CounterCurrents: Israel’s Future Is Terrifying: Moshe Ya’alon And Israel’s Disconcerting ‘Morality’ , Is Obama’s Entire Foreign Policy Going Down In Flames?

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In Solidarity
Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org

The Boiling Pot 
By Richard Heinberg

http://www.countercurrents.org/heinberg010616.htm

On the surface, things appear normal. The status quo of life in America circa 2016 isn’t to everyone’s liking, but at least the system is still working after a fashion. So far, 2016 is the hottest year in history. And not by just a smidgen: every single month so far has set a record. This handy little animation has been making the rounds of environmental websites in the last couple of weeks; it shows a climate system that is shooting off the rails. Slow, linear change is giving way to self-reinforcing feedbacks and non-linear lurches


US-Backed Offensive Against Fallujah Threatens “Human Catastrophe” 
By Bill Van Auken

http://www.countercurrents.org/auken010616.htm

The besieged civilian population of Fallujah is confronting a “human catastrophe” as a US-backed offensive to retake the Iraqi city from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) intensifies, a human rights group warned Tuesday. While forces backing the Iraqi government, including troops of the elite Counter Terrorism Service, Iraqi Army soldiers, police and Shia militiamen of the Popular Mobilization Units, have moved to the outskirts of the city, stiff ISIS resistance Tuesday prevented them from advancing into its center. At least 50,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in Fallujah


Is Obama’s Entire Foreign Policy Going Down In Flames? 
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse010616.htm

Is Obama’s entire foreign policy going down in flames? Or will the entire world? The NATO summit on July 8-9 this year will probably provide the best advance indication of which of those two will be the outcome from all this. To a large extent, the answer will depend upon which of those two outcomes will be preferred by Barack Obama. Much of the world has been following his lead for nearly eight years now. Perhaps he’ll reverse direction at that Summit; but, perhaps not; and, if the latter turns out to be the case, then the question will be whether or not the Western world will abandon his leadership at that time. It’s already clear that the top leadership of NATO intends to stay with the plan


Colluding In Lies: The Brexit Debate 
By Dr. Binoy Kampmark

http://www.countercurrents.org/kampmark010616.htm

Rather than drawing constructive arguments from each side, the descent to a bottom in the maelstrom of illogical fear has been undertaken. Between the dogmatic Brexiteers and the warning stayers, there is much more nonsense to be had before the referendum


Israel’s Future Is Terrifying: Moshe Ya’alon And Israel’s Disconcerting ‘Morality’ 
By Ramzy Baroud

http://www.countercurrents.org/baroud010616.htm

When the likes of Ya’alon, a man with a blood-stained record becomes the face of morality in Israel, once can understand why the future of that country brings little hope, especially now that Lieberman has brought his Israel Our Home Party to Netanyahu’s terrifying nest of political parties


Islamophobia: Why Are So Many People So Frightened? 
By Robert J. Burrowes

http://www.countercurrents.org/burrowes010616.htm

Islamophobia has become a significant factor driving politics in many western countries. Islamophobia – fear of Muslims – is now highly visible among European populations concerned about terrorist responses from Islamic groups claiming Jihadi links. However, it is also evident among those same populations in relation to the refugee flow from the Middle East. In addition, Islamophobia is highly evident among sectors of the US population during the presidential race. It is a significant issue in Australia. Outside the West, even the (Muslim) Rohingya in Burma are feared by Buddhist monks and others


Sri Lanka: A Comment On The Proposed Office Of Missing Persons 
By Basil Fernando

http://www.countercurrents.org/fernando010616.htm

If the government wants to strengthen the CID, it could pass the law it promised to pass to criminalize enforced disappearances. Such a promise was made to the United Nation’s Human Rights Council by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister in June 2015. Not even a draft of the law has been presented to the parliament or is available anywhere. Together with such a law, if a Special Unit (SU) of the CID is the given task of investigating into the alleged cases of enforced disappearances and given adequate personnel and resources, many mysteries hidden for many years will be resolved within a reasonable timeframe