Two rockets hit Lebanese capital
PressTV
May 26, 2013

People gather at the site of a rocket attack in Beirut, Lebanon, May 26, 2013.
Two rockets have hit the southern district of Zahyieh in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, Press TV reports.
Several people were wounded in the incident that took place on Sunday, according to Lebanese security sources. Some vehicles and homes were also damaged.
The security sources said 107-mm rockets were used in the attack.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the rocket attack so far.
Lebanon’s caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, who visited at the site of the rocket attack, said it was an “act of sabotage.”
“The rockets were fired from a secluded area, southeast of the scene of the incident,” he stated.
“I believe this was an act of sabotage,” Charbel added, when asked about the motive for the attack. “I hope what is happening in Syria will not happen in Lebanon.”
The rocket incident in Beirut comes amid recent clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian government in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli, which have led to the death of more than two dozen people.
DB/HSN
[hat tip: Syrian Girl]
VIDEO — Assad has upper hand in Syria talks
PressTV
May 25, 2013
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mark Dankof, political commentator, San Antonio, about the Syrian government agreeing to take part in an international conference in Geneva with the United States and Russia.
Woolwich London Killing: Terrorism or False Flag?
by Stephen Lendman
Global Research
May 24, 2013
Reports said two assailants hacked a British soldier to death. He’s been identified as Lee Rigby. He was killed in broad daylight. It was several hundred meters from southeast London’s Woolwich Royal Artillery barracks.
Weapons included a machete type knife. Alleged attackers remained on the scene. They did so until police arrived 20 minutes later.
Why wasn’t explained. Killers don’t usually stay around to be captured. Both assailants were shot and apprehended. They were hospitalized for treatment.
One allegedly said “(w)e must fight as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” Britain’s ITV news aired an edited video clip.
Allegedly an onlooker filmed it.
The clip showed a young Black man with blood dripping from his hands saying “(w)e swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you.”
”The only reason reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day.”
“The British soldier is an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
ITV edited the statement. It said nothing about “do(ing) this because Muslims are dying every day.” Unedited it said:
“There are many, many ayah (religious verses) throughout the Koran that says we must fight them as they fight us, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
“I apologize that women had to witness this today but in our land women have to see the same.”
“You people will never be safe. Remove your government. They don’t care about you.”
“You think David Cameron will get stuck in the street, when we start busting our guns?”
“You think your politicians are gonna die? not it’s gonna be the average like you, and your children.”
“So get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back, so you can all live in peace.”
Reports called what happened the first domestic Al Qaeda-inspired attack since the July 7, 2005 underground (so-called 7/7) bombings.
A series of attacks targeted the city’s public transport system. They came during the morning rush hour. They were for maximum disruption and casualties.
At precisely the same time, an anti-terror drill occurred. It simulated real attacks. It was no coincidence.
The real attack was a false flag. It was done to heighten fear. At issue was enlisting public sentiment to keep Britain allied with Washington’s imperial wars.
At the time, AP reported that Israel’s London embassy warned Scotland Yard in advance. Israeli Army Radio said:
“Scotland Yard had intelligence warnings of the attacks a short time before they occurred.”
No action was taken. Israel’s then finance minister Netanyahu was told to skip a London economic conference. He was scheduled to speak.
Other officials were warned, not the public. Fifty-two people died. Over 700 were injured.
These type incidents automatically raise questions. Answers are needed before jumping to conclusions. The timing of Wednesday’s killing is very suspicious.
It comes when Washington, Britain, other NATO allies, and Israel head toward full-scale war on Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry’s traveling through the Middle East.
A so-called June peace conference is scheduled. It’s subterfuge. Prior peace initiatives failed. So will this one. Demanding Assad must go assures it. Washington’s proxy war was launched to do so. Expect no change of plans now.
Kerry met with foreign ministers of 11 so-called Friends of Syria countries and opposition group representatives. He discussed Syria with Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Multiple Israeli provocations preceded his visit. On May 23, Haaretz said Israel’s “maintaining intense intelligence activity in Syria and working with local villagers.”
It’s considering a covert Syrian “proxy force.” It claims doing so will protect Israeli security. Israel’s armed forces are very able on their own.
A so-called proxy force, if established, is clearly provocative. It heads things closer to full-scale intervention. Washington and Israel partner in all regional belligerence. They jointly plan and implement conflicts.
Kerry’s trip coincides with Washington’s plan to ramp up support for so-called “rebels.” He demands Assad must go. He’s uncompromising. So is Obama. Full-scale conflict could erupt any time.
Manufactured pretexts make it easier. False flags are longstanding pre-war tactics. They’re US/Israeli specialties. Britain’s an active co-conspirator.
Muslim extremism was blamed for Wednesday’s London killing. We’ve seen this all before. Expect heightened Islamophobia ahead. UK, US, other key NATO allies, and Israel benefit most. They’ll take full advantage.
British MP George Galloway said “(t)his sickening atrocity in London is exactly what we are paying the same kind of people to do in Syria.”
True enough. He omitted explaining what appears most important.
Washington and complicit allies manufacture pretexts. They did so to justify proxy war on Syria. It’s a short step to intervening full-blown.
They’ve done it before. They manipulate public sentiment. They fabricated reasons to attack Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. They’re doing so against Iran.
They want public support. Stoking anti-Muslim rage enlists it.
Post-9/11, Bush’s Afghan war was popular. Few knew what’s now more apparent. Fewer understood Washington’s imperial agenda.
Multiple wars followed. New ones are planned. The entire region and beyond may become embroiled in conflict. Advancing America’s imperium matters most.
At issue is creating pretexts to do so. Perhaps London’s incident is the latest. The fullness of time will explain more.
Prime Minister David Cameron convened an emergency meeting. Top advisors and intelligence officials attended.
UK Home Secretary, Theresa May, called an emergency Civil Contingencies Committee (COBRA) meeting. Cameron chaired it. It includes cabinet ministers and high-level security officials. It deals with terrorism and other major crises.
COBRA refers to the room where committee members meet – Cabinet Office Briefing Room A. A terrorist alert was imposed. Heightened security steps were taken.
These measures don’t commonly follow street killings. It doesn’t matter how gruesome. Most incidents get scant coverage. Many go unnoticed.
This one suggests something bigger. What happened may be pretext for what’s planned. It remains to be seen what follows.
Peter Eyre is a Middle East consultant, geopolitical analyst, investigative journalist, anti-war activist, and valued Progressive Radio News Hour guest.
He jumped on the Woolrich incident. He discussed justifiable reasons to doubt the legitimacy of official reports. They have a distinct aroma. They fall short of truth and full disclosure.
On May 23, Eyre headlined “Woolwich beheading: Security tightened at all London army barracks.” His detailed analysis includes images.
“The gruesome scene of a decapitated actor with no police or paramedics at the scene and no blood,” he said.
The “offenders are shot by armed police who are in attendance in the background but the murder scene has not been secured!!”
Many awakened “to this amazing Shakespearean play that has unfolded in Woolwich, London where all the actors were so bad they would not even qualify for an interview as an extra in some third rate movie!!”
Eyre asked if police “drag(ged) the (victim’s) body around the corner?”
“BBC stated a man wearing a Help the Hero’s T Shirt was hit by a car, then attacked and killed with a machete or sword by the cars occupants.”
(S)o much vivid violence and yet still no blood at the scene…why?”
“(B)ecause the actors had not had time to splash it around before they filmed the scene.”
“(I)t was however added later as the picture (in his article) shows…the blood is only on the pavement and not on the road!!”
“(D)o you think they attempted to copy the Boston Bombing but somehow did not get it right?”
Eyre suggested that blood on a signpost was “Tomato Ketchup!!”
Key is calling the incident Islamic terrorism. Doing so automatically raises suspicions. Most often, the usual suspects are patsies. They’re props for planned state-sponsored mischief.
Expect UK, America, Israel and imperial allies to take full advantage. Police state harshness may increase. Waging war on Islam will continue.
Doing so full-scale against Syria appears likely. What’s long planned may erupt any time.
A Final Comment
UK media reports identified one alleged attacker. Twenty-eight year old Michael Abebolajo grew up in Romford. He comes from a Christian family. In 2003, he converted to Islam.
A man who knew his family said they were very pleasant. Friends called him very quiet. In school, he was a good guy, they said. They were shocked to learn a former schoolmate faces murder charges.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled “Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
http://www.dailycensored.com/woolrich-london-killing-terrorism-or-false-flag/
Related content:
VIDEO — Obama Heckler: “I think killing innocent people with drones is rude”
Activist Post
May 25, 2013
A CNN host called the peace activist Medea Benjamin “rude” for interrupting the president’s foreign policy speech.
Benjamin responded, “I think killing innocent people with drones is rude,” Benjamin replied. “I think keeping innocent people in detention for 11 years is rude. I think not respecting the lives of Muslim people who are killed is rude. There are a lot of rude things about our policies. Speaking out is actually not rude.”
VIDEO — Arab League warns against foreign interference in Syria
PressTV
May 24, 2013
The Arab League has held an urgent meeting on Syria at its headquarters in Cairo. The meeting was aimed at developing a unified Arab stance regarding the international efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.
Top US diplomat vows wider military aid for anti-Damascus militant gangs
PressTV
May 23, 2013

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) in a meeting with Jordan’s ruler King Abdullah II
US Secretary of State John Kerry has again vowed expanded military support for foreign-backed militant gangs in Syria if “diplomacy” fails to end what he claimed as a civil war in the country.
Speaking in the Jordan capital of Amman on Wednesday, Kerry said the US and its partners, in Western Europe and mainly Arab dictatorships in the region as well as Turkey, will widen their support for anti-Damascus gangs in the country by “sending more weapons or taking other measures short of sending American forces,” The Washington Post reports Thursday.
The development comes as Syrian troops are on the verge of recapturing major Syrian city of Qusayr on the Lebanese border from the foreign-backed insurgents in the country.
Kerry, meanwhile, also tried to lower expectations for an international effort to bring the highly divided opposition groups and the Syrian government to the negotiation table amid persisting differences among militant leaders and new international worries about the existence of radical terrorists among opposition forces.
The top US diplomat also sounded pessimistic about the prospect of convening an ‘international peace conference’ in Geneva next month in efforts to “negotiate a cease-fire” and form a “transition government,” the report adds.
“In the event that we can’t find that way forward…, we will also talk about our continued support and growing support for the opposition in order to permit them to continue to fight,” Kerry said.
This is while the Syrian army has successfully concluded the first phase of its operation in the strategic western city of Qusayr, according to press reports.
Syrian forces have inflicted major losses on the militants in the city, destroying their weaponry and equipment.
The Syrian army has also found several caches of weapons, mostly containing Israeli-made ammunition.
The senior commander of the terrorist group al-Nusra Front, Abu Omar, was reportedly also among those killed in battle on May 21.
MFB/MFB
VIDEO — Pro-Syrian protesters rally in Ukraine
Press TV
May 23, 2013
They are holding Syrian and Ukrainian flags, which symbolize solidarity between the two nations.
This peaceful gathering in Ukraine’s capital Kiev speaks against terrorism in Syria, which protesters say, is sponsored by some Arab and Western governments.
Ukraine has been supporting the Syrian government since the unrest began in March 2011 in the Arab nation. These people say they feel free to protest here as Ukraine is against any foreign military intervention, especially if it claims thousands of lives.
Follow our Facebook on: https://www.facebook.com/PRESSTV
Follow our Twitter on: http://twitter.com/presstv
Follow our Tumblr on: http://presstvchannel.tumblr.com
