America's Conquest of Africa: The Roles of France and Israel

From Global Research, October 6, 2011 

By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya and Julien Teil

Introduction by Cynthia McKinney

Introduction: “Operation Gladio” Then and Now...  
I will begin with the scandal of Operation Gladio that climaxed in the murder of former Italian Prime Minister, Aldo Moro, who on the day of his kidnapping, was to announce an Italian coalition government that would include the Italian Communist Party.

Leader of the Christian Democratic Party at that time, Francesco Cossiga, admits in the 1992 BBC Timewatch documentary about Operation Gladio, that he chose to “sacrifice” Moro “for the good of the Republic.”  Not unlike the targeted assassinations that the U.S. government engages in around the world, where someone extrajudicially makes decisions on who lives and who dies. In the three-part documentary, Cossiga states that the decision caused his hair to turn white. 

Operation Gladio is the ugly real-life tale of the U.S. government’s decision to hire members of the state security apparatus of various European countries, and in collaboration with recruited community allies, wreak terror on innocent citizens by blowing up train stations, shooting customers in grocery stores, and even killing police officers in order to convince populations in Europe to give up their rights in exchange for certain security measures and enhanced state power. 

Yes, Operation Gladio, along with Operation Northwoods and U.S. policy toward Libya, shows us that the United States is willing to create terror groups in order to justify a fight against terrorists! Sadly, this has become the modus operandi of our government in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Europe and Africa. And the U.S. government after 9/11/01 has become like a “Gladio laboratory” of state policies that rip the U.S. Bill of Rights to shreds and lie to the public.

The beginning of the end of Operation Gladio occurred when the existence of the U.S. program was revealed. Characteristically, instead of stopping such insanity, the Europeans joined in creating multiple other “Operation Gladios.” Placed in this context, Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya’s second installment in a four-part series reveals how U.S. policy in Libya falls right in line with U.S. actions in the past. In my opinion, Libya will not be the last location for such illegal activities unless we stop our government.

Along with French videographer Julien Teil, Nazemroaya weaves the incredible-but-true scenario of U.S. finance of alleged terrorists, wanted by Interpol, who became the chief protagonists in the NATO genocide currently unfolding in Libya.
Cynthia McKinney, 1 October 2011.

Cynthia McKinney is a former U.S. Congresswoman who served in two different Georgia federal dictricts in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003 and from 2005 to 2007 as a member of the U.S. Democratic Party. She was also the U.S. Green Party presidential candidate in 2008. While in the U.S. Congress she served in the U.S. Banking and Finance Committee, the U.S. National Security Committee (later renamed the U.S. Armed Services Committee), and the U.S. Foreign Affairs Committee (later renamed the U.S. International Relations Committee). She also served in the U.S. International Relations subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. McKinney has conducted two fact-finding missions in Libya and also recently finished a nationwide speaking tour in the United States sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition about the NATO bombing campaign in Libya.

	Libya and the Big Lie: Using Human Rights Organizations to Launch Wars - by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya -
	The war against Libya is built on fraud. The UN Security Council passed two resolutions against Libya on the basis of unproven claims that Qaddafi was killing his own people in Benghazi...

---

Order from Chaos?

A repeat of the disorder and pandemonium generated inside Afghanistan is in the works for the continent of Africa.

The United States, with the help of Britain, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, created the brutal Taliban and then eventually waged war on its Taliban allies. Similarly, across Africa, the United States and its allies are creating a new series of future enemies to fight, but after initially working with them or using them to sow the seeds of chaos in Africa.
Washington has literally been helping fund insurgencies and regime change projects in Africa. “Human rights” and “democratization” are also being used as a smokescreen for colonialism and war.

So-called human rights and humanitarian organizations are now partners in this imperialist project directed against Africa.

France and Israel: Is Washington Outsourcing its Dirty Work in Africa?
Africa is just one international front for an expanding system of empire. The mechanisms of a real global system of empire are at work in this regard. Washington is acting through NATO and its allies in Africa. Each one of Washington’s allies and satellites has a specific role to play in this global system of empire.
Tel Aviv has played a very active role on the African continent. Israel was a major supporter of South Africa under the apartheid regime.

Tel Aviv also helped smuggle arms into Sudan and East Africa to balkanize that sizeable African nation while contributing to the destabilization of East Africa.

The Israelis have been very active in Kenya and Uganda. Israel has been present wherever there were conflicts, including those pertaining to blood diamonds.

Israel is now working with Washington to establish total hegemony over the African continent. Tel Aviv is actively involved -- through its business ties and intelligence operations -- in securing the contacts and agreements required by Washington for the extension of its interests in Africa. One of Washington’s major objectives is  to disrupt the development of Chinese influence in Africa. Israel and Israeli think-tanks have also played a major role in shaping the U.S. geo-stratagem in Africa.
France, as a former colonial master and a declining power, on the other hand, has traditionally been a rival and competitor of Washington on the African continent.

With the rise of the influence of non-traditional powers in Africa, such as the People’s Republic of China, both Washington and Paris envisaged ways of cooperating. On the broader global stage this is also evident. Both the U.S. and several of the major powers in the European Union consider China and other emerging global powers as a threat. They have decided to end their rivalries and work together. Thus, a consensus between Washington and the E.U. unfolded, leading to some forms of political integration.

This consensus may have also been manufactured by growing U.S. influence in E.U. capitals. Whatever the case, it has been boosted since the beginning of Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency in 2007.
President Sarkozy also wasted no time in pushing for the reintegration of the French military command structure within NATO.  The consequence of this action has led to the surbodination of the French military to the Pentagon.

In 1966, President Charles de Gaulle pulled French forces out of NATO and removed France from the military command structures of NATO as a means of maintaining French independence. Nicolas Sarkozy has reversed all of this. In 2009, Sarkozy ordered that France rejoin the integrated military command structure of NATO. In 2010, he also signed an accord to start amalgamating the British and French militaries.
On the African continent, Paris has a special place or niche in the U.S. system of global empire. This role is that of a regional gendarme in North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, and all the countries that were former French colonies. France’s special role, in other words, is due to its history and the existing, albeit declining, position of France in Africa, specifically through the “Françafrique.” The Union of the Mediterranean, which Sarkozy officially launched, is one example of these French interests in North Africa.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has also been working through France’s International Federation of Human Rights (Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, FIDH). The FIDH is well established in Africa. The NED has essentially outsourced its work to manipulate and control African governments, movements, societies, and states to the FIDH. It was the FIDH and the affiliated Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR) that helped orchestrate the various pretexts for the NATO war against Libya, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council through unsubstantiated and false claims.
 
The National Endowment for Democracy and its Partnersip with the International Federation of Human Rights in Africa
Following the 2007 election of Nicolas Sarkozy as the leader of the French Republic, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) started to develop a real partnership with the National Endowment for Democracy. Both organizations are also partners within the World Movement for Democracy. Carl Gershman, the president of the NED, even went to France in December 2009 to meet with the FIDH to deepen collaboration between the two organizations and to discuss Africa. [1]  He also met individuals who are are considered as pro-Israeli lobbyists in France.

The partnerships between the FIDH and the NED are mostly based in Africa and the intersecting Arab World. These partnerships operate in a zone that covers countries like Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Niger, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

North Africa, which includes Libya and Algeria, has been a specific area of focus for the FIDH, where Washington, Paris, and NATO clearly have major ambitions.
The FIDH, which is directly implicated in launching the war on Libya, has also received direct funding, in the form of grants, from the National Endowment for Democracy for its programs in Africa. In 2010, a NED grant of $140,186 (U.S.) was one of the latest amounts given to the FIDH for its work in Africa. [2] The NED was also one of the first signatories, along with the Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR) and U.N. Watch, demanding international intervention against the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. [3]

AFRICOM and the Post-9/11 Road Towards Conquering Africa
In 2002, the Pentagon started major operations aimed at controlling Africa militarily. This was in the form of the Pan-Sahel Initiative, which was launched by the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Under the banner of this project, the U.S. military would train troops from Mali, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger. The plans to establish the Pan-Sahel Initiative, however, date back to 2001, when the initiative for Africa was actually launched after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 (9/11).

Washington was clearly planning military action in Africa, which already included at least three countries (Libya, Somalia, and Sudan) identified as enemy targets to be attacked by the Pentagon and the White House according to General Wesley Clark.
Jacques Chirac, the President of France at the time, tried to offer resistance to the U.S. push into Africa by reinvigorating Germany’s role in Africa as a means of supporting France. In 2007, the Franco-African summit even opened its doors to German participation for the first time. [4]  Yet, Angela Merkel had different ideas about the direction and position that the Franco-German partnership should take in regards to Washington.
Since 2001, the momentum towards creating U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) had started. AFRICOM, however, was officially authorized in December 2006 and the decision to create it was announced several short months later in February 2007. It was in 2007 that AFRICOM was established.

It is important to note that this momentum also received Israeli encouragement, because of Israeli interests in Africa. The Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies (IASPS), for example, was one of the Israeli organizations supporting the creation of AFRICOM.
On the basis of the Pan-Sahel Initiative, the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI) was launched by the Pentagon in 2005 under the command of CENTCOM. Mali, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger were now joined by Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, and Tunisia in the ring of African military cooperation with the Pentagon. Later, the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative would be transferred to the command of AFRICOM on October 1, 2008, which is when AFRICOM would be activated.
 
The Sahel and Sahara: The U.S. Clearly Adopts France’s Old Colonial Projects in Africa
“Fighting terrorism” and executing “humanitarian missions” are just façades or smokescreens for Washington and its allies.

While the stated goals of the Pentagon are to fight terrorism in Africa, the real aims of Washington are to restructure Africa and to establish a neo-colonial order. In this regard, Washington has actually adopted the old colonial projects of France in Africa. This also includes the U.S., British, Italian, and French initiative to divide Libya after 1943 as well as the unilateral French initiative to redraw North Africa. In this scheme, the U.S. and its cohorts plan on creating ethnic wars and sectarian hatred between the Berbers, the Arabs, and others in North Africa.
The map used by Washington for combating terrorism under the Pan-Sahel Initiative says a lot. The range or area of activity for the terrorists, within the borders of Algeria, Libya, Niger, Chad, Mali, and Mauritania according to Washington’s designation, is very similar to the boundaries or borders of the colonial territorial entity which France attempted to sustain in Africa in 1957. Paris had planned to prop up this African entity in the western central Sahara as a French department (province) directly tied to France, along with coastal Algeria.
This French colonial entity in the Sahara was named the Common Organization of the Saharan Regions (Organisation commune des regions sahariennes, OCRS). It comprised the inner boundaries of the Sahel and Saharan countries of Mali, Niger, Chad, and Algeria. The French goal was to collect and bind all the resource-rich territories of these countries into this one central entity, the OCR, for French control and extraction. The resources in this area include oil, gas, and uranium. Yet, the resistance movements in Africa, and specifically the Algerian struggle for independence, dealt Paris a hard blow. France had to give up its quest and finally dissolve the OCRS in 1962, because of Algerian independence and the anti-colonial stance in Africa. Because of the push towards independence in Africa, France was finally cut off from the inland area in the Sahara that it wished to control.
Washington clearly had this energy-rich and resource-rich area in mind when it drew the areas of Africa that need to be cleansed of alleged terrorist cells and gangs. The French Institute of Foreign Relations (Institut français des relations internationals, IFRI) has even openly discussed this tie between the terrorists and energy-rich areas in a March 2011 report. [5]  It is also in this context that the amalgamation of Franco-German and Anglo-American interests and companies has allowed France to become an integrated part of the U.S. system of global empire with common interests.

 

Regime Change in Libya and the National Endowment for Democracy: A Nexus of Terrorism and Human Rights
Since 2001, the U.S. has falsely presented itself as a champion against terrorism. The Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI), which opened the doors for AFRICOM in Africa, was justified as necessary by Washington to fight organizations like the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in Algeria and the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) in Libya. Yet, Washington is cooperating and using these very same groups in Libya, along with the National Front for the Salvation of Libya and the Muslim Brotherhood, as foot soldiers and proxies. Moreover, many of the key Libyan individuals that are members of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) are members of these groups and have also been part of conferences and longstanding plans pushing for regime change in Libya.
One of the key meetings for establishing what would become the current Transitional Council in Libya took place in 1994 when the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) organized a conference with Ashur Shamis and Aly (Ali) Abuzakuuk. The 1994 conference’s title was “Post-Qaddafi Libya: The Prospect and the Promise.” In 2005 another conference with Shamis Ashur would be held in the British capital of London that would build on the idea of regime change in Libya. [6]

So who are these Libyan opposition figures? A series of questions must be asked. Are their tie to Washington new or old? Who do the associate with? Also, have they had longstanding support or not?
Ashur Shamis is one of the founding members of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, which in 1981 was founded in Sudan. He has been wanted by Interpol and the Libyan police for years. [7] Ahsur is also listed as someone who has been a director in the National Endowment for Democracy in the Libyan Human and Political Development Forum. He is also the editor of the Akhbar webpage, which was registered under Akhbar Cultural Limited and tied to the NED. He has also participated in recent key conferences for regime change in Tripoli. This includes the conference in London held by Chatham House in 2011, which discussed NATO plans for the invasion of Tripoli. [8]


Like Ashur, Aly Abuzaakouk is also a member of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya and tied to the National Endowment for Democracy. He was one of the key participants and attendees at the roundtable held for the 2011 Democracy Awards by the NED. [9]  Like Ashur, he is also wanted by Interpol and serves as a director at the Libyan Human and Political Development Forum. [10]

 
There is also Noman Benotman, a former leader and founder of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) and a wanted terrorist. He is presented as a former terrorist. Benotman conveniently left the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group on the basis of the attacks of September 11, 2011 in the United States. Benotman is not only a National Endowment for Democracy (NED) director in the Libyan Human and Political Development Forum, but he is also tied to the news network Al Jazeera.


Not only have these three men lived in Britain without any problems while they were wanted by Interpol and sought because of their ties to terrorism or, in the case of Abuzaakouk, drug-related crimes and forgery, but they also received grants from the United States. They received U.S. grants that formalized their NED organizations, which have been integral to the regime change agenda against the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. This regime change agenda against Libya has also been facilitated with the help of MI6 and the CIA.

Moreover, the legal documents that have been filed for the NED organizations of these men have also been deliberately and illegally tampered with. One key individual’s identity has been hidden in the list of NED directors. Thus, legal documents have been fraudulently filled out to hide a certain individual’s identity under the alias of “Beata Wozniak.” Even Wozniak’s birthday is invalid, appearing as January 1, 1 (01/01/0001). She is an individual who is present in the boards of all these NED organizations. She is listed as a director and secretary of Akbar, Transparency Libya Limited, and several British companies.



The “Long War” Enters Africa: The Gate into Africa has been Opened
The fanning of terrorism in Africa is part of a deliberate strategy used by the U.S. and its allies, including NATO, for opening the door into the African continent by expanding the so-called “Global War on Terror.”  This will give purpose to the U.S. objective of expanding its military presence in the African continent and it will also justify the creation of the Pentagon’s AFRICOM, which is meant to manage Africa by creating an African version of NATO as a means of occupying Africa for Washington. In this regard, the U.S. and its allies have already put budgets aside to fight the very terrorist organizations that they have cooperated with, encouraged, nurtured, armed, and proliferated across the map of Africa from Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Mali to Mauritania, Niger, Algeria, and Nigeria.
The terrorists not only fight for Washington on the ground, but they also interact with Washington and act as frontmen through so-called human rights organizations that promote democracy. On the ground these individuals and organizations destabilize their countries, while they are given forums by Washington to actively work for regime change and military intervention in the name of human rights and democracy. Libya is a clear case of this.

Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya is a Sociologist and Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), Montréal. He specializes on the Middle East and Central Asia. He was on the ground in Libya for over two months and was also a Special Correspondent for Flashpoints, which is a program based in Berkeley, California. Nazemroaya has been releasing these articles about Libya in conjunction with aired discussions with Cynthia McKinney on Freedom Now, a show aired on KPFK, Los Angeles, California.

Julien Teil is a videographer and investigative documentary film maker from France. He was also recently in Libya for about one month.

NOTES

[1] National Endowment for Democracy, “NED Strengths Democracy Ties with France,” March 16, 2010:

˂http://www.ned.org/for-reporters/ned-strengthens-democracy-ties-with-france˃

[2] National Endowment for Democracy, “Africa Regional,” August 2011:

˂http://www.ned.org/where-we-work/africa/africa-regional˃

[3] United Nations Watch et al., “Urgent Appeal to Stop Atrocities in Libya: Sent by 70 NGOs to the US, EU, and UN,” February 21, 2011:

˂http://www.unwatch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=bdKKISNqEmG&b=1330815&ct=9135143˃

[4] Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs (France), “XXIVème sommet Afrique-France,” February 2007:

˂http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/pays-zones-geo_833/afrique_1063/sommets-afrique-france_326/xxiveme-sommet-afrique-france_15947/24eme-conference-cannes-15-16.02.07_46313.html˃

[5] Etienne de Durand, “Francs-tireurs et Centurions. Les ambiguïtés de l’héritage contre-insurrectionnel français,” Institut français des relations internationals, March 2011:

˂www.ifri.org/downloads/fs29dedurand.pdf˃

[6] The National Conference of the Libyan Opposition, “The National Accord: The National Conference of the Libyan Opposition, London, 26^th June 2005,” 2005.

˂http://www.libya-nclo.com/English.aspx˃

[7] Interpol Wanted Notice for Ashour Al-Shamis :

˂http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/%28wanted_id%29/2001-50173˃

[8] Foreign and Commonwealth Office (U.K.), “Chatam House event: the future of Libya,” June 2011:

˂http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/global-issues/mena/libya/future-of-libya-chatham-house/˃

[9] National Democracy for Democracy, “2011 Democracy Award Biographies,” June 2011:

˂http://www.ned.org/events/democracy-award/2011-democracy-award/2011-democracy-award-biographies˃

[10] Interpol Wanted Notice for Ali Ramadan Abu Za Kouk:

˂http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/%28wanted_id%29/1985-1748˃

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Related:
Bush's Middle East Wars In Keeping With Historic U.S. Patterns, Historian Says

US Envoys from Hell

From Opednews.com, October 7, 2011

By Eric Walberg (about the author)
 

 The choice of US ambassadors to Central Asia and the Middle East gives one pause for thought.

The 711 coalition deaths in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan
last year made 2010 the deadliest one for foreign troops since the US
invasion in 2001, continuing the upward trend since 2003. 2011 promises
to be even more deadly, and already includes the most spectacular event
in this gruesome body count, when insurgents shot down a helicopter in
eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 Americans.

Civilian deaths -- about 5-10 times higher -- have followed the same
relentless climb, as have purported Taliban deaths which are about 10-20
times higher than the occupiers' deaths. Deaths of all kinds in
Pakistan have sharply increased in the last few years as well, with
United States President Barack Obama's policy of using drones to fight
US wars around the world.

Gaza memorial to Mavi Marmara victims by Desert Peace

US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Marc
Grossman is now touring Central Asia to discuss his "New Silk Road"
vision for the South and Central Asian region's economic future, the US
State Department reports. He is visiting Dushanbe, Bishkek, Astana,
Tashkent, Ashgabat, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Ankara, Kabul, Beijing, New Delhi
and Islamabad during his grand tour of Eurasia. Grossman will return to
Eurasia in November for the Istanbul conference on Afghanistan and in
December for the Bonn conference where he hopes to build support for a
"stable, secure, and prosperous Afghanistan in a stable, secure, and
prosperous region". He is clearly very busy shaping a new order in
AfPak, though hardly a silky one.

Grossman is a cypher. He has a long and shady career as a diplomat and
corporate honcho. Most notoriously, he met with Pakistan's ISI
intelligence agency head Mahmud Ahmed on 4 September 2001, shortly
before the 11 September 2001 attacks, in his capacity as under secretary
of state for political affairs, the department's third-ranking
official. Ahmed was later dismissed from his post after it was
discovered he had sent Mohamed Atta $100,000 at about the time he met
with Grossman. The US government has not attempted to prosecute Ahmed,
and the 9/11 Commission stated that the question of who financed the
terrorist attacks was "of little practical significance".

Grossman was, in contrast, promoted and promoted by the State
Department. In 2004, he was awarded the Foreign Service's highest rank
-- Career Ambassador -- by president George W Bush. He received the
Secretary of State Distinguished Service Award the following year, and
took early retirement at the age of 54 to become vice chairman of The
Cohen Group. This is a Washington DC firm founded by US secretary of
defense William Cohen in 2001 to provide "global business consulting
services and advice on tactical and strategic opportunities" to help
multinational clients expand overseas, with offices in Beijing and
Tianjin, People's Republic of China. 

The Cohen Group is filled with ex-members of the White House, State
Department, Defense Department, and Congress, including ex-generals, an
ex-deputy secretary of Homeland Security -- even an ex-secretary-general
of NATO. Its publications in 2009 include "Smart Power is Soft Power",
"The World Depends on US-China Cooperation", and "No time to cut missile
defense".

In 2007, Grossman was subpoenaed in a case involving AIPAC and the
transfer of sensitive information to Israel, along with Richard
Holbrooke, who he replaced as special envoy to Afghanistan in February.
Note that both Holbrooke and Grossman were/are Jewish Americans
presiding over American war and occupation in Muslim nations.

But then Jeffrey Feltman is currently the assistant secretary of state
for near eastern affairs and US hitman in Libya, while Gerald Feierstein
is ambassador to Yemen as the US drops bomb after bomb on unsuspecting
civilians there and just last week assassinated American citizen Anwar
Al-Awlaki. While appointing Jewish ambassadors to Israel -- the latest
being Daniel Shapiro -- is understandable, though hardly astute (Shapiro
is a bosom buddy of Netanyahu), is the policy of putting them in such
sensitive positions in the Muslim world, where the US is killing
thousands of natives, really such a good idea? Is Washington fooling
anyone, or is it sending a less-than-subtle message with these envoys?

That Afghanistan, Pakistan, and now Yemen and Libya have witnessed
horrible scenes of death and destruction hardly goes unnoticed. Nor
should Grossman take the smiles on his jaunts across Eurasia at face
value. Certainly if we are referring to the face of the common people in
these countries, as opposed to a paid-for neocolonial elite who are
employed by Washington to carry out its orders.

But perhaps these moves in Washington's games are intended to convey a
message to the Arab world. Just as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu's 29 standing ovations during the special joint session of
Congress and the Senate in Washington in May are part of a clearly
orchestrated scenario. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was
not invited to address such an august gathering last month in New York.
In fact, his modest bid for observer status at the UN will be vetoed by
Obama.

The message can only be that Israel and its supporters in the US
thoroughly control US policy in the Middle East and Central Asia, from
Morocco to Afghanistan. And, given such corporate-government spinoffs as
The Cohen Group, this hegemony extends all the way to China. That
despite any apparent Sino-American rivalry, China too will be
incorporated into America-Israel Inc, given enough "smart power" wielded
by the likes of Grossman in both their government and corporate
capacities -- wielded baldly at one and the same time in Grossman's
case, as both US special representative and corporate vice chairman.

Whether any of these "diplomats" were present for Netanyahu's address to
Congress and the Senate is a moot point, but we can be sure that they
would have joined in the 29 standing ovations. And we can be sure that
the policies they are following, including Grossman's meeting with
Pakistan's ISI head on the eve of 9/11, his subsequent tete-a-tetes with
AIPAC spies, and his recent discussions with presidents and/or princes
of at least a dozen Silk Road nations, will have Israel's best interests
at heart every bit as much as what they conceive of to be America's.

Former president Clinton's counsel Abner Mikvner was not joking when he
claimed back in 2008 that "Barack Obama is the first Jewish President."
Obama's complete surrender to the Israel Lobby as his first term winds
up has been attributed to the need to court the Jewish vote as he gears
up to campaign for a second term. But maybe it's just inevitable, given
the lobby's complete control of American politics as witnessed by the 29
standing ovations.

Obama and Jeremiah Wright by BBC

 
Back when Obama was still a free man, he attended Trinity United Church
of Christ where the pastor was Jeremiah Wright. There can be no question
that Obama admired and respected Wright; he even adapted Wright's
eloquent "audacity to hope" for the title of his own autobiography.
Wright said recently: "President Obama was selected before he was
elected, and he is accountable to those who selected him. I'll never
forget one of the most powerful things he said to me in my home in April
2008. He said, "You know what your problem is? You have to tell the
truth.' I said, "That's a good problem.'"

http://ericwalberg.com/

Eric is a journalist and writer for Al-Ahram Weekly in Cairo. He specializes in Russian and Eurasian affairs. Walberg's "Postmodern Imperialism: Geopolitics and the Great Games" can be purchased at www.claritypress.com/Walberg.html

Libya´s TNC, Bullet Proof Democracy and Perpetual War.

From NSBC, October 8, 2011 

by Dr. Christof Lehmann

On 1 September Libya´s Transitional National Counsel announced “Democracy in 20 Months”. With a TNC in chaos and assassination attempts and infighting having become daily news, the NATO lead aggression is failing on all fronts. TNC has become the acronym for “Trust No Colleague”, but is the infighting and disarray of the TNC the unavoidable result of opportunists nepotism, or is it Pentagon Strategy. NATO and the TNC seem to loose the battle for Libya. Can NATO win the diplomatic war at the U.N. to occupy Northern Africa. by Dr. Christof Lehmann

General Abdel Fatah Younis

When the Transitional National Counsel announced it plans to implement Democracy within 20 months, on 1 September, it was in the context of it´s recognition as Libya´s legitimate government at the United Nations. When nsnbc published the article ” Abdelhakim Belhadj the Mask Behind the Many Men“ it was predicted that he was at risk of being assassinated. Since then, the TNC has not only descended into deep chaos, it has also become so riddled by assassinations and attempts, that the Transitional National Counsel, TNC, should be re-named into “Trust No Colleague, TNC“.

Mahmud Jibril

Many analysts erroneously trace the descend of the TNC into Chaos back to the assassination of General Abdel Fatah Younis, by members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, aka Al Qaeda, and most recently aka Tripoli Military Counsel under the command of Abdelhakim Belhadj. It is true Belhadj was involved, so was long time CIA asset Khalifa Hifter; but the causal background for the TNC´s collapse is not that simple. One week ago, Belhadj survived an attempt on his life. Two days ago, Mahmud Jibril survived an assassination attempt. Yesterday, news spread that Belhadj was shot, others reported he was in hiding in Tripoli or Qatar. A nsnbc source in Tripoli could confirm neither, but could with confidence report that a bomb was found under Abdelhakim Belhadj´s car, and that he is keeping a very low profile, trusting no one.

Abdelhakim Belhadj Tripoli

Trust No Colleague, TNC. The promised Democracy has descended into a State where political contenders literally have to bullet proof their arguments. The finding of a bomb in Abdelhakim Belhadj´s car yesterday is but one more symptom of a long term Pentagon strategy for dividing and conquering Northern Africa. If one thing is certain, it is that secret Pentagon Budget plans long ago set aside funds to fight the very “terrorists” they are positioning into a contending position for governing the most oil rich nation of Africa. The “real future” planned for Belhadj is most likely that of the villain who is to be blamed for a false flag attack, a bullet, bomb, or a new orange jump suit in one of his sponsors black sites. But until then, he fulfills his role of attracting naive Jihadis and cynical mercenaries to Libya, and to undermine any consolidation of a viable government.
Infighting among TNC Rebels and the few remaining tribal fractions that still support the war on Libya are prevalent everywhere where the Libyan and Allied Forces are not in control. In Bengazi tribal leaders were so appalled by video evidence on 200 murders by Al Qaeda and the murder of Abdel Fatah Younis, that there is vicious in fighting inside Bengazi City, which is surrounded by Libyan Forces.
In spite of Al Jazeera´s attempt to maintain the narrative of a war that is being won by “rebels”, there is no denying of it any more. the TNC, NATO, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Rack Tag Rebels imported from the Hindukush are loosing the Libyan War. Over 90 % of Southern Libya are firmly under Libyan control. The entire Jufrah Region is liberated. Bani Walid, that suffered the most appalling onslaughts including chemical weapons is with exception of small pockets of resistance under Libyan control. Kufra, Braga, Ras Lanuf are free cities. Saba is to over 60 % under Libyan control, Bengazi 80 % with in fighting TNC troops in the city, surrounded by Libyan Forces. While Al Jazeera reports of a new attack on Sirte, nsnbc received reports that some “rebels” have been sneaking into a Southern suburb during the night, with Libyan Military being aware of it. Those rebels are now surrounded and have a choice between surrender or fighting to their death.Tripoli is to 80% under Libyan Forces control. A special operations commando of Libyan Forces in Sirte destroyed several tanks, armored vehicles, a helicopter, and ammunition depot. Sirte is biting back and on the way to liberation.
All of those area, in fact all of Libya is, how ever, under constant attack from the NATO Air Forces that should “protect civilian lives”, and as in the case with Sirte today, under constant, indiscriminate attacks from heavy artillery positions, light artillery positions, and tanks.
The situation as it is could, and is likely to continue. Regardless how many military victories the Libyan Forces, Tribal Militia, and the International Allied Forces are winning, the fact remains that the Pentagon has a long term plan to destabilize the entire Northern African Region in a Neo-Colonial Project that is aimed at co-opting resources and directed at the destabilization of Russia and China. The fact also remains, that the current Pentagon support of Al Qaeda et al. which to a large extend are CIA constructs, would be unlikely without funds already put aside to combat “those terrorists” in the theater of future “war on terror operations“.
The urgent need for international diplomatic and political initiatives to contain the ambitions of empires remains. With the U.N. utterly discredited and dysfunctional, who will show the vision, courage, and initiative to lay the foundation of a new truly international community.
Since Russia and China used their Veto Power at the U.N. against sanctions on Syria, voicing that NATO would not succeed in abusing one more U.N. Resolution to initiate a war on Syria, it seems that Russia and China are sending a clear signal to Washington. “Enough is Enough“. But the fact that the veto was raised at the U.N. does neither give the U.N. more credibility nor justify it´s continued status.
Speaking of the U.N. it is unlikely that it will neither be able or welcome to bring relief to the people of Libya who experience a humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented proportions in modern warfare. With the International Red Cross having been caught Red Handed for assisting in the supply of weapons and ammunitions to the “rebels” that besieged Sirte, with no Doctors Without Borders bringing relief, there is an urgent need also for initiatives for a new approach to organizing international relief.

Dr. Christof Lehmann
08.10.2011

The US Empire: A Tragic Comedy in Three Acts

From The Daily Reckoning

By Bill Bonner

10/06/11 Paris, France – What a delight it is to have an empire!
Do the Swiss get to send out drones to kill people they don’t know in countries they’ve never been? No! The poor yodelers go around with long faces and visit their shrinks. Americans have troops in 170 countries. Where are the Swiss? Only in Switzerland and the Vatican. Alas, they will never know the joys of nation building and people murdering.
We hear that Ron Paul was booed in the Republican presidential debates. Why? He suggested that we get out of the empire business, bring the troops home and become a civilized nation again. What a party pooper…a wet blanket…a killjoy!
An empire is so much more entertaining. We already have three wars going on…at last count…and quasi-wars in several other places.
Having an empire is like having a football team that plays for mortal stakes. It’s fun to watch…at least when your team is winning. And now, Team USA is kicking butts all over the planet. That’s why at football games, for example, (or so we’ve heard) images of the football team are sometimes mixed with images of US combat troops. The flag flies. The lumpen salute. They don’t want to think about it; they just want the homeland team to win!
And we have so much to look forward to. At least, we moral historians and ironic economists do. Gone is habeus corpus…forgotten is the presumption of innocence…into the wastebasket has been thrown the spirit of liberty. All that guff is in the past. In their place are hit squads and precision guided assassins. Now, the killer drones are only used abroad. But as the empire matures it is only a matter of time before they are used on more dangerous enemies — those at home! Yes, dear reader, if you can kill US citizens overseas, without any charges filed, let alone proved, you can certainly kill them where they might do the most damage — in the homeland. It is just a matter of time before the drones fly in Los Angeles and Baltimore, so watch out, Ron Paul.
You want to know what lies ahead? Just read the classics…particularly the history of Rome. Empires have roles to play too. They have scripts to follow. They have plots they must respect…and destinies they must fulfill.
For example, in the US, it is probably only a matter of time before a weak president is replaced by a strong emperor. A senate may be able to rule a constitutional democracy, but a real empire needs a real emperor, someone who can make decisions without getting caught in the gridlock of Congress. Besides, the public will love it. Yes, a popular general is sure to cross the Potomac sooner or later…from the Pentagon to the White house. The crowds will cheer. Garlands will be hung. Flowers will be strewn in his path. Finally, someone will bring order to the US…slay its enemies and reward its friends with war booty (military contracts).
And then, of course, there will be civil war. Once a government can be taken by force, rather than the fraud that is customary in democracy, force will be used to compete for it. Perhaps the Democrats will have their military men…the Republicans will have their own forces. They will fight it out for control of the empire.
And then, to stop the killing and the destruction, the army will get together and decide to put its own man in the top position. Inevitably, this will lead to more struggles for power…
…and much comedy. The military forces will choose even bigger morons than the voters. They will come and go quickly…with two, three…maybe a dozen new leaders in a single year. Some will be dangerously incompetent. Others will be dangerously able. Some will be lunatics.
How long will it be before an American Caligula appears? Will he force the senators’ wives to become prostitutes? Will he proclaim himself a god? Will he be murdered by his own guards and companions? We hope so.
Of course, it won’t the America we knew. Or even the one we want. But it should be a treasure trove for future historians and stand-up comedians.
Regards,

Bill Bonner
for The Daily Reckoning