Category Archives: Gun-violence

The Siege of Aleppo Is an Emblem of Western Failure in Syria – SPIEGEL ONLINE

A Nightmare Worse than Sarajevo “But here in the center of Aleppo,” the doctor says, “there aren’t any Free Syrian Army positions. Only civilians. They are bombing us to soften us up for the regime.” Assad’s troops, he explains, have already taken many surrounding towns and villages and he is afraid that Aleppo will soon be completely surrounded. One thing he is no longer hoping for is external assistance, saying the international community abandoned Syria long ago. “After all, the US supports the attacks,” he says. Hamza is unsure how he will survive. He does not know. But leaving the city would mean one fewer doctor, which in turn would translate into more deaths. He says that more and more people are leaving Aleppo and that entire city quarters are emptying out. Those who are able are fleeing while they still can. Once upon a time Aleppo was the largest city in Syria, an economic powerhouse with a city center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. But over the last three years, it has been divided between the regime and the rebels — the same rebels who joined together to drive Islamic State (IS) out of the city two years ago. Aleppo is the most important symbol of the resistance in the country, but now it is all but surrounded and cut off from the most important supply routes. There is no more diesel, hardly anything to eat and there are severe shortages of electricity and water. According to the United Nations, there are still some 300,000 people living in Aleppo — a population that may now have been abandoned to a rapid death from the sky or the slow death of starvation. It is a nightmare that could ultimately become worse even than Sarajevo was.

Source: The Siege of Aleppo Is an Emblem of Western Failure in Syria – SPIEGEL ONLINE

SPLC’s Intelligence Report: Amid Year of Lethal Violence, Extremist Groups Expanded Ranks in 2015 | Southern Poverty Law Center

The hate groups listed in this report include neo-Nazis, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, racist skinheads, Klansmen and black separatists. Other hate groups on the list target LGBT people, Muslims or immigrants, and some specialize in producing racist music or propaganda denying the Holocaust.

Source: SPLC’s Intelligence Report: Amid Year of Lethal Violence, Extremist Groups Expanded Ranks in 2015 | Southern Poverty Law Center

Beijing ‘deploys’ surface-to-air missiles on disputed island in South China Sea – nedhamson@gmail.com – Gmail

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Source: Beijing ‘deploys’ surface-to-air missiles on disputed island in South China Sea – nedhamson@gmail.com – Gmail

Why Narendra Modi’s government is at war with students | Opinion | DW.COM | 16.02.2016 (Was only a matter of time before Hindu Nationalists showed their fascist core!)

Both the government and its political supporters are upping the ante with overblown and anti-leftist nationalism. Virtually every institution and individual is being marked as either traitorous or nationalist. Since JNU is considered a leftist bastion, Hindu nationalists are demanding on Twitter that the university be shut down, and the demand to arrest “traitors” is trending on Twitter. One section of the political divide has assumed the monopoly over the power to issue certificates of patriotism. Shivam Vij writes for DW from India It has long been a grouse of Hindu nationalists that intellectual spaces in India, such as academia and English-language media, are dominated by leftist elements. Since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, the government has tried to install right-wing heads in many such institutions, the key criterion being political affiliation and not talent. This in itself caused protests. But now the nationalists seem to have decided to go a step further, turning students into political prisoners and taking to vigilantism and violence with impunity, as the police often stand by and do nothing. On Monday, journalists, academics and activists were attacked by lawyers close to the ruling party. “We’ll break your phones and your bones,” they said. Journalists were punched, slapped and abused, called terrorists and asked to leave.

Source: Why Narendra Modi’s government is at war with students | Opinion | DW.COM | 16.02.2016

Israeli security forces briefly detained Washington Post bureau chief in Jerusalem

A passerby in Jerusalem accused the journalist of inciting violence, and police took him in to custody even though he showed them is press credentials. The US-based daily called the incident “extremely troubling.”

Source: Israeli security forces briefly detained Washington Post bureau chief in Jerusalem

Turkey’s President Erdogan slams US for supporting Kurds in Syria

Wants free hand in Genocide II: After the Armenians, the Kurds!

Erdogan’s criticism of the US comes at a time when the two long-time allies find themselves facing conflicting security threats. Turkey fears a Kurdish-controlled region on its border while the US fears IS attacks.

Source: Turkey’s President Erdogan slams US for supporting Kurds in Syria