Space Force has test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time as Russia blasted it for "lowering the bar" on using nuclear weapons. | The unarmed land-based missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after midnight on Wednesday. It was the first such development test since the facility became part of the US Space Force, which was established as an independent military branch in late December. The US previously test-fired a missile of this type in October. | The Minuteman missiles are the key component of the US' land-…

Jason Ditz (2020-02-05). Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month. theantimedia.com Trump told reporters that the U.S. came "closer than you thought" to war with Iran last month.

Staff (2020-02-04). Headlines for February 4, 2020. democracynow.org Delay in Iowa Democratic Primary Results Causes Confusion, Mixed Messages, Final Arguments Made in Impeachment Trial of President Trump Ahead of SOTU, Hong Kong Medical Workers Demand Border Closure as Coronavirus Claims Life of Hong Kong Man, Leaked Audio Shows Iran Knew It Downed Ukraine Jet Despite Early Denials, Syrian and Turkish Forces Escalate Attacks as Turkey Suffers First Losses from Direct Combat, Massachusetts Prisoners Allege Violent Retaliatory Abuse by Guards, Trial Begins For Ex-CIA Software Engineer Accused of "Vault 7" Leak, Weinstein Rape Accuser Breaks Down During Harsh Questioning, Shooting a…

Staff (2020-02-03). ACLU: Trump Is Expanding His Racist Travel Ban, This Time Targeting Africans. democracynow.org The Trump administration has expanded its contested travel ban to six additional countries — most of which are African nations. Under the new restrictions, nationals of Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan will no longer be able to obtain visas to live and work in the U.S., while Sudan and Tanzania will no longer be able to participate in the diversity visa lottery program. The ban, commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban," already affects citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela and North Korea. The expansion is expected to affect more than 350 million people. Democrats say they will…

Norman Solomon (2020-02-02). War with Iran Is at Stake—and Democrats' High Jumps Over Low Standards Aren't Helping. zcomm.org The huge crisis with Iran is more dangerous because so many Democrats have been talking out of both sides of their mouths…

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…

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 …

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…

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. …

2020-02-09: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Unpleasant surprise for Washington? US oil sanctions on Iran force India to look to Russia
rt.com | 2020-02-09
Escalating US pressure on Iran, including sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports, may have had an unexpected consequence

Iran Attack on Two US Bases, The "Evil Empire" Strikes Back. The Casualties?
Larry Romanoff | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-09
After their excessive and macabre display of delight and satisfaction, and even celebration, over the killing of Solemani, the White House was tight-lipped about Iran's almost immediate retaliatory missile attack on two US bases in Iraq, with Donald Trump soon …
globalresearch.ca/new-star-wars-trilogy-evil-empire-strikes-back/5702528

US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace
Strategic Culture | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-08
These so-called "mini-nukes" represent–despite the diminutive-sounding name–an increased risk of nuclear war.

US Deploys ‘Mini-Nukes’ in Deplorable Threat to World Peace

U.S. uneasy as Iraq gets new prime minister
M.K. Bhadrakumar | mronline.org | 2020-02-08
The protest movement in Iraq, which is now entering its fourth month, has come to be the principal instrument for Washington to surreptitiously advance the broader geopolitical confrontation with Iran that is being played out within the country. | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/07/u-s-uneasy-as-iraq-gets-new-prime-minister/

Libya is Being Torn Apart By Outsiders
Vijay Prashad | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-07
With the United States walking out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)–more commonly known as the Iran accord–we all enter into a heightened zone of danger. Trump is threatening a war on Iran through his statements and tweets, and now by his actions, assassinating serving Iranian and Iraqi generals on Iraqi soil. Assassinations…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/07/libya-is-being-torn-apart-by-outsiders/

Risk of Nuclear War Rises as U.S. Deploys a New Nuclear Weapon for the First Time Since the Cold War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-07
The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) called the news "an alarming development that heightens the risk of nuclear war." We're joined by William Arkin, longtime reporter…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/7/us_new_low_yield_nuclear_weapons

Russia and Iran's Clashing Visions for Syria's future
Agha Hussain | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-07
Rivals of the West in their own right, Iran and Russia today are major power players in the Syrian imbroglio. Their convergence of interests in helping eradicate extremist terrorist proxies utilized by an array of rival states against their mutual Syrian ally has allowed them both a significant degree of say in Syrian affairs and how that country's future will pan out | However, their cooperation against the terrorist threat has often been the pivot of inaccurate portrayals of Russia-Iran ties and the extent of their shared interests versus their many highly divergent objectives in Syria, many of which are rooted…
mintpressnews.com/syria-energy-dominance-russia-aligning-with-israel-against-iran/264661/

Iraq Is on the Brink of an Energy Crisis
Simon Watkins | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-07
As the deadline for the U.S. to renew its waiver on Iraq importing gas and electricity from Iran approaches later this month, the three key players in this ongoing geopolitical saga have been preparing for all possible outcomes. As always …
globalresearch.ca/iraq-brink-energy-crisis/5703024

Expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Tehran Wants to Build "the Golden Ring"
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-07
BRI-led Eurasian integration processes are one of the defining characteristics of contemporary International Relations, and the Golden Ring could eventually become the centerpiece of these efforts if Ambassador Hosseini's W-CPEC+ proposal succeeds, especially if it's done in parallel with N-CPEC+….
globalresearch.ca/iranian-ambassador-pakistan-wants-build-golden-ring/5703034

CBP Lied About Iranian-American Detentions, Leaked Memo Suggests
Scarlet Kim | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-07
Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection adamantly denied that it was detaining U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents of Iranian descent and interrogating them about their religion and political views. The agency also assured the public that it had …
globalresearch.ca/cbp-lied-about-iranian-american-detentions-leaked-memo-suggests/5703043

US Space Force conducts first ICBM launch after Moscow warned of threat of renewed arms race (PHOTOS)
rt.com | 2020-02-05
The newly-created US Space Force has test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time as Russia blasted it for "lowering the bar" on using nuclear weapons. | The unarmed land-based missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after midnight on Wednesday. It was the first such development test since the facility became part of the US Space Force, which was established as an independent military branch in late December. The US previously test-fired a missile of this type in October. | The Minuteman missiles are the key component of the US' land-…
rt.com/usa/480132-us-minuteman-icbm-test/

Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-05
Trump told reporters that the U.S. came "closer than you thought" to war with Iran last month.

Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month

ACLU: Trump Is Expanding His Racist Travel Ban, This Time Targeting Africans
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-03
The Trump administration has expanded its contested travel ban to six additional countries

War with Iran Is at Stake–and Democrats' High Jumps Over Low Standards Aren't Helping
Norman Solomon | zcomm.org | 2020-02-02
The huge crisis with Iran is more dangerous because so many Democrats have been talking out of both sides of their mouths…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/war-with-iran-is-at-stake-and-democrats-high-jumps-over-low-standards-arent-helping/

War Crimes Against Iran
Marjorie Cohn | zcomm.org | 2020-02-02
Trump has already committed the crime of aggression against Iran…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/war-crimes-against-iran/

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

Headlines for January 31, 2020
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-31
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/31/headlines

House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars
Jon Rainwater | peaceaction.org | 2020-01-31
Washington, D.C.

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

Gregory Shupak on Iran Assassination, Brett Hartl on Biodiversity Loss
CounterSpin | fair.org | 2020-01-10
Media…
fair.org/home/gregory-shupak-on-iran-assassination-brett-hartl-on-biodiversity-loss/