Israeli War Crimes 2-24-2021

 

24, February 2021                              Israeli War Crimes

In a landmark decision the International Criminal Court ruled that it now has the authority to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories. Israel has long argued the court has no jurisdiction over the Occupied Territories because Palestine is not an independent state. But the ICC judges rejected that argument. Successive US administrations and their proxies in Congress have long shielded Israel’s criminal behavior. The ICC’s chief prosecutor alleged that, “war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.”

Raji Sourani, the award-winning human rights lawyer and director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, past winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award and the Right Livelihood Award, welcomed the ICC’s decision. The ICC’s probe is expected to look at Israel’s 2014 assault on Gaza, in which 2,100 Palestinians died. Gaza resident Tawfiq Abu Jama lost 24 members of his extended family in the assault.

Predictably, Prime Minister Netanyahu, mired in his own corruption scandal, used the “anti-Semitic, shied to deflect criticism.  There is no doubt Jews suffered appalling atrocities fleeing the Germans in World War 2, but it is time that Netanyahu and his supporters stop accusing legitimate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. Israel should also stop using ancient Biblical texts to justify their brutal pogrom of Palestine. To allege God plays a game of losers and winners is a violation of the basic tenets of all religions. This was reinforced by the great spiritual master, Nanak, who stated unequivocally, that all men  (and women) are equal in the eyes of God.

Furthermore, the mantra that Israel is a “Jewish and democratic state” is patently absurd. Palestinians do NOT enjoy the same rights as Jews. Example, Israel has the highest vaccination rate in the world but does NOT offer the same lifesaving remedy to the Palestinians. Israel has become a pariah to much of the free world with the exception of the US and a handful of Arab states who are notorious for clamping down on human rights. Israel and these Arab states have much in common. Let us hope the ICC will expose and prosecute Israel’s many crimes. For more go to, http://callforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/

 

Iran Nuclear deal 2-19-2021

 

19, February 2021                                Iran Nuclear deal

Contrary to the fantasy of “the shining city on the hill”, successive US administrations have delivered punishing blows to the world (Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan. . ). Recently, President Biden released a policy position on Iran stating it is “under review” which is likely code language for a “do nothing” policy. American politics invariably play to their domestic audience and I fear Biden is already expressing weakness to deflect likely criticism from republicans. What is urgently needed is a bold policy to undo the monumental blunders of the Trump administration who reneged on the Iran nuclear accord sending a message to the world that America’s signature on international agreements is worthless.

History is replete with examples of US presidents acting out of fear when confronted with perceived foreign or domestic threats. For example, President Johnson dispatched half a million American troops to Vietnam out of fear of being accused of being soft on communism. President George Bush and his advisors crated a catchy slogan to launch the disastrous war in Iraq and ensure Congressional acquiescence-  “are you with us or against us” prompting a majority of  democrats to vote for the Patriot Act and the Iraq war. The republican “Swiss boat “attack dogs nearly destroyed John Kerry’s political career smearing him as a coward ignoring the fact he was a decorated war hero with 3 Purple Hearts. Israel, Saudi Arabia and their  proxies in Congress will exert maximum pressure on the Biden administration to dissuade them from resurrecting the Iran nuclear accord.

Biden and the democrats excoriated Trump for withdrawing from the JCPOA and promised to promptly rejoin the deal if elected. But Biden now appears to be hedging his position in a way that risks turning what should be an easy win for the new administration into an avoidable and tragic diplomatic failure. Unless Biden acts swiftly, the presidential elections in Iran, scheduled for June, will likely elect a hardliner making a rapport with the US extremely more difficult. Biden  must, therefore, restore the nuclear Iran agreement without preconditions, lift the crippling sanctions and release $120B  in frozen Iranian assets. Bernie Sanders, Biden’s competitor for the democratic nomination, simply promised, "I would re-enter the agreement on the first day of my presidency." Biden should heed Sanders wise words.

 

2nd impeachment trial 2-13-2021

 

13, February 2021                      2^nd impeachment trial

Kudos to the House impeachment managers who presented their case with devastating impact using video footage to prove that former President Trump incited the violent insurrection at the Capital in a vain attempt to negate the certification of the 2020 election.   There was little doubt the spineless Republicans would vote their conscience and convict their cult leader. Most Republicans had made up their minds prior to the commencement of the trial. Few made any effort to focus attention on the trail looking bored, irritated, while others were caught doodling on bits of paper.

Former vice-President, Mike pence who falsely claims to be a devout Christian betrayed his faith and maintained his loyalty of Trump who made no effort to shield him from an angry mob of barbarians clamoring to hang him on the steps of the Capitol.

Trump made no effort to stop the violence and expressed no remorse for the tragic loss of life.

Perhaps the most damning statement was made by Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell who sharply criticized former President Donald Trump’s actions for fomenting the attack on the Capitol last month, but voted to acquit him Saturday on the charge of “incitement of insurrection”. Kindly explain the double-talk Mitch!

Fortunately, there is near certainty that Trump will be so overwhelmed with ongoing litigation he will rapidly fade into obscurity.

 

Kevin McCarthy & Re. Greene 2-5-2021

 

5, February 2021                     Kevin McCarthy & Re. Greene

I wonder what would happen if I stood in front of the House of Representatives, held up a picture of speaker Pelosi and screamed “shoot her.”  How long would it take for law enforcement to arrest me and alert mental health authorities to hold me down and haul me off to the psychiatric ward for close observation – or perhaps shoot me if I were African-American. I wonder how parents who lost their precious children react listening to the insane ramblings of Greene who claims that schhol shootings were staged by young actors.

So why is Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy defending the indefensible far-right loony caucus of Greene’s views on school shootings, political violence, and anti-Semitic conspiracies by granting her a free pass on retaining two House committee seats? McCarthy and his ilk who claim to be a Christians need to recalibrate their moral compass by enrolling in Bible 101.

Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.

 They should also pay heed to heed to the founder of Sikhism, Nanak who defined God as TRUTH. In the meantime Republicans seem to be following the 11 Commandment, “Look after thyself”.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene 2-2-2021

 

2, February 2021                Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

Senator Mitch McConnell finally stiffened his spine and gave a scathing rebuke to the antichrist, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene calling her a cancer on the Republican Party. Well done Mitch. I am sure the good Lord has decremented your karmic debt a few notches. 

Greene’s recent history of spreading dangerous delusional conspiracy theories, encouraging violence against public officials and making bigoted statements about Muslims, Jews and other marginalized communities is an embarrassment to the U.S. Congress and presents a real danger to the people of color who have to walk the same halls with her each day.

 Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. Capitol was attacked by a violent mob inspired by a reckless conspiracy theory about the election that Greene gleefully amplified. She has repeatedly targeted Ilan Omar and Rashida Tlaib—at one point even trying to force them to re-swear their congressional oaths on a Christian Bible. Oh, Jesus would be so proud! The Muslim members of Congress have all received death threats. One man who came to DC two weeks ago was arrested with explosives, an arsenal of weapons and a handwritten hit list that singled out André Carson as a Muslim. Greene’s consistent anti-Muslim attacks and her embrace of false conspiracy theories will ensure that these threats will continue. For the safety of the Muslim and Jewish members and all people of color working in Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene must be expelled before she inspires more threats and violence.”

Greene who falsely claims to be a Christian would be well advised to attend Christianity 101 which clearly identifies true Christians live by the “fruits of their actions.” Sadly, Greene has infested her party and the country with mountains of tumble weeds.