CounterCurrents: The Oil Price War, The Bodies Pile Up In Yemen's Civil War And Saudi Arabia's Bombing Campaign, But Who Is Counting The Casualties?, Dishonest US GHG Reduction Pledge – US Has Already Exceeded Its Fair Share Of World's Terminal Carbon Budget, Nothing Is Right In The Middle East

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Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org



The Bodies Pile Up In Yemen's Civil War And Saudi Arabia's Bombing Campaign, But Who Is Counting The Casualties?
By Jack Serle

http://www.countercurrents.org/serle050415.htm

Between 29 and 45 people were reported killed by an apparent air attack at the al Mazraq camp – some were said to have been burned beyond recognition. Depressingly, the victims also included children. Before answers could be found about what happened at al Mazraq, the violence quickly moved on elsewhere. Dozens of civilians were were reported killed by an attack on a dairy factory in Hodeida the following day. Again, the details are still unclear


Assessing The Iranian Framework Deal
By Dr. Rizwana Abbasi

http://www.countercurrents.org/abbasi050415.htm

The deal is a spectacular outcome and great victory for all the players involved. The agreement covers considerable details andtougher arrangementsfar beyond our expectations. Arguably, any deal with Iran with resulting relief in sanctions indicates a cautious and measured approach in which the responses will be graduated. Thus, normalization of relations, lifting of sanctions would further bridge gaps and difference between the IAEA and Iran. However, coming months would add a great deal of legal and political wrangling indeed and the practical decision would be tougher than this agreement which we have to wait and see. The months and year ahead are significantly difficult and all the players have to take a measured approach with careful moves to reach a final agreement with subsequent implementation


The Oil Pirce War
By George Venturini

http://www.countercurrents.org/venturini050415.htm

Oil prices fell more than 50 per cent between June 2014 and March 2015. The fall started when Saudi Arabia oil began to flood the markets, prevailing over the view of the O.P.E.C. cartel. Historically the Arab petro-sheikhdoms have manipulated energy prices in coordination with the United States, yet some analysts believe that this could hide an attack on the growing shale oil industry in the United States. On the other hand, the United States is betting that the low oil prices will destroy the three major oil producers which are not under their political and/or military control: Ian, Venezuela and, of course , Russia. Russian analysts began to claim that the United States and Saudi Arabia are conspiring to bring Russia ‘to its knees’. War against Russia seems to have been the purpose of the meeting between John Kerry and king Abdullah in early September 2014


Coal Mining Banned In India's Mahan Forest: Campaigners Claim Victory
By Avik Roy

http://www.countercurrents.org/aroy050415.htm

The indigenous communities of a forest in central India have reason to celebrate this spring. No more will they have to live with the fear of being booted out of their land that faced the threat of being swallowed by a giant coal mine. After internal wrangling, the ministry of coal has given way to the ministry of environment, forests and climate change. The Mahan coal block will not be auctioned, it confirmed in response to a Right to Information request from Greenpeace


Dishonest US GHG Reduction Pledge – US Has Already Exceeded
Its Fair Share Of World's Terminal Carbon Budget
By Dr Gideon Polya

http://www.countercurrents.org/polya050415.htm

The US has formally pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28 percent over 2005 levels by 2025 but this is too little too late because in 2013 the exceptionalist US had already exceeded its fair share of the world's terminal 2010-2050 Carbon Budget that must not be exceeded if the world is to have a 75% chance of avoiding a catastrophic plus 2 degrees Centigrade temperature rise


Majority Of U.S. Citizens Are Against Surveillance By Their Government, Shows Poll
By Amnesty International USA

http://www.countercurrents.org/ai050415.htm

The United States’ mass surveillance of internet and mobile phone use flies in the face of global public opinion, according to a new poll published in mid-March by Amnesty International. The majority of U.S. citizens, 63%, are against their government’s surveillance


U.S. To Train Nazi Troops In Ukraine, Starting On April 20th
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse050415.htm

It has just been announced that, starting on April 20th, U.S. troops will start training troops of Ukraine's Azov Battalion


Nothing Is Right In The Middle East
By Andre Vltchek

http://www.countercurrents.org/vltchek050415.htm

The land of the Middle East is tired; it is crying from exhaustion. It is scarred by wars. It is dotted with oil wells and rotting armor vehicles. There are corpses everywhere; buried, turned into dust, but still present in minds of those who are alive. There are millions of corpses, tens of millions of victims, shouting in their own, voiceless way, not willing to leave anyone in peace, pointing fingers, accusing!


Continued Incarceration Of Political Prisoners in Kashmir Vs. Release Of Political Prisoners In India After Lifting Of Internal Emergency: A Study in Contrast
By Dr. Paramjit Singh Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal

http://www.countercurrents.org/sahni050415.htm

It is learnt that a number of political prisoners of the Quit Kashmir Movement as also several hundred arrested during the earlier phases of struggle are languishing in jails in Kashmir and elsewhere. If people charged under the Baroda Dynamite Case can have cases withdrawn and released from jails, there is no reason why political activists in Kashmir have to face continued incarceration in jails. There is a very real possibility that false criminal cases under draconian laws may have been filed even against those involved in the Quit Kashmir movement. In the interest of justice and equity each one of those involved in that movement should be released forthwith


Role Of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar In The Constituent Assembly
By Mukesh Kumar Sablania

http://www.countercurrents.org/sablania050415.htm

To write about Dr. Ambedkar's role in the Constituent Assembly is to write about the history of the evolution of free India's Constitution. Speaking in the Assembly in the closing stages of its deliberations extending three years, Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya, the veteran Congress historian, referred to the “steam-roller intellect” that Dr. Ambedkar brought to bear upon “this magnificent and tremendous task of framing the Constitution, irresistible, indomitable, unconquerable, levelling down tall palms and short poppies, whatever he felt to be right he stood by, regardless of consequences.”


Activism = Appetite For Destruction
By Mickey Z.

http://www.countercurrents.org/mickeyz050415.htm

If we truly want drastic and sustainable social change, all the protest sign wavers, social media warriors, arrest compilers, obsessive meeting holders, under- and over-organized organizers, and relentless spotlight seekers must join together to destroy the old blueprint