2020-02-16: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-16). Iran will never talk to US under pressure or from 'position of weakness' — President Rouhani. rt.com Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ruled out any likelihood of talks with the US unless Washington lifts its 'maximum pressure' policy, adding that peace in the Middle East and the Gulf is unimaginable without Tehran's help. | Tehran "will never negotiate under pressure," Rouhani reiterated in an address quoted by local media. Iran "will never yield to America's pressure" and will not negotiate "from a position of weakness." | The Iranian people withstood the US sanctions — re-instated in 2018 by the Trump administration following the withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord — "despite all the hardships…

Richard Falk (2020-02-16). Meeting Grand Ayatollah 41 Years Ago. zcomm.org In February 1979 I had a meeting with Ayatollah Khomeini…

yenisafak (2020-02-16). Iran's Rouhani says Tehran will never talk to US under pressure. yenisafak.com "Iran will never negotiate under pressure … We will never yield to America's pressure and we will not negotiate from a position of weakness. America's 'maximum pressure' towards Iran is doomed to failure," Rouhani said."Securing peace and stability in the sensitive region of Middle East and in the Persian Gulf is impossible without Iran's help."

yenisafak (2020-02-16). Oman sees biggest Gulf clash risk in Strait of Hormuz. yenisafak.com The risk of a military confrontation is higher in the Strait of Hormuz than anywhere else in the Gulf region, Oman's foreign minister said, due in part to the growing number of military vessels from different countries that are guarding it.The waterway between Iran and Oman – 33 km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point – is the conduit for some 30% of all crude and other oil liquids traded by sea.Friction between Iran and the West had led several nations to send task forces to guard shipping there, and Washington has blamed Tehran for attacks on international merchant vessels in or near the area, something Tehra…

yenisafak (2020-02-16). Assad forces suffer heavy losses in Idlib attacks. yenisafak.com Hundreds of forces of the Syrian Bashar al-Assad regime have been neutralized amid operations over the last two weeks in Idlib, northwestern Syria.Clashes have mounted for over a month between the Syrian regime, allied with Iran-backed foreign terrorist groups, against opposition and anti-regime armed groups in the east and south Idlib as well as the Aleppo countryside.Opposition groups downed two helicopters, one in southern Idlib and another in western Aleppo, within the last week.Meanwhile, hundreds of regime forces were neutralized along with their equipment including 12 vehicles, 24 tanks, eight anti-aircraf…

sputniknews (2020-02-16). Rouhani Says Iran Will Only Negotiate With US if Washington Returns to Nuclear Deal, Lifts Sanctions. sputniknews.com On 8 May, 2018, US President Donald Trump announced Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, reinstating harsh economic sanctions against Tehran.

sputniknews (2020-02-16). Statue in Honour of Killed Top Iranian General Soleimani Unveiled on Lebanese-Israeli Border – Video. sputniknews.com Earlier this week, spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Ramezan Sharif that the US assassination of the elite Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani would lead to the "liberation of Jerusalem" from Israel.

sputniknews (2020-02-16). 5.8-Magnitude Quake Hits Iran's Qeshm Island in the Gulf – EMSC. sputniknews.com According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake occurred at a depth of 47 kilometres.

WSWS (2020-02-15). US assassinated Suleimani to quash Iran's talks with Gulf monarchies. wsws.org The murder of the top Iranian general was carried out to shore up Washington's crumbling Middle East alliances.

The Canary (2020-02-14). Huawei rejects new US charges against Chinese tech giant. thecanary.co The US justice department has added new criminal charges against Chinese tech giant Huawei and several subsidiaries, accusing the company of a brazen scheme to steal trade secrets from competitors in America.The new indictment also alleges the company provided surveillance equipment to Iran that enabled the monitoring of protesters during 2009 anti-government demonstrations in Tehran, and that it sought to conceal business that it was doing in North Korea despite economic sanctions there.The company disputed the allegations in a statement and said they were "without merit". | False allegations by US officials and…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-02-14). Senate follows House in banning money for Trump war on Iran. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—By a bipartisan 55-45 vote on Feb. 13, the GOP-run Senate followed the Democratic-run House and barred saber-rattling Donald Trump from spending any military money to make war on Iran. Eight Republicans joined all 45 Democrats and both independents in voting against Trump and against war on Iran. One of the eight, Maine's Susan Collins, …

Prof. Valeria Z. Nollan (2020-02-14). On Bombing Cultural Heritage Sites, Drone Assassinations, and Spirituality. globalresearch.ca Pres. Donald Trump's threat to the Iranian government to bomb fifty-two designated cultural sites in that country was shocking and disturbing, for myriad reasons.[i] The specific number of fifty-two in his tweet of January 4, 2020 pointedly reminds us of …

John Nichols (2020-02-14). The Senate Rejects Outsourcing War Powers to Trump. thenation.com The Senate Rejects Outsourcing War Powers to Trump…

RT (2020-02-13). US Senate strikes symbolic blow against Trump by limiting war powers toward Iran with new resolution. rt.com The US Senate has passed a resolution limiting President Donald Trump's war powers in the case of Iran. The measure would only allow the president authority to strike in the case of self-defense or an imminent attack. | Eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the measure, which was passed 55-45. The resolution fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto, meaning this resolution is more symbolic than anything. | The president made his feelings on the War Powers Resolution clear on Wednesday when he tweeted that Iran would "have a field day" if his hands "were tied" due…

RT (2020-02-13). US Navy seizes cache of 'Iranian manufactured' weapons in Arabian Sea — Pentagon (PHOTO, VIDEO). rt.com A US Navy ship seized 150 'Dehlavieh' anti-tank guided missiles after boarding a dhow in the Arabian Sea on Sunday, the Pentagon claimed. | The weapons seized by the USS Normandy were reportedly components "of Iranian design and manufacture," including three Iranian surface-to-air missiles, thermal imaging weapon scopes and other munitions and advanced weapons parts. | JUST IN: US Navy says it boarded a dhow in

Paul Kawika Martin (2020-02-13). Peace Action: Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …

Miranda Perez (2020-02-13). The Reproductive Justice Gap at HBCUs. thenation.com The Reproductive Justice Gap at HBCUs…

Joshua Cho (2020-02-13). No. 1 Sponsor of Terrorism? US Media Name Iran, but Overlook a Candidate Closer to Home. fair.org After the

RT (2020-02-12). What about stopping endless wars? Trump urges GOP to vote down Iran war resolution because it's a partisan ploy by Democrats. rt.com US President Donald Trump says the resolution that would block him from using force against Iran is a partisan trick by Democrats, even though he campaigned on a peace platform and some of his closest allies support the proposal. | "We are doing very well with Iran and this is not the time to show weakness," Trump tweeted on Wednesday, adding that Tehran would "have a field day" if his hands were tied. | "The Democrats are only doing this as an attempt to embarrass the Republican Party. Don't let it happen!" he urged the GOP majority. ….If my hands were tied, Iran would have a field day. Sends a very bad s…

Staff (2020-02-11). Trump's New Budget Funds Endless War & Nuclear Weapons While Slashing Aid to Poor & Hungry Americans. democracynow.org President Trump unveiled his 2021 budget request Monday, proposing massive cuts to Medicaid and food stamps while increasing spending on the military and his border wall. The $4.8 trillion budget would slash Environmental Protection Agency spending by more than a quarter while allocating $18 billion for Trump's newly established Space Force. Trump is also requesting billions more for nuclear weapons, including a new submarine-launched nuclear warhead. Experts and Democratic lawmakers warn that increasing the nuclear stockpile will increase the likelihood of nuclear war and defy international agreements. Democrats…

Staff (2020-02-10). Headlines for February 10, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Deaths Soar as First U.S. Citizen Succumbs to Disease, Iowa Dem. Party Officially Gives Buttigieg the Lead as Candidates Prepare for New Hampshire Vote, Trump Budget Seeks Boost to Military and Nuclear Spending, Cuts to Social Programs and EPA, Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan, Trump Fires Key Impeachment Figures Following Acquittal, Thai Soldier Kills 29 People in Shooting Rampage, Brazilian Police Kill Hitman Suspected of Involvement in Marielle Franco's Assassination, Temperature Reaches Record-Breaking 65 Degrees in Antarctica, Extinction Rebellion Activists Demand New York Divest from Foss…

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.

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.

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…

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 …

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 …