Syria gives Russia 'evidence' rebels behind chem attack

The Syrian regime has handed Russia new materials implicating rebels in a chemical attack outside Damascus on August 21, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said after talks in Damascus.

"The corresponding materials were handed to the Russian side. We were told that they were evidence that the rebels are implicated in the chemical attack," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies after talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem.

Ryabkov also said Russia was disappointed with a UN report into the chemical weapons attack, saying it was selective and had ignored other episodes. "Without a full picture... we cannot describe the character of the conclusions as anything other than politicised, biased and one-sided," he said.

On Tuesday the United States accused Russia of ignoring the facts surrounding the poison gas attack in Syria, highlighting tensions between the West and Moscow over how to eliminate the country's chemical weapons.

Despite a weekend agreement between the Cold War rivals aimed at dismantling Syria's chemical arsenal by mid-2014, the two sides remain poles apart in their assessment of the August 21 gas attack which left hundreds dead.

Russia insists the attack on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta was a "provocation" by opponents fighting Syria President Bashar al-Assad's regime designed to trigger military strikes by the United States.

The United States and France maintain the attack was carried out by Syrian government forces, and believe an assessment by UN experts released on Monday backed their view.

On Tuesday, after meeting French counterpart Laurent Fabius in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated Moscow's allegation that the August 21 attack was carried out by Syrian rebels.
source:

Iceland’s Economy now growing faster than the U.S. and EU after arresting corrupt bankers

Iceland’s Economy now growing faster than the U.S. and EU after arresting corrupt bankers


 

So Iceland decided not to follow the rest of the world by bailing out the bankers. Instead, they chose to arrest them. Now their economy is recovering faster than the EU and the United States. Hmmmm.

Remember when the United States government told the American people that immediate action was required to save the banks, and save our nation from complete collapse? An action in the form of Billions of dollars in National Debt? Yeah, we remember that! Now Trillions of dollars in National debt later, we are in the same position we were in 4 years ago, just more debt. As a matter of fact Federal Reserve Chairmen Ben Bernanke has called for yet another stimulus that will add more debt onto the mountain we already have.

At the start of the world wide 2008 economic collapse, Iceland was in worse shape than almost any other country in the world. Now they are one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Imagine what America would be like today if we bailed out the victims of poor banking practices, while punishing the bankers who were responsible?

After watching this video tell us what you think? Was Iceland off their rocker for sending the bankers to jail, or on to something that America should have done as well?

Read more at http://americanlivewire.com/world-economic-news-icelands-economy-now-growing-fas/#w3QA14e71B08cJzR.99 

Romney pledges support for Israel - Jerusalem

Romney pledges support for Israel

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says US has "a solemn duty" to block Iran's nuclear ambitions. ck

US presidential candidate Mitt Romney has told an Israeli audience in Jerusalem that the United States has "a solemn duty and a moral imperative" to block Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability. Romney's speech on Sunday came at the mid-point of a three-nation overseas journey designed to burnish his foreign policy credentials and highlight his ability to lead on the world stage. "The conduct of Iran's leaders gives us no reason to trust them with nuclear material," Romney said, adding: "Make no mistake: The ayatollahs in Tehran are testing our moral defenses. They want to know who will object, and who will look the other way. "My message to the people of Israel and the leaders of Iran is one and the same: I will not look away; and neither will my country." The US, many of its European allies and Israel say Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon. Iran says its uranium enrichment is part of a peaceful domestic nuclear programme for energy and medical research. So far all attempts to negotiate an end to the enrichment programme have failed. Israel fears that Iran soon will have moved its enrichment facilities into impregnable underground locations, meaning time is running out to destroy them with aerial bombing. 'Self defence' Romney said the US supported Israel's right to defend itself but would not expand on his remarks, saying he would hold to US political tradition of not differing with positions taken by a sitting government. President Barack Obama has sought to dissuade Israel from a unilateral attack on Iran to allow time for tough sanctions to take a toll on the Islamic Republic's economy and further isolate the country. Obama has said the US holds open the option of military operations against Iran but has insisted now is not the time for an attack, either by the US or Israel. Cal Perry reports on Mitt Romney's visit to Jerusalem While Romney refused to criticise Obama's policy directly, he insists he would be much tougher on Iran. His policy declarations, however, show little, if any, difference from those of Obama. But by raising the issue in Israel, which sees Iran as an existential threat, Romney was obviously looking for support from Jewish and evangelical Christian voters in the United States. Romney, who received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has said he has a "zero tolerance" policy toward Iran obtaining the capability to build a nuclear weapon. "If Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing the capability, the governor would respect that decision," Senor told reporters in a preview of the speech. Senor later tried to clarify his comments in a written statement, saying that the candidate "believes we should employ any and all measures to dissuade the Iranian regime from its nuclear course, and it is his fervent hope that diplomatic and economic measures will do so. In the final analysis, of course, no option should be excluded". Obama also has affirmed the right of Israel to defend itself, but in contrast to Romney, he has warned of the consequences of an Israeli strike on Iran. "Already, there is too much loose talk of war," Obama told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group, in March. "Now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in and to sustain the broad international coalition we have built." Romney's embrace of Israel was on display on Sunday as he met with leaders and visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites in Judaism. Wearing a yarmulke, the candidate was mobbed by worshippers as he walked down to pray and place a note into one of the wall's crevices. Earlier, Netanyahu welcomed Romney as "a representative of the United States" and told the Republican that he agrees with his approach to the Iranian nuclear threat. "Mitt, I couldn't agree with you more," Netanyahu said. "We have to be honest and say that all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian program by one iota. And that's why I believe that we need a strong and credible military threat coupled with the sanctions to have a chance to change that situation," Netanyahu said. Olympic gaffe The trip is a chance for Romney to draw implicit contrasts with Obama and demonstrate how he would lead America on the world stage. But Romney arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday night after a difficult few days in Britain, where he made the mistake of criticising the host country's preparations for the Olympic Games. The gaffe undermined the stated goal of his weeklong trip to Britain, Israel and Poland - emphasising America's ties with longstanding allies. On Monday morning, Romney will be attending a high-dollar campaign fundraiser at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem for American supporters in Israel. The Romney campaign has reversed course and now will let reporters cover his remarks to donors, reversing an earlier ban on coverage. One of those expected to attend is Sheldon Adelson, the American casino mogul who's pledged to spend more than $100 million to defeat Obama. Donors at the event were asked to contribute $50,000 or to raise $100,000. Romney advisers say the event is expected to raise more than $1m. source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/07/201272917928694956.html

Monsanto settles 'Agent Orange' case with US victims

W.Va. judge OKs settlement in Agent Orange lawsuit against Monsanto; $84M medical fund set up

Monsanto settles 'Agent Orange' case with US victims

Activists protest against Monstanto, which has settled with US victims of 'Agent Orange'. Photograph: Nigel Treblin/AFP/Getty Images

Long-running suit claimed residents of Nitro, West Virginia were exposed to the carcinogenic Vietnam-era chemical weapon

Chemicals giant Monsanto has reached a settlement with US residents who claimed they were poisoned by chemicals used in the manufacturing of the Vietnam-era chemical weapon Agent Orange.

The long-running suit was brought by residents living near a now-defunct Monsanto plant in Nitro, West Virginia that between 1949 and 1971 produced the agricultural herbicide 2,4,5 trichlorophenoxyacidic acid, a key ingredient in Agent Orange.

The weapon was used extensively during the Vietnam war, killing and maiming an estimated 400,000 people and leading to 500,000 birth defects. In 2005 a US court rejected a case brought by Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.

The suit – filed on behalf of tens of thousands of people who lived, worked and went to school in Nitro after 1949 – claimed Monsanto spread toxic substances including dioxins, which have been linked to cancer, all over the town.

The plaintiffs say they were exposed to levels of dioxins 100,000 times higher than acceptable levels. "Dioxin is a known human carcinogen and is so hazardous to human health that no "safe" level of exposure has been established," the suit claimed.

As part of the settlement, the chemicals firm has set up a 30-year medical monitoring programme. Thousands of people who lived or worked in the Nitro area during the time period covered by the lawsuit will be eligible to apply for benefits. The company said that a $21m fund has been set up to pay for medical testing with a further $63m available over the 30-year life of the screening programme.

In addition Monsanto agreed to pay $9m for the professional cleaning of eligible homes in the Nitro area. The company also agreed to the Nitro residents' court-approved legal fees and litigation costs.

The settlement made no findings of wrongdoing against Monsanto.

Scott Partridge, Monsanto's vice president, said: "These settlements ensure that both individual and community concerns are addressed, and services are made available for the people of Nitro. We are pleased to resolve this matter and end any concerns about historic operations at the Nitro plant."

Nitro has a long history with warfare manufacturing. The town was given its explosive name when it was created in 1917 to service one of the US's main ammunition plants. source:

WINFIELD, W.Va. — A West Virginia judge approved a settlement Friday in a class-action lawsuit filed by residents who say that chemical manufacturer Monsanto Co. burned dioxin wastes left over from the production of Agent Orange, polluting the area with unsafe levels of the chemical.
Putnam County Circuit Judge Derek Swope acted in the lawsuit filed on behalf of between 5,000 and as many as 80,000 current and former Nitro residents against St. Louis-based Monsanto and several related companies that operated the plant.
The settlement creates an initial $21 million fund, plus up to $63 million more for Nitro residents to have their health monitored over 30 years at a local hospital. It also provides $9 million to pay for professional cleaning of thousands of homes. Monsanto also has agreed to pay the residents’ legal fees.
Under the agreement, thousands of people who lived, worked or attended school in the Nitro area will be eligible to apply for benefits.
The plant operated between 1949 and 2004, manufacturing herbicides and other chemicals. Its production of warfare chemical Agent Orange created dioxin as a toxic chemical byproduct, and the lawsuit alleged that blood samples from some residents and dust samples from homes turned up extremely high dioxin concentrations.
“I’m glad it’s behind us,” Nitro Mayor Rusty Casto said Friday when told of the judge’s approval. “I’m glad it won’t be on the front page of the papers for the next three months.”
The long-running litigation began with a class-action case by plant workers in the 1980s, Casto said, but no one in the community really talks about it anymore.
Still, the prospect of seeing the word “dioxin” linked to “Nitro” more than necessary was an unwelcome prospect, said Castro, who said he doesn’t know any of the plaintiffs involved.
Several previous mediation attempts failed, and jury selection was under way this week in the case.
“These settlements ensure that both individual and community concerns are addressed, and services are made available for the people in Nitro,” Monsanto vice president Scott Partridge said in a statement Friday.
The residents’ lawyer, Stuart Calwell, said the litigation’s main goal was to gain long-term health monitoring and cleanup.
“The settlements provide needed medical benefits and remediation services to the people of Nitro and the broader community,” Caldwell said in a statement.
Dioxin has been linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities, endometriosis, infertility and suppressed immune functions. It builds up in tissue over time, so even small exposures can accumulate to dangerous levels.
The Charleston Gazette (http://bit.ly/zkIlOA) reports that a June 18 hearing has been set to give those involved a chance to object to the deal before it becomes final.

US Judge rules Muslims have a right to assault people who offend them

US Judge rules Muslims have a right to assault people who offend them

People who are concerned about the spread of Muslim sharia law into American jurisprudence used to be dismissed as alarmists.  That won’t happen again for a while, thanks to a Pennsylvania judge who just dismissed assault charges against a Muslim who was videotaped attacking a man dressed as “Zombie Muhammad” during a Halloween parade. 

The judge, who is a Muslim, didn’t even care to see the videotape, because the assault was entirely justified under sharia law, so the First Amendment doesn’t apply.  In fact, the beaten Zombie Muhammad should just be thankful he wasn’t killed, because that’s what would have happened in a Muslim country.

The astonishing details, from Opposing Views:

The Pennsylvania State Director of American Atheists, Inc., Mr. Ernest Perce V., was assaulted by a Muslim while participating in a Halloween parade. Along with a Zombie Pope, Ernest was costumed as Zombie Muhammad. The assault was caught on video, the Muslim man admitted to his crime and charges were filed in what should have been an open-and-shut case. That’s not what happened, though.

The defendant is an immigrant and claims he did not know his actions were illegal, or that it was legal in this country to represent Muhammad in any form. To add insult to injury, he also testified that his 9 year old son was present, and the man said he felt he needed to show his young son that he was willing to fight for his Prophet. 

Muslim judge Mark Martin ruled in favor of the assailant… and insulted the defendant for good measure.

Martin offered the court a little lesson in Islamic theology, which he believes transcends that silly First Amendment free-speech stuff in the U.S. Constitution:

Having had the benefit of having spent over 2 and a half years in predominantly Muslim countries I think I know a little bit about the faith of Islam. In fact I have a copy of the Koran here and I challenge you sir to show me where it says in the Koran that Mohammad arose and walked among the dead. I think you misinterpreted things. Before you start mocking someone else’s religion you may want to find out a little bit more about it it makes you look like a dufus and Mr. (Defendant) is correct. In many Arabic speaking countries something like this is definitely against the law there. In their society in fact it can be punishable by death and it frequently is in their society. 

Islam is not just a religion, it’s their culture, their culture. It’s their very essence their very being. They pray five times a day towards Mecca to be a good Muslim, before you die you have to make a pilgrimage to Mecca unless you are otherwise told you can not because you are too ill too elderly, whatever but you must make the attempt. Their greetings wa-laikum as-Salâm (is answered by voice) may god be with you. Whenever, it’s very common when speaking to each other it’s very common for them to say uh this will happen it’s it they are so immersed in it. 

Since Islam is, therefore, at the very center of a Muslim’s being, speech they find objectionable – such as depicting the Prophet in any form, much less as an extra from The Walking Dead – “trashes their essence, their being,” and violence is justified, especially from a recent immigrant accustomed to living in countries properly governed by sharialaw. 

As Al Stefanelli notes at Opposing Views, the judge didn’t even pretend to understand what the First Amendment means, never mind pondering the laws against physical harassment:

The Judge neglected to address the fact that the ignorance of the law does not justify an assault and that it was the responsibility of the defendant to familiarize himself with our laws.  This is to say nothing of the judge counseling the defendant that it is also not acceptable for him to teach his children that it is acceptable to use violence in the defense of religious beliefs.  Instead, the judge gives Mr. Perce a lesson in Sharia law and drones on about the Muslim faith, inform everyone in the court room how strongly he embraces Islam, that the first amendment does not allow anyone ”to piss off other people and other cultures” and he was also insulted by Mr. Perce’s portrayal of Mohammed and the sign he carried.

Martin went on to call the plaintiff a “doofus.” 

In other news, enraged Catholics reacted to the sight of an atheist parading around as the Zombie Pope by stifling yawns. source:

'Israel itself must decide on Iran strike'

Jerusalem: Leading US Republicans told Israel on Tuesday it must make up its own mind whether to launch a preemptive strike on Iran if the Islamic republic seeks to arm itself with nuclear weapons.


Visiting Jerusalem at the head of a delegation of five senators, former presidential candidate John McCain said Iran was pursuing a nuclear arms programme, sponsoring militant groups and was "openly committed to the destruction of state of Israel."


"Israel probably is most capable of determining what the threats are to their national security,' he said in a press conference. "I think they are a sovereign nation and their assessment is one that if I were an Israeli citizen I would rely on more than that of another government."


In an interview at the weekend, top US military commander Martin Dempsey bluntly said it would be "premature" to launch military action against Iran.


"A strike at this time would be destabilising and wouldn't achieve (Israel's) long-term objectives," he said.


On Sunday, Britain's foreign secretary William Hague said it would not be "wise" for Israel to take military action against Iran, echoing comments earlier this month by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.


Senator Lindsey Graham, a fellow Republican in McCain's delegation, said "I think that the comments telling Israel what to do and not to do vis-a-vis Iran are very unhelpful."


"I just want to tell our Israeli friends my advice is never lose control of your destiny," Graham said. "You do what is necessary to control your own destiny and you have my full blessing."


Israel is calling for harsher international sanctions against Iran, which denies pursuing nuclear arms, but the Jewish state refuses to rule out using force if other options fail.


In 1981, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike on the unfinished Osirak reactor outside the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, leaving US officials stunned and earning it a sharp rebuke from its American ally.  source:


FYI


McCain didn't get the memo It's already been decided in 1981...


Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin enunciated what came to be known as the Begin doctrine: "On no account shall we permit an enemy to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against the people of Israel." This doctrine has been used by Israeli politicians to justify a possible attack on Iran's project to develop a nuclear facility.


Begin formed the doctrine to justify the Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak in Operation Opera in 1981.

"Of course it is imperative to ensure that military action would be effective, as well as to take into account the price Israel might pay as result. But such discussion should not be held in a public forum, as media speculation dilutes Israeli deterrence and gives Iranian leaders the feeling that Israel has eschewed the military option. If Iran comes to the conclusion that Israel will not strike then nothing will stop the ayatollah's regime in its quest for nuclear arms."

Israel's nuclear weapons factory at Dimona.

US agents laundered drug money

US agents laundered drug money: report

(AFP) –

WASHINGTON — Anti-narcotics agents working for the US government have laundered or smuggled millions of dollars in drug proceeds to see how the system works and use the information against Mexican drug cartels, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Citing unnamed current and former federal law enforcement officials, the newspaper said the agents, primarily with the Drug Enforcement Administration, have handled shipments of hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal cash across borders.

Some 45,000 people have been killed in Mexico since 2006, when its government launched a major military crackdown against the powerful drug cartels that have terrorized border communities as they battled over lucrative smuggling routes.

According to these officials, the operations were aimed at identifying how criminal organizations move their money, where they keep their assets and, most important, who their leaders are, the report said.

The agents had deposited the proceeds in accounts designated by traffickers, or in shell accounts set up by agents, the paper noted.

While the DEA conducted such operations in other countries, it began doing so in Mexico only in the past few years, The Times said.

As it launders drug money, the agency often allows cartels to continue their operations over months or even years before making seizures or arrests, the report said.

According to The Times, agency officials declined to publicly discuss details of their work, citing concerns about compromising their investigations.

But Michael Vigil, a former senior official who is currently working for a private contracting company called Mission Essential Personnel, is quoted by the paper as saying: "We tried to make sure there was always close supervision of these operations so that we were accomplishing our objectives, and agents weren?t laundering money for the sake of laundering money." source: