Press TV has interviewed Don De Bar, anti-war activist from New York. The following is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Do you think that the violence we see in Libya is still going to continue; that basically the post-revolution in Libya has shown that it’s not been able to curb violence?
De Bar: It’s going to continue and it’s going to grow. The first thing that needs to be examined is the concept of whether or not what happened in Libya was a revolution. If this was a revolution why did it required nine months of air support from NATO.
If NATO is able to provide several months of air support in Syria it would lead to the overthrow of the Syrian government, but you could not call that a revolution, it’s a direct intervention. That’s what also happened in Libya.
The government handed out weapons, opened the armories up to the people in Tripoli and in several other cities towards the end of the intervention before the destruction of the Libyan society basically of the infrastructure and the takeover by NATO of that country.
And the people were armed and they enjoyed a much different way of life before the intervention in 2011 than they do now. And they want it back and they will fight for it and that’s what’s happening on the ground.
Press TV: So you believe that the current government in Libya is not representative of the people?
De Bar: Well, if they were representative e of the people they’d be able to poke their faces out from behind the buildings. They can’t even go out in public in Tripoli.
Press TV: So, what is the way forward then?
De Bar: The way forward would be a withdrawal of US troops, of foreign mercenaries; democratic elections not governed by international institutions, but run by the people themselves and I think at the end of the day you would see a society that pretty much resembles the society that existed before the intervention in 2011.
Interview with Mr. James Jatras, former US Senate foreign policy analyst, Washington. Download | Embed
"The Obama administration has deliberately allied American policy with the most violent most intolerant Sunni terrorist influences in the region supported by Saudi Arabia in Turkey." Related Viewpoints:
US uses WMD propaganda to wage wars
An analyst says the most violent terrorists with America’s support will have a free run to commit genocide against minority Christian and Shiite families in Syria.
In the background of this, insurgents in Syria have threatened to storm Christian towns in the central province and that all planes both military and civilian are within their reach. Insurgents are bolstered by NATO support in the form of the deployment of US Patriot missile systems and troops along the Turkish Syria border. UN Arab League Envoy Lakhdar Ibrahimi is in Syria now to work for a political solution and a withdrawal of proxy war elements.
Press TV has interviewed Mr. James Jatras, former US Senate foreign policy analyst, Washington about this issue. The following is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Looking at the current development, potentially targeting two Christian minority towns; targeting airplanes whether military or civilian, this is not exactly the freedom and democracy that many had in mind?
Jatras: No it’s not. Frankly it’s out and out terrorism. I would like to add my comments to your previous guest, Mr. Jones (E. Michael Jones) that the United States and when I say the United States I mean the Obama administration has deliberately allied American policy with the most violent most intolerant Sunni terrorist influences in the region supported by Saudi Arabia in Turkey.
You have to ask yourself is it deliberate policy of the Obama administration that there should be a Christian-free Middle East?
Let’s look at what happened in Iraq, that is happening in Egypt now and what will happen in Syria if the Assad regime is overthrown the Christians face a very bleak future.
Of course everybody presumes something very bad will happen to the Alawites, the Shiite and other communities - it’s terroristic and frankly genocidal policies.
Press TV: Not just the Obama administration, but going back to other administrations as well there has been unanimous support for Saudi Arabia, relations with Saudi Arabia through its oil by providing it arms. And this is a kingdom, which is basically the origin of the Salafists / Wahabis ideology.
Jatras: Absolutely. This is a policy in its general features goes back to at least the Afghan war against the Soviet Union where after all this is how al-Qaeda and the Taliban came into existence, which was then replicated in Bosnia, in Kosovo, in Libya and now in Syria.
But I think in the case of Syria we have to pin the blame specifically on the Obama administration because there were various times in the past when the United States had a somewhat warm relationship with the Baathist government in Damascus.
But in the context of this so-called Arab Spring, which is really a Sunni radical Jihadist revolution, the United States under the Obama administration has made a definitive decision to support such forces.
Press TV: United Nations Arab League Envoy Lakhdar Ibrahimi is in Syria, is there a political solution that he can enforce?
Jatras: I think there could be a political solution if the United States and the Western powers will get off the aprior demand that the Bashar Assad government must step down and instead have an open-ended discussion, a negotiation and a ceasefire without any preconditions.
This war could be stopped very soon if we would stop pouring gasoline on the fire.
The Anti Govt crowd can' stand that most of America honors our veterans and remembers their sacrifice on Memorial day.
Hard as they try, the crybabies will have no effect on the day. Maybe the 'haters' should join in the parade... carry a banner saying "AMERICA SUCKS", or one saying "WE HATE OUR VETERANS"... they might learn something.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The Anti Govt crowd can' stand that most of America honors our veterans and remembers their sacrifice on Memorial day. /
What was the last war that had anything to do with our freedoms? Talking about veterans today and all their sacrifice is just an easy way out from confronting the real problems, waving a flag or sticking a yellow ribbon magnet made in China on your car won't change nothing. I respect their courage but to say they're protecting our freedoms and way of life today is simply not true.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
......................................................................................................... " I respect their courage"..............................................................................................
If you DO 'respect their courage', then STFU and post that. Your politics has nothing to do with "Respecting their Courage".
You and your anti govt buddies are like a douchebag who complains about his MOM on MOTHERS DAY... Who slams the deceased while at their funeral... Who ridicules the bride at her wedding.
That you don't get that fact, says much more about your group than your politics.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
If you DO 'respect their courage', then STFU and post that. Your politics has nothing to do with "Respecting their Courage".
You and your anti govt buddies are like a douchebag who complains about his MOM on MOTHERS DAY... Who slams the deceased while at their funeral... Who ridicules the bride at her wedding.
That you don't get that fact, says much more about your group than your politics.
I'm not sure that choosing to become a bride or mother is equivalent to choosing to pick up a gun and be dropped into a foreign country and ordered to kill.
I'm not sure that choosing to become a bride or mother is equivalent to choosing to pick up a gun and be dropped into a foreign country and ordered to kill.
Nor did I post that... but of course you chose to interpret my post in a way that you can defend the indefensible.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
I respect their courage but to say they're protecting our freedoms and way of life today is simply not true.
Then you are living in a closet if you don't realize the importance of having our military and the function they serve outside of actual combat and what the value of their presence is. It's sad that most (and I don't think you are necesarily one of them), can only view the Military as murderers and sole pupose is to kill those who do no harm to the US.....those people live in a very small world inside their very small head and cannot venture outside of that stupidity zone.
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
The private Richard Nixon Foundation, which is hosting the event, has also recreated, down to the menu, the elaborate black-tie dinner that the president hosted for the POWs and their spouses 40 years ago this weekend.
In this Sept. 14, 1973 photo, released prisoner of war John McCain is greeted by President Richard Nixon, left, in Washington. McCain spent more than five years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp before he was released in March of 1973.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
If you DO 'respect their courage', then STFU and post that. Your politics has nothing to do with "Respecting their Courage".
You and your anti govt buddies are like a douchebag who complains about his MOM on MOTHERS DAY... Who slams the deceased while at their funeral... Who ridicules the bride at her wedding.
That you don't get that fact, says much more about your group than your politics.
Sounds like I hit a little close to home, let me guess you have a yellow ribbon magnet on your car. As far as your other crap, politics will always play into this as long as my tax dollars are paying for them and their actions reflect on us all.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
Sounds like I hit a little close to home, let me guess you have a yellow ribbon magnet on your car. As far as your other crap, politics will always play into this as long as my tax dollars are paying for them and their actions reflect on us all.
Henry, You keep trying to force me into your agenda. Over and over you make assumptions about me that simply aren't true. You doubted that I owned guns because I support strong gun control laws... You assume that I'm a war hawk because I was in the military... And today you assume that I'm a flag waving, "yellow ribbon" magnet American.
I have no flag on my home. I NEVER put a yellow ribbon on my car. Even more, ask Cicero where he first heard of "Major General Smedley Butler - U.S. Marine Corps" whose quote Cic displays on his every post. (Cic never heard of Butler, or of his book, "War Is A Racket", until I enlightened him.)
Henry you seem to live in a world where people all fit in neat little boxes, fortunately the world is much more complex than that.
Again, honoring their sacrifice, the sacrifice regardless of politics is what Memorial Day Is About... not about your beloved tax dollars or your agenda. If you don't realize that, you DO live in a little world.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Then you are living in a closet if you don't realize the importance of having our military and the function they serve outside of actual combat and what the value of their presence is. It's sad that most (and I don't think you are necesarily one of them), can only view the Military as murderers and sole pupose is to kill those who do no harm to the US.....those people live in a very small world inside their very small head and cannot venture outside of that stupidity zone.
None of what they do has any effect on my life or how I live, I know people won't like that but I'm not going to sugar coat the truth to make others feel better. People are fed the bs that they're what protects our freedoms, if that was the case they're doing a lousy job, did Iraq or Vietnam attack our rights or way of life, now can you say the same about Washington DC? The National Guard is probably the last true helpers of Americans and even they are being spread thin today.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
I have no flag on my home. I NEVER put a yellow ribbon on my car. Even more, ask Cicero where he first heard of "Major General Smedley Butler - U.S. Marine Corps" whose quote Cic displays on his every post. (Cic never heard of Butler, or of his book, "War Is A Racket", until I enlightened him.)
The best part of that is, box used to reference War Is A Racket when he opposed the Iraq War. Now he conveniently forgets the books premise when defending Obama's undeclared illegal drone wars and the bombing of Libya and the larger fraud the "war on terror".
Suddenly war is not a racket, and those that fight in these wars of greed and profit must be honored as hero's defending "freedom".
The best part of that is, box used to reference War Is A Racket when he opposed the Iraq War. Now he conveniently forgets the books premise when defending Obama's undeclared illegal drone wars and the bombing of Libya and the larger fraud the "war on terror". Suddenly war is not a racket, and those that right in these wars of greed and profit must be honored as hero's defending "freedom". BTW, thanks for enlightening me.
I reference War Is A Racket for almost all wars, American or foreign... the concept is the same. Butler was a warrior, even with his Quaker beliefs. He fought our wars with those beliefs... something you can't seem to grasp. Cicero... as I've posted many times... you confuse the war with the warrior. You see them as the same. You blame the warrior for the war, and as a civilian yourself, you absolve yourself of any blame for those wars. Your answer to what you consider an unjust war is 'THE TROOPS SHOULD REFUSE TO FIGHT'. Again, you blame the warrior for the Civilian war. YOU ARE AS MUCH TO BLAME AS ANY AMERICAN WHO ALLOWS AN UNJUST WAR BY YOUR OWN GOVT.
BTW Your enlightening is far from complete... Grasshopper, you keep resisting the lessons of that enlightenment. "There are none so blind as those who will not see. "
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
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