CounterCurrents: In Their Own Words, Memorial Day Heroes: "Thank You For Your Service"...On Second Thought, DIA Docs: West Wants A “Salafist Principality In Eastern Syria”

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In Solidarity
Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org


NATO Begins Anti-Russian Air Drill In Arctic
By Patrick Martin

http://www.countercurrents.org/martin260515.htm

More than 4,000 troops from six NATO countries and three non-member states began a major air exercise over far northern Europe Monday in one of the largest military mobilizations of the year. Arctic Challenge is to last two weeks and involves more than 100 warplanes from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Norway, and the Netherlands, all NATO members, plus Sweden, Finland and Switzerland


DIA Docs: West Wants A “Salafist Principality In Eastern Syria”
By Robert Barsocchini

http://www.countercurrents.org/barsocchini260515.htm

Newly-declassified US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) documents from 2012 reveals that West Wants A “Salafist Principality In Eastern Syria”


US Memorial Day – Also Remember Scores Of Millions Of Civilian Deaths In US Wars
By Dr Gideon Polya

http://www.countercurrents.org/polya260515.htm

In 2015 US Memorial Day is commemorated on 25 May. People respect those who have died for their country but the greatest respect is shown by telling the truth about the wars in which they died. The US has invaded 70 nations. American deaths in 11 major wars total 1.3 million but this is eclipsed by civilian deaths from violence or deprivation totalling 90 million in WW2, 47 million deaths in post-1950 US wars, 10 million Muslim deaths in the post-9-11 War on Terror and 20 million preventable American deaths since 9-11


Memorial Day! Americans Honor Military That Collaterally
Slaughtered Millions of Non-Caucasian Children
By Jay Janson

http://www.countercurrents.org/janson260515.htm

Article describes how Memorial Day will evolve into a day of mourning not only the military deaths of friends and family but a day of mourning for having been deceived by a media owned by profiteers in the genocidal use of America's Armed Forces all around our blessed world, and of intense interest in the prosecution of everyone responsible for their shame in the eyes tens of millions of victims of their lamentable ignorance


Memorial Day Heroes: "Thank You For Your Service"...On Second Thought
By Rosemarie Jackowski

http://www.countercurrents.org/jackowski260515.htm

It is Memorial Day again. Some will celebrate. Some will drink too much. Some will march in parades. Some will rally around the flag. Some will go shopping. Some will mourn. I am among the mourners. I mourn mostly for those we have killed — and I mourn for those we haven’t killed yet, but will in the days ahead. I mourn for all of the mothers and fathers who put their children to bed at night and wonder if this will be the night that they are killed by a drone attack. I mourn for the 500,000 Iraqi children - dead because of U.S. foreign policy. The official policy as described by Madeleine Albright on 60 Minutes was 'that we think the price was worth it.' Worth it to whom? Not to the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, grandmothers and grandfathers of those children


In Their Own Words
By Ron Forthofer

http://www.countercurrents.org/forthofer260515.htm

Here in the US, we have been led to believe that we are an exceptional people and the indispensable nation. During our lifetime we have been exposed to lots of myths about the US, particularly about how we are always on the side of good. Below are insider comments challenging this key myth


The Epoch Of Human Economy
By Lionel Anet

http://www.countercurrents.org/anet260515.htm

Life is an economic process. It uses the energy essentially from sunlight and the earth’s minerals to build structures and to self-maintain, then to acquire more of those items and propagate more of its self. That’s life; its economy will vary according to the niche it occupies. Economies have become so varied and sophisticated particularly ours, that its simple value is easily hidden. However we’re interested in human economy, so I’m dividing the epoch of humans into Eras and Periods, to better see how we’re arriving towards our self-destruction


“Capitalism Has Failed” And The System Doesn’t Work
By A D Hemming

http://www.countercurrents.org/hemming260515.htm

Ditching the un Patriot Act as it should actually be called would be a rather good start right now. Then move on to cutting the budget for the Pentagon and other affiliated agencies in the national security complex. It’s good to remember it was a GOP president, Dwight D Eisenhower who did just that twice in 1955 and 1960 showing he really meant what he said in this 1953 speech on “A Chance for Peace.” It can and should be done


Dr. GN Saibaba: Silencing Democracy And Criminalizing Dissent
Press Release

http://www.countercurrents.org/pr260515.htm

A little over one year after the abduction and arrest of Dr. GN Saibaba, poets, intellectuals, artists, teachers, students, activists came together for a Convention against Silencing Democracy & Criminalizing Dissent at the Hindi Bhawan in New Delhi. This convention was organized in solidarity with Dr. GN Saibaba, Assistant Professor of English at Ram Lal Anand College, University of Delhi and a well-known human rights activist. Dr. Saibaba, a person with 90% physical disability hailing from an underprivileged background, has been in the forefront of democratic movements across the subcontinent. Ever since his arrest, Dr. Saibaba has been kept in torturous conditions in the anda cell in Nagpur Central Jail. He has been denied the most basic facilities crucial for his survival in jail. This convention intended to highlight Dr. Saibaba’s condition in jail and the treatment meted out to him as well as demands his immediate release


Coca Cola Compensation Bill: Government Of India
Subverts The Constitutional Process
By Dr S Faizi

http://www.countercurrents.org/faizi260515.htm

When a piece of legislation unanimously passed by a State legislature in difference to massive public demand is sent to the Centre for Presidential assent it is held up in the Home Ministry for long four years, without even passing it to the President, it represents a subversion of the Constitutional process raising worrying questions about the Centre’s utter disregard for the Constitutionally endowed legislative powers of the State Assemblies and the whole Constitutional process itself. All on behalf of a recalcitrant multinational corporation once totally expelled from the country


Jammu & Kashmir: Irrationality Is Rationality In This Corner Of The World
By Dr. Fayaz Ahmad Bhat

http://www.countercurrents.org/bhat260515.htm

After assuming the charge of his Office the Honorable Minister of Education, Naeem Akhtar, is working tirelessly to reform the education system in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. After Late Dr. Ghulam Nabi, looking Naeem Akhtar, seems the only Education Minister that Jammu and Kashmir ever had. He looks serious and having a will to reform the education system in the state. However, there is still a lot to be done and undone in the sector. Many steps already taken are unscientific and dangerous not only for the education system but for the society at large. This write up aims a sociological apprehension of government policies besides making sense of some actions, albeit in lighter vein


Muslims And Terrorism—The Right Response
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

http://www.countercurrents.org/khan260515.htm

Some days ago, a Muslim school student asked me, “How should I respond when my friends from other communities allege that all, or most, Muslims are terrorists, or that all, or most, terrorists are Muslims?” Here is my response....


India: No Place For Dissent In World’s Biggest Democracy
By Avik Roy

http://www.countercurrents.org/roy260515.htm

“You can’t muzzle dissent in a democracy”, said the Delhi High Court while delivering a verdict against the federal government’s attitude towards civil society. But this is what green campaigners say India’s government led by prime minister Narendra Modi aims to do — stifle the voices that speak a language different from that of the state. On April 9 the federal government blocked foreign funding to Greenpeace India with immediate effect by suspending its licence for six months and served a notice to it asking why its registration should not be cancelled