China and Russia threaten US Attack on Iran fraught with unpredictable consequences

With rumors of war and violence jeopardizing the stability of the Middle East, Russia and China caution the United States against attacking Iran.

Attacking Iran would be a “very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences,” warned Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while China's response was more reserved and a lot less vocal, it was no less implied.

Still, a growing number of US officials past and present have expressed a preference for launching a military attack on Iran soon, with an IAEA report alleging some vague allegations about computer simulations serving as the latest pretext.

For example, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice slammed Iran, saying the U.S. should consider even tougher penalties against the Iranian government and 'be doing everything we can to bring it down,' and that the U.S. should never take the option of military force off the table when it comes to dealing with Iran.

Carl Levin with John McCain

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said he believes an Israeli attack on Iran is “very likely.”

Meanwhile, Israeli officials have been open about wanting to launch an attack on Iran themselves, with President Shimon Peres insisting the war was “more likely” than any sort of diplomatic solution.

These are just the latest in the growing concerns about starting another major war. Germany also said they oppose any type of military action.

Will Iran end up becoming another Iraq?

Though I am not out of principle opposed to an attack on Iran, I do wonder if we could be walking into a blunder just like we did in Iraq. What if there are no weapons of mass destruction? If we don't find WMD's, America will once again look like the aggressive, war mongering colonial empire it is already rightfully made out to be throughout most of the world.

And while China's position on a US or Israeli strike against Iran is hard to decipher,  with Chinese officials being as reserved as usual, Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in a wide-ranging editorial that the consequences of a military strike against Iran would be disastrous.

"Russia is worried about the growing threat of a military strike against Iran," Putin said in an editorial carried by the RIA Novosti news agency. "If this happens, the consequences will be disastrous. It is impossible to imagine the true scope of this turn of events."

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

"We propose recognizing Iran's right to develop a civilian nuclear program, including the right to enrich uranium," Putin said. "But this must be done in exchange for putting all Iranian nuclear activity under reliable and comprehensive IAEA safeguards."

Could Russia have another reason for being this vocal against an attack on Iran?

Does Russia have Ulterior Motive for not wanting us to Attack Iran?

According to RIANovosti, a major Russian news website, Russia's defense minister Sergei Ivanov admitted that Russia completed deliveries of Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran.

"We have supplied modern anti-aircraft short-range missile systems under a contract. Iran is not under any sanctions," Sergei Ivanov said, adding that Moscow will continue to develop military and technical cooperation with Tehran. 

Russia supplied 29 Tor-M1 missile systems to Iran in accord with a $700 million contract signed at the close of 2005. Although the US protested the deal, fearing it would boost Iran's military capabilities, the Russians delivered the missiles anyway.

Russia insisted that the delivery of the Tor-M1 missiles to Iran was sanctioned by international law, and that the systems were intended for defense purposes only.

The Tor-M is a high-precision missile system designed to destroy both manned and unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles flying at an altitude of up to 6 miles. Each system is equipped with 8 short-range missiles, guidance radars, fire control systems and command post.

Iran Tor-M1 missile launch

Lat year Russia again managed to uphold its economic interests, while the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to punish Tehran for its refusal to its halt uranium enrichment, Russia ensured the implementation of its earlier signed contracts with Iran, including on the construction of a reactor in Bushehr and the delivery of S-300 air defense systems, including the Tor-M1 missiles. 

Maybe Russia is worried about how the US would react if some of our planes were shot down by Russian Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missiles? Maybe Russia is worried about how America would take the death of some of our pilots by Russian made missiles?

Written By: Tom Retterbush

Why Israel Can't Wait
The Coming War Between Israel and Iran

Israel is small enough that one nuclear bomb could destroy the modern Jewish state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran’s nuclear program leaves Israel poised on the edge of an abyss, and once Iran gets the atom bomb, war is inevitable. In June 2009, Israel conducted its biggest civil defense drill ever, a possible signal that Israel is considering what is called the “Samson option”: an Israeli first-strike attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. ??President Obama seems determined to pursue direct negotiation with Iran, but fundamentalist jihadists interpret compromise as weakness. New York Times bestselling author Jerome Corsi chillingly argues that Israel’s nWhile writing Why Israel Can’t Wait, Jerome Corsi visited Israel, conducting interviews with top Israeli government and military officials. He was able to gain access to information in Israel that has not previously been available publicly. Why Israel Can’t Wait is cutting-edge news, an in-depth analysis of what is happening now in Israel, and why Americans cannot leave the clock ticking.
Get Why Israel Can't Wait directlt from Amazon, HERE

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Did Obama Administration pass NDAA and Executive Order fearing Riots & Revolution?

US Government is Afraid of being Overthrown like the mighty Soviet Union was 20 years ago, or being turned upside down like the Arab world right now. 

Obama and Washington Lawmakers are scared that public discontent could eventually lead to an uprising like the ones they recently witnessed in North Africa, ending with those governments being ousted. 

With America, Europe, the Middle East and the world being being more unstable than perhaps ever before in history, due in part to the complexities of globalism, chaos could break out anywhere at the drop of a hat.

Even in America, a country largely spared by large-scale civil unrest in recent years seems at the tipping point with a fragile economy still not out of danger from a possible second recession, maybe even a depression, with oil prices soaring and war with Iran looming, Americans are seeing their comfy, cozy lifestyles threatened. With good jobs being harder to find and educations seeming ever more pointless, we may soon be seeing more riots, civil unrest and social violence than from just the Occupy Movement.  

The elitists running our government are scared. Though they weren't there, they haven't forgotten the French Revolution, much less the guillotine. In the US, elitists used to have the American population pacified and under control. As owners of mainstream media, their disinformation via television, radio, newspaper and magazine campaigns had Americans believing whatever they wanted them to believe.

Now, with a large percentage of the public getting at least some of their information from alternative news media and independent Bloggers, Americans are finally getting more of the truth.

Before the Internet, people were semi-isolated with their morals, values, ideals, views and opinions, where as now, in the age of social media, people are networking every aspect of their very lives.

Unlike before the Web and social social sites and smart phones, anybody can now easily find like-minded people with similar agenda in their hometown and on the other side of the world. It has become relatively easy for anyone to find, even organize others, thus being able to collectively fight what troubles them.

This newly found social might was demonstrated not long ago, when social media was used in North Africa to call for revolutions that toppled more than one corrupt, oppressive government.

People Everywhere around the World are fighting back against Government Control and Censorship

Though it took Anonymous and the Occupy Movement to unknowingly demonstrate this new social phenomenon, where it was used to enlist the support of several major websites and rally millions of people to convince Washington to shelve both the SOPA and PIPA censorship bills, that people finally realized the political power they have at their disposal. 

This new political might had not escaped the elitists, who terrified of loosing control over the population, are scrambling to find new ways to repress the Internet. On top of their standard, ongoing terrorism excuse to stifle our rights, one of their newest schemes uses Internet piracy as an excuse to censor societies new means of communication, the source of the public's newly acquired power.

People are beginning to wake up. Average people from the "99%" are now beginning to recognize their own power to make a difference and potential to promote change.

Online activists and Occupy protestors which prompting the U.S. House of Representatives to Kill the SOPA and PIPA Internet Censorship bills are now working relentlessly to reverse the new NDAA bill, which includes an extremely radical and very dangerous amendment that could end American freedom, liberty and justice as we know it.

Although the online protests about both censorship bills were surprisingly large, ranging from calling Representatives, companies, and senators to get them to change their mind, and actively moving domain's away from and targeting the business model of the companies that supported the bills, Occupy and other protesters were out in force to fight for freedom personally and physically.

With action against the NDAA by tens of thousands of social media activists all across America, including the influential and popular hactivist group Anonymous, with dozens of Washington's own politicians speaking out against the bill, while reports come in about state and local governments refusing to obey the NDAA, when it concerns locking up American citizens, it would seem as though we may actually succeed in getting the NDAA revered, repealed or revised. Yet don't let this temporary success fool you, as I guarantee you, Washington is already plotting their next move.

Indeed, this may actually have the adverse affect of scaring Washington into believing they need to get ready to defend themselves against an uprising! Our leaders may feel as if they're loosing control. Something like Gaddafi must of felt like right before he was ousted.

In America, this type of statewide defiance last took place when Lincoln ordered the southern states to free their slaves.



Washington will undoubtedly take another stab at censoring the Internet, considering they will probably see the the Web, alternative news, independent bloggers and social media the source of most of their problems. If they could silence us, they could stop Americans from fighting back.

The Obama administration may try to pas another bill to replace the NDAA, even though they already have the power to launch an attack on America through martial law, which the President could declare at the drop of a hat, via his Executive Orders, whether he use the Insurrection Act, National Emergencies Act, National Security Directive the "Executive Directive 51" or a number of other powers to effectively crush any uprising or revolution.

While many people won't believe it, living in the denial of their safe and secure lifestyles, revolution or civil war may be closer than any of us think. All it would take would be for the economy to crash and the dollar to become worthless, another war (like the one we could be getting into right now with Iran, which could spiral out of control as we are being warned not to attack Iran by both China and Russia), or food shortages and oil shortages.   

Could we really be headed towards revolution or civil war, again? It's not as far fetched as you might think.

For more on the NDAA, check out my previous articles, New NDAA Bill Prepares U.S. for Martial Law as Washington Plans to Squash Civil Unrest, NDAA is Worst Legislation since Patriot Act and Obama first took our Rights with NDAA, he's now taking our Guns, leaving us Defenseless. But if you want to help repeal the NDAA, check out my call to action, Repeal NDAA! Initiative to Take Back America!

If you want to organize your own proactive campaign for change, I recommend you download, How to Coordinate a Campaign for Change, one of the many free ebooks available as a PDF download from AssEtEbooks.com. No email required, no sign-up, no opt-in and no obligations!

Either way, John F. Kennedy once said, "Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth."

Well, we sure as hell don't want to jail freedom or stunt our growth, now do we?

Written By: Tom Retterbush
Email: tomretterbush@gmail.com
Update: 7-27-2012

The Arab Uprising 

The Unfinished Revolutions of the New Middle East

The Arab Uprising follows these struggles from Tunisia and Egypt to the harsh battles of Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, and Libya and to the cautious reforms of the region’s monarchies. It examines the real meaning of the rise of Islamist movements in the emerging democracies, and the longterm hopes of a generation of activists confronted with the limits of their power. It points toward a striking change in the hierarchy of influence, as the old heavyweights—Iran, Al Qaeda, even Israel—have been all but left out while oil-rich powers like Saudi Arabia and “swing states” like Turkey and Qatar find new opportunities to spread their influence. And it reveals how America must adjust to the new realities. Deeply informed by inside access to the Obama administration’s decision-making process and first-hand interviews with protestors, politicians, diplomats, and journalists, The Arab Uprising highlights the new fault lines that are forming between forces of revolution and counter-revolution, and shows what it all means for the future of American policy.

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan spawned Heroin Epidemic In Europe and America

Since the US Invasion of Afghanistan, the Heroin Output has Increased over 5,000%

More than decade since the US invaded Afghanistan to destroy Al Qaeda and punish the Taliban, the US and NATO occupation drags on, even as the war begins to wind down. And Afghanistan's status as the world's number one opium poppy producer remains unchallenged.

Afghan opium production started with the US-backed overthrow of the secular Afghan Government in 1978 and grew steadily with the consequent civil war, the Russian invasion and the US-backed religious-based resistance.

Afghan opium production increased further after the departure of the Russians. However in 2000, several years after they captured Kabul, the Taliban banned opium production, slashing Afghan opium production from about 76% of word production in 2000 to 6% in 2001.

In the aftermath of the 2001 US bombing of Afghanistan, the British government was entrusted by the leading industrial nations to carry out a drug eradication program, which would, theoretically, allow Afghan farmers to get out of poppy cultivation and switch to alternative crops. The British were working in close liaison with the US DEA's "Operation Containment" out of Kabul.

The British crop eradication program was an apparent smokescreen, considering that since October 2001, opium poppy cultivation has flourished. The presence of occupation forces in Afghanistan did not result in the eradication of poppy cultivation as lawmakers had promised, it did exactly the opposite.

The Taliban prohibition had caused "the beginning of a heroin shortage in Europe by the end of 2001", the UNODC acknowledged, however immediately following the October 2001 invasion, opium markets were restored and opium prices spiraled. By 2002, the opium price was almost 10 times higher than in 2000.

Heroin is a multimillion dollar business protected by powerful, international interests, which requires a stable, steady and secure product flow. One of the secret objectives of the war was to restore the CIA sponsored drug trade to its historical norms and establish control over the smuggling routes.

Within a year of the US Alliance invasion the Afghan opium production skyrocketed from 6% of world production in 2001, to 74% in 2002, 93% in 2006, 95% in 2007 and 94% in 2008.

According to Glenn Greenway, the Drug Truth Network reported September 15, 2008, "Afghan heroin output has increased a staggering 5,000% since the US invasion 7 years ago." I would guess this percentage is even larger today.

UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon said recently at an international conference in Vienna, that Afghanistan will never be stable unless it tackles its drug problem.

In 2007, Afghanistan supplied 93% of the world's opium, according to the U.S. State Department. Illicit poppy production, meanwhile, brings $4 billion into Afghanistan, or more than half the country’s total economy of $7.5 billion, according to the United Nations Office of Drug Control (UNODC).  It also represents about half of the economy of Pakistan, and of the ISI in particular.

Destroying the labs has always been an obvious option, but for years America refused to do so for political reasons. In 2001 the Taliban and bin Laden were estimated by the CIA to be earning up to 10 per cent of Afghanistan’s drug revenues, then estimated at between 6.5 and 10 billion U.S. dollars a year. This income of perhaps $1 billion was less than that earned by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, parts of which had become the key to the drug trade in Central Asia. The UN Drug Control Program (UNDCP) estimated in 1999 that the ISI made around $2.5 billion annually from the sale of illegal drugs.

At the start of the US offensive in 2001, according to Ahmed Rashid, “The Pentagon had a list of twenty-five or more drug labs and warehouses in Afghanistan but refused to bomb them because some belonged to the CIA's new NA [Northern Alliance] allies.”  Rashid was “told by UNODC officials that the Americans knew far more about the drug labs than they claimed to know, and the failure to bomb them was a major setback to the counter-narcotics effort."

Donald Rumsfeld

James Risen reports that the ongoing refusal to pursue the targeted drug labs came from neocons at the top of America’s national security bureaucracy, including even Donald Rumsfeld. These men were preserving a pattern of drug-trafficking protection racket in Washington that dates back all the way to World War 2.

Thanks primarily to the CIA-backed anti-Soviet campaign of the 1980s, Afghanistan today is a drug-corrupted and heroin-ravaged society from the heads of state all the way down to the junkies on the streets.

Governing Afghans are likely to become involved in the drug traffic, sooner or later, just as the FARC in Colombia and the Communist Party in Myanmar have evolved in time from revolutionary movements into drug-trafficking organizations.

Afghan President Hamid Karza

The situation in Pakistan is not much different. The US mainstream media have never mentioned the February 23 report in the London Sunday Times and that Asif Ali Zardari, now the Pakistani Prime Minister, was once caught in a DEA drug sting.

Important as heroin may have become to the Afghan and Pakistani political economies, the local proceeds are only a small share of the global heroin traffic. According to the UN, the ultimate value in world markets in 2007 of Afghanistan’s $4 billion opium crop was about $110 billion: this estimate is probably too high, but even if the ultimate value was as low as $40 billion, this would mean that 90 percent of the profit was earned by forces outside of Afghanistan.

It has been estimated that 80 percent or more of the profits from the traffic are reaped in the countries of consumption. The UNODC Executive Director, Antonio Maria Costa, has reported that “money made in illicit drug trade has been used to keep banks afloat in the global financial crisis.”

Since the time of invasion of Afghanistan, the Opium production is given a boost by United States and its powered Afghan government. Hamid Karzai and his clan are heavily involved in this business. This being understood, they have taken measures to cultivate Opium, provided support for trafficking with Tajikistan in a legal way and this has resulted as an increase in use of Opium around the globe and has especially hit Russia and Europe.

In the years since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan Russia has been flooded with heroin. The drug has crept along a trail stretching from Afghanistan through Tajikistan and other Central Asian nations and over the Russian border, turning the country into the world's top consumer of heroin, the Russian government says.

The drug has spread like fire through a country uniquely unqualified to cope with its dangers: Narcotics were largely absent during Soviet times, and most people are still unaware of the risk of heroin addiction, even as an estimated 83 Russians a day die by overdosing on the drug, official statistics show. Russia estimates that one in every 50 people of working age is addicted to heroin. South Wales has seen a jump of 180% in heroin addiction rates since the invasion of Afghanistan. In 2008, the EU estimated that a young European died every hour from a drug overdose.

   Watch, Heroin Afghan Drug Wars 2 of 4, here. Heroin Afghan Drug Wars 3 of 4, here. Heroin Afghan Drug Wars 4 of 4, here.

Also, folks, it's not just opium coming out of Afghanistan. According to the UNODC World Drug Report 2011, Afghanistan is also "among the significant cannabis resin producing countries," producing somewhere between 1,500 and 3,500 metric tons of hash in 2010, with no reason to think it has changed dramatically in 2011. That brings in somewhere between $85 million and $265 million at the farm gate.

A decade after the US invasion, Afghanistan remains the world's largest opium producer by far and possibly the world's largest cannabis producer. Given the crucial role these drug crops play in the Afghan economy, there is little reason to think anything is going to change anytime soon.

Written By: Tom Retterbush

Email: tomretterbush@gmail.com

American War Machine

This book explores the covert aspects of U.S. foreign policy. Prominent political analyst Peter Dale Scott marshals compelling evidence to expose the extensive growth of sanctioned but illicit violence in politics and state affairs, especially when related to America's long-standing involvement with the global drug traffic. Beginning with Thailand in the 1950s, Americans have become inured to the CIA's alliances with drug traffickers to install and sustain right-wing governments. The pattern has repeated itself in Laos, Vietnam, Italy, Mexico, Thailand, Nigeria, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Panama, Honduras, Turkey, Pakistan, and now Afghanistan_to name only those countries dealt with in this book. Scott shows that the relationship of U.S. intelligence operators and agencies to the global drug traffic, and to other international criminal networks, deserves greater attention in the debate over the U.S. presence in Afghanistan.The so-called war on terror, and in particular the war in Afghanistan, constitutes only the latest chapter in this disturbing story.

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