Sunday, February 17, 2019

17 February - Blogs I'm Following - 2 of 3

10 pm MST

"Don't Bend..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 9 hours ago

‘Today, We Declare Our Love to Our Forests and Ecosystems’

PARAMARIBO, Feb 15 (IPS) - High Forest Cover and Low Deforestation (HFLD) nations ended a major conference in Suriname on Thursday, with the Krutu of Paramaribo Joint Declaration on HFLD Climate Finance Mobilisation. Read the full story, “‘Today, We Declare Our Love to Our Forests and Ecosystems’”, on globalissues.org →

The Fake Post-1970 US Temperature Spike

tonyheller at The Deplorable Climate Science Blog - 9 hours ago
USHCN raw temperature data shows a sharp rise in temperatures after 1970. I did some analysis on this, and discovered that since 1970, NOAA has been losing December data much faster than they have been losing July data. This causes … Continue reading →

A fleeing British teenager

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 9 hours ago
Watching tonight's BBC One early evening news bulletin, I was struck by how it began: The family of *the British teenager* who joined the Islamic State group, say she's given birth in Syria. Shamima Begum says she wants to return to the UK, after* fleeing* the last IS stronghold. It comes as President Trump calls on Britain and other European nations to put captured Islamic State* fighters *on trial. Hmm, a "fleeing...British teenager" whose just given birth and who wants to return to the UK? Interesting language there, I think. And, of course, I'd have said "captured Islamic ... more »

UAE to purchase Russian missile systems

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
The United Arab Emirates’ Armed Forces have purchased Russia’s Kornet-EM anti-tank missile systems and Pantsir surface-to-air missile systems, UAE Brigadier General Mohammed Hassaini told TASS on Sunday. “The contract on Kornet-EM is to the tune of 146.92 mln dirham ($39.7 mln) and on Pantsir – more than 45 mln dirham ($12.1 mln),” he said speaking […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Trump gets his wish, Japanese PM nominates him for Nobel Peace Prize

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated US President Donald Trump for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize last fall after getting a relevant request from Washington, Asahi newspaper reported on Sunday, citing a government source. According to Asahi, Abe received a request from the US government via unofficial channels. The report comes after Trump claimed at […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Jihadist rebels attack Hama city for first time in 2 years

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:30 P.M.) – For the first time in nearly two years, the jihadist rebels have attacked the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. According to a military source inside Hama city, the jihadist rebels fired several Grad missiles into the provincial capital, hitting a number of sites in the process. In a statement […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Breaking: Denmark rejects Trump’s plea, won’t take back ISIS fighters captured in Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
A day before US President Donald Trump urged EU allies to take back over 800 Daesh* fighters that had been captured in Syria and put them on trial. According to the DPA news agency, citing representative of Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Copenhagen won’t take back Daesh fighters to stand trial in the country. “We are talking about the most […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Several Saudi soldiers killed by Houthi sniper units along the Yemeni border

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:40 P.M.) – Several Saudi Coalition soldiers were killed on Sunday as a result of a number of Houthi sniper operations along the Yemeni border. According to the Houthi forces’ official media wing, their snipers began the day by killing two Saudi soldiers near the Mashal military base. Another sniper attack by the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iran unveils new domestically-made submarine armed with cruise missiles (video)

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
Iran presented on Sunday a new domestically-built submarine Fateh equipped with cruise missiles and cutting-edge equipment, the Press TV broadcaster reported, live streaming the unveiling ceremony. The ceremony, attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, took place in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas located on the coast of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the broadcaster, the 527-tonne semi-heavy submarine is […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Breaking: ISIS sleeper cell attacks SDF troops in eastern Euphrates region

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:10 P.M.) – Intense clashes broke out in the eastern region of the Euphrates River Valley this afternoon following a new attack by an Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) sleeper cell in the town of Dhiban. According to reports from this front, the Islamic State sleeper cell attacked a group of fighters from the Syrian […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Hundreds join leftist Beirut march against Hariri’s gov’t (video)

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
Hundreds of people joined a march dubbed ‘No confidence in this government’ in Beirut on Sunday, rejecting the economic and social policies of the new coalition government. The demonstrators marched through central Beirut to express their distrust in the new government, two days after the country’s parliament gave the new government of Prime Minister Saad […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

SDF troops rescue Yezidi teenager in eastern Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 9 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:30 P.M.) – A Yezidi teenager has been rescued by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in eastern Syria, the latter’s official media wing announced on Sunday. Citing a report from the head of the Kurdistan Region’s Special Office for Yezidi Abductee Affairs, Hussein Qa’edi, Kurdistan 24 reported that a sixteen-year-old Yezidi boy was rescued […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

How many KKK Offices are located in Harlem? South Chicago? Compton? Detroit?; Fake Hate Empowers Progressives at a Huge Cost in Lifes and Pursuits of Happiness

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 9 hours ago
Q: How many KKK Offices are located in Harlem? South Chicago? Compton? Detroit? A: Zero. Q: What do you find in Harlem? South Chicago? Compton? Detroit? A: 100% Democratic Control and run by Progressive Politics How does the KKK force Blacks to have illegitimate children? How does the KKK cause black on black crime? How … Continue reading "How many KKK Offices are located in Harlem? South Chicago? Compton? Detroit?; Fake Hate Empowers Progressives at a Huge Cost in Lifes and Pursuits of Happiness"

Opposition accuses Victorian Government of 'gagging' anti-corruption watchdog

Richard Willingham at Just In - 9 hours ago
Public hearings by Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog will be restricted to only the most serious investigations of major public importance, with experts warning the changes will further limit its powers to investigate.

'I don't know where my next meal will come from': How David lost everything

Sarah Gerathy at Just In - 9 hours ago
David was once a high-flying banker with a beachside home, now says he's "lost everything" and spends almost three quarters of his income on rent — this is how he became a Sydney cost-of-living statistic.

10 Years To Educate, Mobilize, and Change--Or Die

Jim Horn at Schools Matter - 10 hours ago
We have made the ultimate existential choice now immediate: choose life or choose death: The Green New Deal (GND) is now part of the national conversation. But for decades, social movements have been doing the on-the-ground work to resist fossil capitalism and envision a different future. Such grassroots social mobilization — but at a massive scale — is vital to ensuring the GND catalyzes transformative social change. Cooperation Jackson is at the forefront of eco-socialist organizing to create a new society and economy from the bottom up. Cooperation Jackson encompasses a network ... more »

Down with the kids

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 10 hours ago
I wasn't greatly surprised to find the BBC and *The Guardian* being of one mind on those climate-protesting, Mrs-May-effing truants during the *Andrew Marr *paper review this morning, or that Camilla from the *Telegraph *was the only one expressing any reservations. Very BBC/*Guardian*. *Anushka Asthana, The Guardian*: But can I just say, right, all those politicians who are getting so angry about these kids, anyone with kids - and anyone else - probably knows that the Friday before half term is not an educationally enriching day at school. And one of the most educationally-enri... more »

What are we NOT being told about the street riots going on in Haiti???

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 10 hours ago
*Map Of Haiti in Caribbean - Note* *the Proximity Of Haiti to Caracas, Venezuela* They're rioting in the streets in Haiti again. Every couple of years we hear reports about this in the newz. We're just told the Haitians are rioting in the streets and shown film of the chaos....burning tires...crowds of rampaging black men. We're given very little context to the riots. The simpleton sheeple don't even bother to ask themselves *why* the Haitians would be rioting...they just assume that Haitians *like* to riot and perhaps it's part of their culture. That's the subtext of the supe... more »

Rio Nightlife Guide for Sunday, February 17, 2019

Jack Arnhold at The Rio Times - 10 hours ago
We have the top three picks for this Sunday, and below there is a list of bars and lounges that are always a good option. PARTY: DNA Social Club @ Barzin Rio (Ipanema) – The weekend doesn’t end until this party does. Today they are asking people to bring along 1KG of non-perishable food to […] The post Rio Nightlife Guide for Sunday, February 17, 2019 appeared first on The Rio Times.

Debunking the 97% nonsense

James Taylor at CFACT - 10 hours ago
Ever notice that 97% is the same number dictators claim when they steal an election? The post Debunking the 97% nonsense appeared first on CFACT.

Retailers, Fashion Brands Struggle with Racial Insensitivity

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
Experts say many of these fashion companies live in a sort of bubble and lack the diversity in their staff that could vet their fashions.

Aurora Shooting Raises Questions Over Gun Permit Checks

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
Gary Martin was issued a firearm owner's identification card in January 2014 after a background check failed to show a 1995 aggravated assault conviction in Mississippi.

UK Teen Who Joined Islamic State Has Baby in Syria

Associated Press at Snopes.com - 10 hours ago
The family of a British teenager who ran away to join the Islamic State group and now wants to return to the U.K. said she has given birth to a baby boy.

No Rifle Was Better: Why Nothing Could Stop the M-1 Garand

Paul Richard Huard at Test Feed Using Fields - 10 hours ago
*Paul Richard Huard* *Security, * Reliable, hard hitting and semi-automatic is the way to go. Gen. George Patton, the renowned World War II commander who possessed a sizable ego, called the M-1 Garand rifle “the greatest battle implement ever devised.” Some might be surprised that the self-promoting Patton did not consider *himself* the greatest battle implement ever devised. But Patton knew a thing or two about killing – and he knew that in the hands of Allied troops the Garand did its share of killing. In a world filled with bolt-action rifles on both sides of World War II,... more »

One heck of a way to run a government

Dr. Richard Raymond at Food Safety News - 11 hours ago
Opinion Dr. Elisabeth Hagen left the USDA in December of 2013, leaving the position of the USDA’s Undersecretary for Food Safety vacant and President Obama chose not to fill it for the remainder of his term. Trump got Ted McKinney in as the USDA’s Undersecretary for Agriculture Trade and Foreign Affairs and my old friend... Continue Reading

Killer Toast Strikes Again!

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 11 hours ago
By Paul Homewood h/t Patsy Lacey You can just see the death certificate now: “CAUSE OF DEATH: Toast” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6714141/Making-toast-exposes-people-toxic-air-pollution-standing-busy-traffic-junction.html Advertisements

THERE IS NO DEFINITION OF "WINNING" BEYOND "OWNING THE LIBS"

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog - 11 hours ago
So this happened a couple of days ago: President Donald Trump poked fun at his Democratic presidential challengers in a since-deleted Twitter video posted Friday afternoon.... The video features the ubiquitous song “Everbody Hurts” by R.E.M. overlaid on footage from the State of the Union address. The footage features shots of Democrats like California Rep. Eric Swalwell, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, California Sen. Kamala Harris and others. The video was first created by Twitter user “CarpeDonktum,” whose bio section reads “Eternally Sarcastic Me... more »

Did This Sniper Rifle Save Russia from Nazi Germany?

Robert Beckhusen at Test Feed Using Fields - 11 hours ago
*Robert Beckhusen* *Security, * The powerful cartridge and simple construction means the Mosin kicks like a mule, but provides accurate and reliable firepower in a weapon that is easy to maintain and hard to damage … too much. And most importantly, it was easy to produce in vast numbers. The Soviet government often exaggerated tales of its front-line snipers for propaganda purposes. The sniper duel between famed Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev and “Major Konig” was probably myth, although Zaitsev was unquestionably a remarkable soldier. Such myths are a weapon in a fight for nat... more »

Russia Knows the Trick to Making an Accurate, Fully-Automatic Rifle

Charlie Gao at Test Feed Using Fields - 11 hours ago
*Charlie Gao* *Security, * A brief history of balanced-action rifles. *Given that the A545 has been reported to pass field trials (alongside the AK12), we may finally see a balanced action rifle adopted and mass-produced in the near future.* *(This first appeared last year.)* One of the primary differences in infantry training between NATO countries and the former Warsaw Pact was the use of automatic fire. While NATO countries train their infantry to almost always use semi-automatic fire to engage targets, the Warsaw Pact countries trained their infantry to make use of fully-au... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 17

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 12 hours ago
1917 British crossed Shumran bend outflanking Ottoman forces in campaign to recapture Kut 1981 UN Rep Palme went to Iran and Iraq for 3rdtime to try to negotiate ceasefire 1986 Iran started attack to gain more ground in Fao Peninsula (Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War) (Musings On Iraq book review *The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988*) (Musings On Iraq book review *Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988*) (Musings On Iraq book review *The Iran-Iraq War*) (Musings On Iraq bo... more »

Regardless Of Political Party, Establishment Politicians Always Try To Kill Off Independent Thinks Who Challenge The Status Quo-- Meet Ilhan Omar (D-MN)

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
*Conservatives are making a concerted effort into turning Ilhan and Rashida into "The Other"* The *NY Post*, like many right-wing propaganda outlets, was on the attack last week. Except they're introducing a new "villain" to their readers. THey're hardly giving up on their crusade to destroy AOC but now they can go back and forth between her and Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Ilhan had been serving in the Minnesota state legislature-- having beaten an entrenched establishment Democrat in the primary-- when Keith Ellison decided to run for state Attorney General, leaving his Min... more »

Rooting for Jussie

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 12 hours ago
Yes, I know it's a long post, but.... 👀.... I've been following a series of tweets from DB over the past couple of weeks or so, watching and waiting to see how things develop. Unlike much of the mainstream media, including the BBC, DB was onto how this story was likely pan out from the very start. (It broke on 29 January). His latest tweet posts a thread on the subject by Amy Curtis that is well worth reading, especially after this 'breaking news': - *The media won’t ask why, but I will.* - *He did it because he thought he’d get away w/ it. And he was almost right. Th... more »

The Mythic Character Of Reality

Fr. Stephen FREEMAN at OrientalReview.org - 12 hours ago
For many, the “mythical radiance” has been lost. What has taken place is the privileging of the secular account of reality. It is felt that we must win on the ground defined by secular materialism. The result is a modernized faith, even if the “facts” embraced are antique. The post The Mythic Character Of Reality appeared first on OrientalReview.org.

Cop Charged for Horrifically Torturing Restrained Teen With Taser Walks Free After Mistrial

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: taser]Despite horrifying video of deputies strapping a teenager down and torturing him for hours with a taser, none of the cops are in jail.

Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 and Other News

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 13 hours ago
No comment needed on this story: Abe nominated Trump for the Nobel at behest of Washington THE ASAHI SHIMBUN http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201902170021.html Acceding to a request from Washington, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize around autumn for engaging with North Korea, Japanese government sources said Feb. 16. According to the sources, the U.S. government "informally" asked Tokyo to nominate Trump after he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June, the first-ever summit between the two countries.... more »

Setting the Standard for CVE

ehuguest at Lawfare - 13 hours ago
Photo Credit: via Counter Extremism Project *Editor’s Note: Few people disagree with the goal of Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), but in practice the programs have faced many problems. A big one is that it is hard to know if they are working, as existing metrics do a poor job of measuring success and failure. Evanna Hu of Omelas proposes a set of fixes to CVE programs that would make them more rigorous and more effective.* *Daniel Byman* *** There is no doubt that Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) is critical to U.S. national security interests. But CVE has always suffered f... more »

Climate Proof Your Home–Says Daily Mail

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 13 hours ago
By Paul Homewood h/t Patsy Lacey It is time this nonsense was ended for once and for all. Talking about the weather may be a long-standing British tradition, but designing our homes to suit the climate has only recently become commonplace. The idea of ‘climate-proofing’ our homes has now become a priority for […]

Sunday Morning Links

Greg Fingas at Accidental Deliberations - 13 hours ago
This and that for your Sunday reading. - Marshall Shepherd writes that the U.S. is facing a true national emergency in the form of climate breakdown. And Michelle Goldberg theorizes that the unlikely election and presidency of Donald Trump may open the door to a transformative response, including the possibility of the Green New Deal. - Ed Finn argues that pharmacare should be a key issue in this year's federal election - though even before Justin Trudeau's decision to give in to big pharma, Finn would have been right to note the dangers of relying on a Lib promise to help people a... more »

Ten Hut: a Special Message to Soldiers, Service Members and All of US

Teodrose Fikre at The Ghion Journal - 13 hours ago
“Duty, Honor, Country—those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.” This is an excerpt from a speech that General Douglas MacArthur gave on May 12, 1962 in front of cadets at West… The post Ten Hut: a Special Message to Soldiers, Service Members and All of US appeared first on The Ghion Journal.

Communists mocking Jesus...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 13 hours ago
*because that's what Godless heathens do. * *You need air in your tires*Rather than bore you with my sad tale of hiking in and out to my car marooned in the cul-de-sac due to snow, and Friday's flat tire (thank goodness for the person who invented that little low air thingy on the dash), necessitating my purchasing two new tires and, for good measure a new battery, let me instead tell you about the most profoundly saddening thing I've seen in a very long time. There's a disgusting "progressive" (read communist) radio station in Minneapolis which will remain unnamed. On their Faceb... more »

US not in favor of Syrian gov’t coming back to SDF-held area: official

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
US special representative to Syria James Jeffrey has addressed the Munich Security Conference, outlining Washington’s plans on troop withdrawal and subsequent goals in the region. “We are not [calling for president Assad to go], we are calling for a major change in the behaviour of the [Syrian] regime to bringing in line with a dozen UN and other international agreements on how to treat your […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Qatari FM says neither ISIS nor terrorism defeated

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that “ISIS or terrorism is not defeated yet,” during an address to the Munich Security Conference on Sunday. “We have heard, in the last couple of days, people are talking about terrorism being defeated, ISIS being defeated,” stated Al Thani, who is also Qatar’s deputy prime […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Breaking: Syrian Army launches heavy attack in northern Latakia, Russian jets preparing to strike

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:45 P.M.) – Minutes ago, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) unleashed a heavy attack on the northern countryside of the Latakia Governorate. According to a military source inside the Latakia Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army launched a heavy assault on Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s positions across the front-lines of Jabal Al-Akrad. Using artillery and […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Assad attacks US role in Syria during new speech

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:20 P.M.) – Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad held a new speech on Sunday during a meeting with several local council heads from all over Syria. During the speech, the Syrian President spent a considerable amount of time attacking the U.S.’ role in Syria and their attempts to partition the country. “The scheme of […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Iranian FM says Israel ‘looking for war’

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israel of “looking for war” in the Middle East, during an event at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday. “Well, certainly some people are looking for war,” said Zarif, adding that it is “Israel.” Zarif accused Western countries of fueling the situation, saying that “the risk [of war] […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syria accuses US of transporting its captured gold

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
Syrian state-run news agency SANA has cited local sources as saying that US forces have used helicopters to transfer large boxes full of the “spoils” of Daesh* terrorists from the al-Dashisha area in Hasaka province’s southern countryside. The sources claim that the boxes contained huge amounts of gold that the terrorist group had safely stored east of al-Shadadi city — an account, which, as SANA stresses, corresponds with other reports […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Lebanese Army arrest 2 suspected ISIS members near Syrian border

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:20 P.M) – The intelligence division of the Lebanese Army arrested two suspected members of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) in the northeastern region of Lebanon. According to a military communique, two suspected members of the Islamic State terrorist organization were arrested by the Lebanese Army in the Hermel region on Saturday. The […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Several Syrian soldiers killed by Turkish-backed rebels in northern Hama (video)

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:00 P.M.) – A number of Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldiers were killed this weekend when the Turkish-backed National Liberation Front (NLF) launched an attack on their positions in northern Hama. According to a military source in the Hama Governorate, several Syrian Arab Army soldiers were killed after the National Liberation Front launched […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Syria preparing to reopen public border-crossing with Iraq: report

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:45 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Republic is preparing to reopen their border-crossing with Iraq as the area around the city of Albukamal has been declared safe for the first time in years. According to a new report from Damascus, the Syrian government is in talks with their Iraqi counterparts about reopening the […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Lebanon rejects Turkey’s planned safe zone in northern Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 13 hours ago
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:30 A.M.) – Lebanon’s Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab held a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. Bou Saab, who was filling in for Prime Minister Saad Hariri, discussed with Akar the prospect of a safe zone in northern Syria that would be patrolled […] Source: AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - The Arab Source

Episode #268 – ‘Empire of Lies’ with hosts Patrick Henningsen, Mike Robinson

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 14 hours ago
*SUNDAY WIRE SHOW* | Strap yourselves in and lower the blast shield – this is your brave new world…

ICYMI: Winter Is Forever Edition (2/17)

Peter Greene at CURMUDGUCATION - 14 hours ago
I do this every Sunday, so you can skip back week by week, or just search "ICYMI" in the search bar in the upper left to read some of the good stuff coming from other writers in the education world. Remember to share-- that's how this stuff gets around and finds the audience it should have. Rahm Emanuel's Non-Apolgy for Being School Privatization Cheerleader Rahm released an essay that was billed as a change of direction, but which might be better described as a branding exercise. Getting To The Root of the Public Education Crisis I have mixed feelings here, but this op-ed spinning ... more »

Latest This Issue show

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 14 hours ago
Here is my interview with Tanya Bukharina from Crimea, Russia.

The Little-Known Security Gaps In China's Belt and Road Initiative

Mollie Saltskog, Colin P. Clarke at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Mollie Saltskog, Colin P. Clarke* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Beijing's international pipeline networks are exposed to various dangers. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, sometimes referred to as “One Belt, One Road,” or “the new Silk Road,” is Beijing’s signature foreign policy project focused on developing robust infrastructure to connect China to key hubs of economic activity throughout the world. Even though the Chinese Communist Party might dispute this characterization, the initiative is also a geopolitical strategy—underpinned by energy security and access to resour... more »

What Caused the International Impasse Over Iran's Missile Program?

Alireza Ahmadi at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Alireza Ahmadi* *Security, Middle East* [image: Reuters] The answer lies in the language of UNSC resolutions and regional security dynamics. In the later days of the negotiations between the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany) and Iran over the country’s nuclear program, another in a long line of standoffs emerged. Iran’s negotiators argued that since the deal was supposed to eliminate all nuclear sanctions against Iran, the language against Iran’s missile program in a 2010 Security Council resolution should be stricken when the Council passes ... more »

Russia's "Golden Fish" Submarine Was Super-Fast (But Fatally Flawed)

Mark Episkopos at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, * This sub was innovative for many reasons but had its share of problems. In the first two decades of the Cold War, it became clear to the Soviet military establishment that their submarine lineup was in dire need of reform. At that time, the Soviet fleet was dependent on increasingly outdated “Whiskey-class” iterations of WWII-era German submarines. The Soviet political leadership conceived a shock therapy solution to this problem: a new, *“Project 661” submarine class *built on a platform of comprehensive, bottom-up innovation. And this wasn’t just ... more »

This Is the Airpower Theorist the Air Force Needs (And Already Has)

Heather Venable at Test Feed Using Fields - 14 hours ago
*Heather Venable* *Security, * [image: Flickr / U.S. Air Force] There is no need to borrow from seapower theory to think soundly about airpower theory. If one’s main text on airpower is Douhet’s *Command of the Air, *as it appears to be at the Naval War College, then it is no wonder that one feels the need to call for a Corbett of airpower. James Holmes recently argued that airpower needs a theorist with the heft of Clausewitz. This, he insists, would help us to steer clear of tiresome, never-ending debates about whether the Air Force needs to invest more in A-10s, F-35s, or lig... more »

Hundreds stranded as British airline Flybmi collapses

Just In - 14 hours ago
Hundreds of passengers throughout Europe are stranded by the abrupt collapse of the British regional airline Flybmi, which cited higher fuel costs and Brexit uncertainty for the closure.

Government to be grilled over awarding of Manus Island security contracts

Alexandra Beech at Just In - 14 hours ago
Labor and the crossbench plan to zero in on the awarding of contracts for security services on Manus Island, amid revelations more than $420 million is going to a relatively unknown company that was registered to a beach shack on Kangaroo Island.

How the Roman Republic Fell; History Repeats Itself through Divisive Identify Politics, Political Intolerance and Violence

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 14 hours ago
People say that wearing a MAGA hat doesn't mean you're racist or homophobic. The men who attacked Jussie Smollett wore MAGA hats. The Covington boys wore MAGA hats. It's Making America Great Again only for straight white males. Those hats are all about upholding the patriarchy. — Melissa Blake (@melissablake) January 29, 2019 And the … Continue reading "How the Roman Republic Fell; History Repeats Itself through Divisive Identify Politics, Political Intolerance and Violence"

MONTAGE: WATCH THE MEDIA UNCRITICALLY ACCEPT ANOTHER OUTLANDISH ‘HATE CRIME’

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 14 hours ago
The media is about as critical of “Hate Crime” claims as they are claims about climate science and its catastrophic consequences. This is the problem with biased media and academia. People aren’t given the facts needed to make rational decisions. The intent of the media and academia is to guide people to make decisions that … Continue reading "MONTAGE: WATCH THE MEDIA UNCRITICALLY ACCEPT ANOTHER OUTLANDISH ‘HATE CRIME’"

Reindeer Cyclones Are Real, and You Definitely Don’t Want to Get Caught in One

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 14 hours ago
(Source) Please Like, Share, Subscribe, Re-Blog and Comment

Prager on AOC Push to Reject Amazon HQ2: ‘Leftism Is an Emotion — It’s Not a Position’

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 14 hours ago
Prager on AOC Push to Reject Amazon HQ2: ‘Leftism Is an Emotion — It’s Not a Position’ (Source) Please Like, Share, Subscribe, Re-Blog and Comment

“Just Sell Out” Kaepernick Betrays his Progressive “Values;” Nike Played as a Fool

co2islife at CO2 is Life - 14 hours ago
#Sellout#Kap WATCH: NFL Vet Larry Johnson Slams Kaepernick for Taking Money ‘From the Oppressor’ (Source) I’m not sure why we call @SteveHarveyFM a sellout for trading integrity for money, while @Kaepernick7 just took a payoff from the NFL to remain silent. Aren’t they pretty much doing the same thing? — Dr Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1) February … Continue reading "“Just Sell Out” Kaepernick Betrays his Progressive “Values;” Nike Played as a Fool"

On and on

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 14 hours ago
A Rod Liddle joke, courtesy of* The Sunday Times* Today's *The World This Weekend *led with the Shamima Begum story. It featured an interview with her family lawyer, Mohammed Tasnime Akunjee. Not that you'd know it after listening to that programme, but he's a controversial figure himself. He's been accused of (1) advising Muslims not to cooperate with anti-terror police, (2) endorsing the pro-jihadist group CAGE, (3) blaming the UK security services for “creating” one of Lee Rigby's killer and (4) saying it’s not extremism to call for death of British soldiers. Meanwhile, the 'I... more »

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 14 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin New AI Fake Text Generator May Be Too Dangerous to Release, Say Creators What a great advertising tactic. GOP Proposal Could Snatch Your Student Loan Payment From Your Paycheck Facebook, Facing Lawmaker Questions, Says It May Remove Anti-Vaccine RecommendationsWhy Can’t a Bot Tick the “I’m Not a Robot” Box?Here's what we know about Gary Martin, suspected of killing 5 civilians and injuring 5 police officers in Aurora A minimum-wage worker needs 2.5 full-time jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment in most of the US Foreigners Dumped Record Amount Of US Treasuries Indi... more »

Dealing With Leakers

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 14 hours ago
A short while ago, the Ford government's plans to establish a healthcare superagency -- standard conservative policy for cutting costs -- leaked. There was a firestorm. The Fordians immediately fired the civil servant who leaked the draft legislation to the NDP. Robin Sears writes: Of all the many hypocritical hobby horses in political life there are few that can match this dichotomy. The Ford government was badly bruised this month when their somewhat hair-raising ideas of “health care reform” were sent to the NDP. The cabinet documents were not entirely congruent with the gove... more »

Beams and motes

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 15 hours ago
*Matthew 7:5 - Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. * For someone who gets very prickly when criticised on Twitter, the BBC's John Simpson may need a mirror and copious supplies of eyewash here:

Quantum dots, QLED displays beat OLED and friends

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 15 hours ago
*Quantum dots are beautiful physically as well as spiritually* Do you have a QLED television? Did you recently spend some time in TV shops to look for the TV sets – and their underlying physics – that impresses you most? After a Chinese lunch today, I looked more carefully at the descriptions of the TVs in an electronics shops than I did in recent 5 years or more. It looks like the TVs were brighter and more amazing than just half a year ago when I had to buy a new TV. Modern flat displays are obviously a highly representative class of the practical applications of quantum mechanics... more »

Alex Richman: R.I.P.

Stephen Kimber at Halifax Examiner - 15 hours ago
“Alex was laid to rest beside his son David in Shaarey Zedek Cemetery, Winnipeg on Sunday, February 3rd.” —Obituary, Alex Richman Halifax Chronicle-Herald, February 8, 2019 While researching Flight 111, my book about the 1998 Swissair crash off Nova Scotia, I first stumbled across the story of Alex Richman. At first blush, there wasn’t much […]

Constraint Payments Rise To £124 Million

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 15 hours ago
By Paul Homewood https://www.ref.org.uk/constraints/indexbymth.php?order=mth&dir=desc&start= Constraint payments to wind farms last year cost £124 millions last year, at an average of £72.29/MWh These are paid when there is too much wind power for the grid to handle, and the cost is added to electricity bills. Advertisements

Search For Shackleton’s Ship Abandoned As Sea Ice Moves In

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 15 hours ago
By Paul Homewood From the BBC: The attempt this week to find Sir Ernest Shackleton’s missing ship, the Endurance, has ended – without success. A UK-led expedition to the Weddell Sea sent a sub to the ocean floor to look for the sunken polar yacht, but this robot was itself lost in the […]

Sunday song

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago

The President’s emergency powers

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 15 hours ago
We’re still living under emergency powers put in place by previous presidents. According to Democrats, only President Trump can't call a national emergency when we are being invaded by thousands every year, a large number who are members of gangs, who are trafficking women and children, who are using children to pose as "family" groups, who are bringing in drugs. What if they were Russians arriving in San Francisco or New York demanding refugee status for admittance? By the thousands. The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming. Big ships of them because Putin wanted to emp... more »

What Is More Important. Repairing The U.S. Military Or Worrying About The National Debt?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks regarding the Administration's National Security Strategy at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington D.C., U.S. December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsReuters *CNBC:* *Trump: I have to 'straighten out' the military before worrying about the $22 trillion debt* * President Donald Trump said he has to "straighten out" the "depleted" military before worrying about the national debt. * Total public debt outstanding crossed $22 trillion for the first time this week, more than $2 trillion of which has come on T... more »

China Is Not Interested In Doing Any Nuclear Missile Deal

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
The mobile DF-26 is shown in a military parade in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in 2017 celebrating the PLA's 90th birthday. CHINA DAILY *Reuters:* *China rebuffs Germany's call for U.S. missile deal with Russia* MUNICH (Reuters) - China rejected on Saturday German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s appeal to join a Cold War-era arms control treaty that the United States accuses Russia of breaching, saying it would place unfair limits on the Chinese military. Fearing a nuclear arms race between China, Russia and the United States after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclea... more »

ISIS Rules The Night In Parts Of Iraq

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 15 hours ago
Suspected members of Islamic State at a security screening centre in Kirkuk, Iraq, last October. Photograph: Ivor Prickett/The New York Times *Kimberly Dozier, Daily Beast: **In Much of Iraq, ISIS Still Rules the Night* *ISIS fighters come back after dark. In many towns Iraqi government control is surface-deep, and ISIS remains the power to be challenged, or joined.* BAGHDAD—Buzz and bustle has returned to the Iraqi capital as a million-plus visitors cram the international book fair, with whole families buying books by the armload, a sign of recovery of Iraq’s reputation as a cente... more »

Sunday morning music

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 15 hours ago
Something slower and more thoughtful this morning. Here's Handel's Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 7. This performance is from the Classical Music Studio of St. Petersburg, conducted by Alexander Titov. Music by a composer of German origin, composed and presented in England, and here performed by a Russian orchestra and composer. Who says music is insular? Peter

New study shows violent #videogames do not make #teens more #aggressive

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 15 hours ago
https://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2019-02-violent-video-games-teens-aggressive.html Advertisements

Scientists Discover That #Trees Have A “Heartbeat” Too.

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 15 hours ago
https://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/05/10/scientists-discover-that-trees-have-a-heartbeat-too/?fbclid=IwAR0tuHO03exdb87zcBFHpkgQzffZpGTuPlLN0fUEzmC1_d-UF2Lw2WFTqoA

#Fukushima- The Untouchable Eco-Apocalypse No One is Talking About

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 15 hours ago
https://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/fukushima-the-untouchable-eco-apocalypse-no-one-is-talking-about/?utm_source=HHL

#Glyphosate weed killers increase #cancer risk by 41%, study says

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 15 hours ago
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/14/health/us-glyphosate-cancer-study-scli-intl/index.html

#LIGO gravitational waves: Black hole detectors to get upgrade

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 15 hours ago
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47213202

Stopping ocean #plastic at the source

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 15 hours ago
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/02/partner-content-alliance-renew-oceans/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=ps::src=facebook::cmp=sp_alliancetoendplasticwaste::add=fbp20190123sp_alliancetoendplasticwaste-oceans::rid=&kwp_0=1133648

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA. Thanks for stopping by!

"No Way To Be..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
"Never shy away from opportunity and wholehearted living. Never be fearful of putting yourself out there. The courageous may encounter many disappointments, experience profound disillusionment, gather many wounds; but cherish your scars for they are the proud emblems of a truly phenomenal life. The fearful, cautious, cynical and self-repressed do not live at all. And that is simply no way to be in this world." - Anthony St. Maarten

"Let Me Get This Straight..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago

The Poet: Charles Dickens, “Things That Never Die”

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*“Things That Never Die” * "The pure, the bright, the beautiful that stirred our hearts in youth, The impulses to wordless prayer, The streams of love and truth, The longing after something lost, The spirit's longing cry, The striving after better hopes- These things can never die. The timid hand stretched forth to aid A brother in his need; A kindly word in grief's dark hour That proves a friend indeed; The plea for mercy softly breathed, When justice threatens high, The sorrow of a contrite heart- These things shall never die. Let nothing pass, for every hand Must fin... more »

"I'll Never Understand..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
"I'll never understand why some people can't just let others live their lives, you know," Danial said. "You don't have to understand. You don't have to agree. Just leave people alone. When I look at the moon and planets and stars, all that narrow-mindedness and hate seem so petty. The universe is such a big place. One hundred thousand light years just from one end of the Milky Way to the other. One hundred. Thousand. Light years. In the time it's taken for light to travel from one end of our galaxy to the other, thousands of generations have passed. It really makes you realize how s... more »

"I Believe..."

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago
"I believe it is better to tell the truth than to lie. I believe that it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe that it is better to know than to be ignorant." - H.L. Mencken

BETO... For U.S. Senate?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
*BETO by Nancy Ohanian* Chris Cillizza delivers the most superficial and stupidest way to watch the 2020 nomination race on CNN every month. Yesterday, he moved Bernie, Klobuchar and Castro up in his "power ranking," while Sherrod Brown and Kirsten Gillibrand moved down. "Sliding down to #3," mouthed the silly Cillizza-- with silly cartoon music behind him (apparently someone at CNN knows what a doofus he is)-- "is former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke. Now, O'Rourke is the buzz and momentum candidate, even hosting his own competing rally in El Paso..." Chuck Schumer loves recruit... more »

New Left Blogs February 2019

Phil at All That Is Solid ... - 16 hours ago
Is something in the water? It's been quite a while since we saw new pluggage for new blogs two months on the trot. It's a trend I hope continues! Enough from me, here are the sites that came my way this last month. 1. LeftGreen70 (Twitter) 2. Luis 3. Soma: Optimistic Politics 4. Steve Cooke (Twitter) If you know of any new(ish) blogs that haven't featured before then drop me a line via the comments, email, Facebook, or Twitter. Please note I'm looking for blogs that have started within the last 12 months or thereabouts. The new blog round up appears when I have enough new blogs ... more »

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (Coyote Prime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 16 hours ago

Untitled

jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 16 hours ago
*In Harvard affirmative action case, judge appears skeptical* US District Judge Allison Burroughs appeared skeptical Wednesday that plaintiffs had offered enough proof that Harvard College intentionally discriminated against Asian-American applicants, given that no rejected students testified during a three-week trial. Burroughs, speaking from the bench during the final oral arguments in the case, said the lack of Asian-American student witnesses was a “problem” in the lawsuit, brought against Harvard by Students for Fair Admissions. In a case that could overturn decades-old law o... more »

Clickbait

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 16 hours ago
BBC investigated over web clickbait (£) The media regulator Ofcom is investigating how the BBC is “adapting to the changing news environment”, including online. The review, to be published by the end of the year, will also monitor the BBC’s impartiality and analyse whether it remains trusted by audiences.[…] Last year Fran Unsworth, the BBC’s director of news, was publicly challenged about the corporation’s coverage of Love Island and a now-notorious online article about “serial poopers” who defecate in public. She said then that it was important for the BBC to reach more under... more »

The Sunshine Vitamin and Heart Health

thedrswolfson at The Drs. Wolfson - 16 hours ago
Everyone has heard of vitamin D and how it’s important for bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. But did you know that most cells of the body have receptors for vitamin D? Cells have receptors for many different hormones and other molecules, like LDL for example. I like to think of them as tiny […] The post The Sunshine Vitamin and Heart Health appeared first on The Drs. Wolfson.

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 16 hours ago
*Mitch McConnell Forces Democrats Into A Senate Vote on Green Deal* Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Tuesday that he’ll bring up progressives’ widely mocked Green New Deal for a vote. The move is often used as a political tactic, which would force several Democratic 2020 presidential candidates to go on the record either for or against the radical proposal that has a massive scope and cost. According to Politico, McConnell told reporters, “I’ve noted with great interest the Green New Deal and we’re going to be voting on that in the Senate. We’ll give everyb... more »

On the Eclecticism of Great Philosophers

Anoop Verma at The Verma Report - 16 hours ago
Stephen C. PepperThe idea that a philosopher can develop a fully consistent, fully rational, and complete system of philosophy is a myth. Most great philosophers of the past had an eclectic style of writing — Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Locke, Hume, Kant were in various degrees eclectic. In his book *World Hypothesis*, Stephen C. Pepper offers the following perspective on eclecticism in philosophy: The literature of philosophy is, of course, full of eclectic writings. Moreover, it is probably true that all (or nearly all) the great philosophers were in various degrees eclectic. Ther... more »

America's Worst World War II Weapon: The Mark 14 Torpedo

Warfare History Network, Mark Carlson at Test Feed Using Fields - 16 hours ago
*Warfare History Network, Mark Carlson* *Security, Asia* [image: By Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42627091] From duds to deadly, the Mark 14 torpedo was troublesome in the beginning for American submariners. Lieutenant Dan Daspit, captain of the U.S. submarine Tinosa could not believe his luck. Framed neatly in the periscope eyepiece was a sitting duck. The 19,250-ton Japanese tanker Tonan Maru No. 3 was all alone, dead in the water. Tinosa was on her second war patrol, having left Midway atoll on July 7, 1943. For a week she had b... more »

PTR 9KT Pistol: The U.S. Army's Next Submachine Gun?

Kyle Mizokami at Test Feed Using Fields - 16 hours ago
*Kyle Mizokami* *Security, * [image: https://ptr-us.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/9KT-right-1600px.jpg] Whether or not PTR ends up winning the Army contract, the 9KT is still an interesting “pistol” based on the historically significant MP-5 submachine gun. The American demand for military-style weapons isn’t just limited to the AR-15 platform. The new PTR 9KT pistol is a derivative of the famous German MP-5 submachine gun. Lighter and with a shorter barrel it was also likely developed for some military purpose, namely the U.S. Army’s Sub Compact Weapon program. The MP-5 subma... more »

SUNDAY SCREENING: ‘The Israeli Lobby in Britain’ (2017)

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 16 hours ago
*SUNDAY SCREENING* | A deep look into the Israeli Lobby's infiltration of British politics and society.

John McAfee: ‘Why I’m Running for President’

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 16 hours ago
*21WIRE* | The Mac is back, and the loose again to launch his unconventional crypto campaign for the Pennsylvania Ave.

Israel Runs New Large-scale Military Exercise to ‘Simulate a War with Hezbollah’

21wire at 21st Century Wire - 16 hours ago
*21WIRE* | Most sane experts agree that an Israeli strike aganist Lebanon could trigger a firestorm across the region. So why are Washington and Tel Aviv so keen to promote a war?

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