VIDEO — Kiev Face-Off: Ukraine opposition urges snap elections, refuses president’s offer
RT
Jan 25, 2014
Opposition leaders called for an early presidential election following a Saturday meeting with the government, where top government posts were offered to protest leaders and a review of the constitution was promised. Around two hundred policemen, besieged in a convention center in Kiev, have been allowed to leave the building. RT’s Peter Oliver has more from Kiev. READ MORE http://on.rt.com/98vkah
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Senate Challengers Bring NDAA Issue to the Forefront
by Dan Johnson
P.A.N.D.A. People Against The NDAA
Jan 26, 2014
BOWLING GREEN – Activists around the nation have raised warnings about the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)’s detention provisions, sections 1021 and 1022, since the law was signed on December 31st, 2011. Alarm about those citizen detention provisions has now reached a Texas Senate race, and two challengers are vying for the support of the NDAA Resistance.
Dwayne Stovall, a candidate for U.S. Senate, released a public statement standing with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) against the “fast-tracked” 2014 NDAA on January 25. Senator Cruz opposed the 2014 NDAA because there was no fix to the detention provisions in 2012:
“The Constitution does not allow President Obama, or any President, to apprehend an American citizen, arrested on U.S. soil, and detain these citizens indefinitely without a trial. When I ran for office, I promised the people of Texas I would oppose any National Defense Authorization Act that did not explicitly prohibit the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens. Although this legislation does contain several positive provisions that I support, it does not ensure our most basic rights as American citizens are protected.”
Stovall noted:
“(January 25, 2014) – Tea Party-endorsed candidate for U. S. Senate, Dwayne Stovall, vigorously opposes the NDAA legislation recently fast-tracked through the Senate and passed with Sen. John Cornyn’s approval. The 493-page legislation embodies much of what is wrong with the federal government and highlights the reason that John Cornyn frequently gets it wrong for Texas…”
Yet although Stovall is challenging current Senator John Cornyn, a pro-NDAA Senator, he will be facing a further challenge from Congressman Steve Stockman (R-TX). Congressman Stockman is an amici curiae on Hedges v. Obama, a Federal lawsuit challenging the 2012 NDAA, section 1021, as unConstitutional. Though it is implied, Stovall does not go so far as to mention the detention provisions in his press release, while Congressman Stockman has put words to action. It remains to be seen which candidate takes a stronger stance against the 2012 NDAA this election.
In either case, thanks to the work of activists and grassroots organizers throughout the country sounding the alarm, it appears the NDAA will be a key issue in the minds of both voters and candidates in at least one U.S. Senate race.
You can make it an issue in every race. Show up at your town hall, ask hard questions, and show up at the debates. Make the NDAA a key issue in every race, and little by little, town by town, city by city, we can win this.
Until then, the Resistance marches on.
http://pandaunite.org/takeback
Dan Johnson is the Founder and National Director of People Against the NDAA
Towards the Destabilization and Breakup of Thailand?
by Tony Cartalucci
Global Research
Jan 25, 2014
The Economist has recently floated a narrative that the current Thai regime could flee to the north and “separate” the region from Thailand. Far from a legitimate government seeking to “preserve democracy,” it a Western-backed proxy regime carrying out the tried by true modern imperial agenda of divide and rule.
First, it should be remembered that the Economist publishes paid-for op-eds. It is not news, it is not analysis, it is simply the message told by the highest bidders – the corporate-financier interests of Wall Street and London. These interests are passed to the Economist via their impressive network of lobbying firms. The Economist itself sits among the corporate membership of large Wall Street-London policy think-tanks like the Chatham House, right along side these lobbying firms.
In their latest article, “Political crisis in Thailand: You go your way, I’ll go mine,” one of these lobbying firms comes to mind – fellow Chatham House corporate member Amsterdam & Partners. Robert Amsterdam is currently representing deposed dictator, accused mass murderer, and convicted criminal Thaksin Shinawatra, as well as his “red shirt” enforcers. It claims:
Indeed, many red shirts say Bangkok is already lost. Mr Suthep has nearly free rein there, closing down most government offices. The police have charged him with insurrection and seizing state property, but no attempt has been made to arrest him. The imposition of a state of emergency for 60 days may not make much difference.
Thus most red shirts in the north and north-east now contemplate—indeed they seem to be preparing for—a political separation from Bangkok and the south. Some can barely wait. In Chiang Mai a former classmate of Mr Thaksin’s says that in the event of a coup “the prime minister can come here and we will look after her. If…we have to fight, we will. We want our separate state and the majority of red shirts would welcome the division.” Be afraid for Thailand as the political system breaks down.
Thaksin Shianwatra is at the very center of Thailand’s current political crisis which includes the ongoing “Occupy Bangkok” campaign that has paralyzed the government for now nearly 2 weeks, and has drawn out the largest street protests in decades. Pro-government rallies have fizzled and many of the regime’s supporters, including rural farmers have in fact joined the opposition after being cheated in a vote-buying rice subsidy scam that has gone bankrupt and left them unpaid now for nearly half a year.
Why Secession is Impossible & Why the Lie is Being Repeated in Economist
It was in 2010 that the Asia Foundation conducted its ”national public perception surveys of the Thai electorate,” (2010′s full .pdf here). In a summary report titled, “Survey Findings Challenge Notion of a Divided Thailand.” It summarized the popular misconception of a “divided” Thailand by stating:
“Since Thailand’s color politics began pitting the People’s Alliance for Democracy’s (PAD) “Yellow-Shirt” movement against the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship’s (UDD) “Red-Shirt” movement, political watchers have insisted that the Thai people are bitterly divided in their loyalties to rival political factions.”
The survey, conducted over the course of late 2010 and involving 1,500 individuals, revealed however, a meager 7% of Thailand’s population identified themselves as being “red” Thaksin supporters, with another 7% identifying themselves only as “leaning toward red.”
Graph: Up from 62% the year before, the public perception of the military as an important independent institution stood at 63%. Even in in the regime’s rural strongholds, support stood at 61%. The only individually polled group that did show majority support for the military, was the regime’s tiny “red” minority, but even among them, 30% still supported the army. .
Beyond Kyiv: Ukrainian Protesters Seize Control Of Regional Administrations
End the Lie – Independent News
Jan 25, 2014
Protests are spreading to Ukraine’s regions with demonstrators seizing control of administrative buildings and, in some cases, forcing governors, who are appointed by President Viktor Yanukovych, to resign. In some cases, particularly in western Ukraine, they are meeting little — if any — resistance from police. In some western regions, elected regional councils, which are often dominated by the opposition, are passing legislation in support of Euromaidan protesters. The situation is fluid and is developing rapidly. Below is a brief rundown, compiled from Ukrainian media reports, of some of the key regions where protesters have seized control of regional administration buildings.
Lviv Oblast – The Lviv regional legislature on Saturday (January 25) passed a measure disbanding the office of the regional governor and banning police, military, and security services from using force to disband protests. Chanting “revolution,” protesters on Thursday (January 23) stormed and seized control of Lviv’s regional administration and forced the governor, Oleh Salo, who was appointed by President Yanukovych, to write a statement of resignation. Protesters built barricades around the administration building and hundreds camped out inside.
Ternopil Oblast – In the western region of Ternopil, which neighbors Lviv Oblast, protesters seized control of the Ternopil regional administration with little resistance from police.
Rivneska Oblast – In the northwestern Rivneska Oblast approximately 2,000 people faced little resistance from police as they seized the regional administration building on Thursday (January 23). Anatoliy Yukhimenko, acting head of the regional administration, resigned shortly thereafter.
Khmelnitsky Oblast — After 30 minutes of clashes with police on Friday (January 24), protesters in Khmelnitsky Oblast, located to the south of Rivneska, seized control of the regional administration building. After negotiations between Yuriy Smal, a leader of the local Euromaidan movement, and regional authorities, Governor Vasiliy Yadukha resigned.
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast — Approximately 4,000 on Saturday (January 25) stormed and occupied the regional administration building in Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine. On Friday (January 24), about 1,000 protesters held a vigil outside the building and demanded that the governor, Vasily Chudnova, resign, but he has thus far refused.
Chernivtsi Oblast — Thousands of protesters on Friday (January 24) stormed and occupied the regional administration building in Chernivtsi, near the Ukrainian-Romanian border, and forced Governor Mykhailo Papiev to tender his resignation.
Volynska Oblast — Governor Boris Klimchuk resigned on Friday after more than 1,000 protesters marched on and surrounded the Volynska administration building in the regional capital, Lutsk, in northwestern Ukraine. When a protest leader asked police guarding the building to stand back, one officer replied, “We are Ukrainians –we are with the people.” The protester and the officer then embraced. Police then allowed demonstrators to enter the building.
See a map of the regions that have been taken over here.
Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
Source: RFE/RL
[related video: Ukraine president offers opposition leader PM post, agrees to change Constitution]
VIDEO — Ukraine rioters brutally beat police, storm local admin building
RT
Jan 25, 2014
Protesters have stormed local administrative buildings in Vinnitsa, central Ukraine. The authorities have started criminal investigations into the seizure.
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New drone transforms from a helicopter into a truck to evacuate troops
By End the Lie
The Black Knight Transformer (Image credit: Advanced Tactics)
A new drone is being developed that will be capable of transforming from a helicopter to a truck in order to evacuate troops and drop off cargo in conditions that manned aircraft cannot or should not operate in.
Read our latest articles: “Russia says they will continue to back Assad; hundreds killed in rebel infighting” and “Judge will not let plaintiff or her lawyer see evidence in ‘no-fly list’ trial”
This especially unusual creation, being developed by Advanced Tactics, is one of many odd drones that the Pentagon is hoping to have developed in the near future.
The “Black Knight Transformer” is an eight-rotor vehicle that can fold back its rotors for driving through tight streets, spring them out for takeoff and tilt them forward for faster flight, all while being remotely piloted.
The vehicle is being developed by El Segundo, California-based Advanced Tactics with the help of funding from a Congressional Special Interest program, according to an Advanced Tactics press release from 2010.
The development process for this “Multi-Mission Medical and Casualty Evacuation Unmanned Air Vehicle / Unmanned Ground Vehicle” began in 2009 under the U.S. Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center.
It is part of a larger push for drones to be used for military casualty evacuation, something that an Army study concluded “will soon be a reality and eventually commonplace in the battle-space.”
In the relatively near future, the military states that robots will:
(1) Provide tactical commanders with increased tactical and operational flexibility; (2) Allow the execution of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Casualty Evacuation – these missions in conditions that manned platforms cannot (or should not) operate in, such as “zero-zero” weather or a contaminated environment; (3) Husband critical medical “first responder” resources; and (4) Act as a force multiplier of scarce “high demand/low density” medical evacuation assets.
The military also wants to use it for cargo delivery, according to Advanced Tactics chief engineer Rustom Jehangir.
“The U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory is interested in using the Black Knight vehicle for unmanned cargo resupply missions,” Jehangir said to Popular Science.
So far, Advanced Tactics has only tested the driving component, which was tested in late 2013.
The company plans to test the flying part before the end of February.
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The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) vs. Syria’s “Moderate” Al Qaeda Terrorists
by Prof Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research
Jan 23, 2014
The Western media has tacitly acknowledged, faced with overwhelming evidence, that the opposition rebels have not only committed countless atrocities, they were also behind the chemical weapons attack of August 21.
In the wake of these tragic events, a new dribble of media disinformation is unfolding.
The evolving media narrative –which coincides in a timely fashion with the Geneva 2 Peace Conference– consists in distinguishing between two categories of Al Qaeda affiliated rebel organizations.
The story runs roughly as follows:
- There are moderate Al Qaeda rebels (“good guy Jihadists”) including those affiliated to Al Nusrah, which are now part of the Western supported moderate Islamic Front. The latter is now openly supported and financed by the US and its allies.
- And then there are the so-called extremists associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
PN 