administrator, Author at Gagrule.net

Minister: Egypt has no intention of waging jihad against Syria

July 21, 2013 By administrator

July 20, 2013 – 14:43 AMT

Egypt has no intention of waging a holy war against Syria, but still supports the Syrian peoples’ desire for freedom, new Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said on Saturday, July 19, according to Reuters.

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsilast month joined a call by some Sunni clerics for a jihad against the Syrian government and its Shi’ite allies.

Signaling a different approach, the newly installed Fahmy told reporters: “There are no intentions for jihad in Syria.”

Corbett Video Report: The Statist Religion & Disproving the Government God (VIDEO)

July 20, 2013 By administrator

“Modern-day government is a god and statism is a religion that is responsible for 260,000,000 deaths in the last century alone.”

While the so-called “New Atheists” are spending their energies warning of the violence that is justified by religious belief, they miss the most dangerous, the most irrational, and the most pervasive religion on the planet: statism. Modern-day government is a god and statism is a religion that is responsible for 260,000,000 deaths in the last century alone. Join us today on The Corbett Report as we commit the heresy of denying the statist religion and disproving the government god.

Al-Qaeda’s planned emirate in Syria is West’s own doing

July 20, 2013 By administrator

Warnings of Al-Qaeda’s strength in Syria have gone unheeded.

Though the hardline Islamist group is gaining a foothold there, Washington neocons will not allow it to form a state in Northern Syria, award-winning blogger Neil Clark tells RT.

His concern that the unity of Syria is under threat from Al-Qaeda is shared by Fahad Almarsi, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, who told RT that the Islamists will only divide Syria and that the majority of Syrians do not want them there.

RT: It’s not just about logistics here, but also some profit as well, as I guess Al-Qaeda is looking for profitable oil-smuggling routes and weapons supply routes as well?

Neil Clark: Absolutely. It’s interesting, isn’t it, that when President Assad was warning about Al-Qaeda in Syria from 2011 onwards, but the west said he was scaremongering etc. He said that Al-Qaeda had a foothold in Syria, and now we’re hearing this from the FSA, so it’s interesting. Those of us who did warn that this would happen were dismissed as apologists for Assad, apologists for the Syrian government, and now the west has got to wake up to what’s really going on. And having said that, I think it’s very important to understand the FSA strategy here – the Free Syrian Army is very keen to get Western intervention; they have now changed their strategy and they are saying look, Al-Qaeda are going to take control here unless you intervene and help us.

RT: Who’s going to buy oil at the end of the day from Al-Qaeda?

NC: I think it’s very important to understand that one of the biggest myths in international relations of the last 30 years is that the Western powers are implacably opposed to Al-Qaeda. They are not. They will support Al-Qaeda in certain areas of the world, Libya for example, in the Balkans in the 1990’s there were Al-Qaeda linked groups etc., if they want to topple a secular regime. And so it’s a myth to think they’re a big enemy. The biggest aim of Western foreign policy in this region is to counter Iran and Hezbollah. So I don’t actually think the West will allow an Al-Qaeda state to exist. However, they’re very happy for Al-Qaeda to work to topple President Assad.

RT: Regarding the oil again, if they got more control of it, a hold of it in Syria, how much could it effect world prices – or would that not be a significant problem?

NC: I don’t think it would be a massive problem, but having said that I think their strategy has been to use Al-Qaeda to help topple secular regimes. If it looks if Al-Qaeda might actually get into power with a state of their own with oil supplies etc., then I think they would intervene. And I think it’s interesting that the neocons who actually want intervention in Syria are actually changing their tune here and saying we’ve got to intervene to help the FSA because otherwise Al-Qaeda will get control and so-called chemical weapons will end up in Al-Qaeda’s hands, so I think that the neocons who are looking for any excuse to intervene in Syria will now use this Al-Qaeda threat to try and get their way.

RT: And of course we started this by talking about logistics as one of the key things here. Of course the FSA could find itself trapped on both fronts?

NC: It could, and I think the FSA is in a very weak position here. The FSA has lost the war basically, and I think now their last gambit is to say ‘look, you’ve got to help us,’ and to try to portray themselves as the good guys, the moderate rebels. But they are not at all – they have committed some terrible crimes in Syria, terrible terrorist atrocities, so I think it’s a kind of a false division to say there are bad rebels and good rebels. The fact is that elections are due in Syria in 2014 and there’s no excuse for anyone to be using violence now for achieving political change.

RT: If they lose their foothold, if a terrorist state is established in the country, surely that’s a cue for foreign intervention of some kind, no?

NC: Well, absolutely – and this could be the end game because now, the Western powers hope, obviously because they thought that by now President Assad would have been toppled, he hasn’t because he’s got too much support in the country, so I think the neocon strategy now is to use Al-Qaeda as they have done for years to justify intervention, and I think this is the danger now. If it looks like an Al-Qaeda state will be established, the neocons will be putting pressure on president Obama to say ‘look, you’ve got now to invade Syria to stop Al-Qaeda,’ when all the time it’s actually been Western policy which has helped Al-Qaeda to get into this position in the first place.

Fahad Almarsi, a spokesman and manager of communications for the Free Syrian Army (FSA), told RT that he believes the warning of an Al-Qaeda state is credible and that the unity of Syria is under threat as never before. While criticizing Russia for supporting the Assad regime, he also pointed the finger at other world powers, who he didn’t mention by name, for supporting the Islamist extremists operating in Syria.

“It only helps the regime [of President Assad] to divide Syria. These Islamists and terrorists are supported by some regional and major states in the world. We are asking why financial and military support has reached those Islamists, but the FSA doesn’t get those arms.”

“The Russians have the key to the solution – if Moscow wants to keep the unity of Syria, it cooperates with other states there will be a solution.” he added.

He also said that the FSA wants to keep Syria united and was only interested in a victory for the Syrian people.

Source RT

Azerbaijan is ruled by English and American forces and Israel – Manucharyan

July 19, 2013 By administrator

It is not in the interests of Armenia to sign some document in Vilnius, former member of Karabakh committee Ashot Manucharyan told reporters in Yerevan.

We should understand that Europe is going towards ruin, he added.

Regarding Karabakh talks, the speaker noted that nothing is likely to change in the Karabakh settlement process under the current geopolitical conditions.

“Azerbaijan does not exist as a state because it is ruled by English and American forces and Israel,” Manucharyan said.

He believes that Armenia should take advantage of status quo and strengthen the Armenian positions in Karabakh conflict.

Source: Panorama.am

‘Facts should drive’ Genocide analysis, says UN Ambassador-nominee Samantha Power

July 19, 2013 By administrator

UN Ambassador-nominee Samantha Power said during her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday that “facts should drive” analysis of Genocide, Asbarez reported.

This came in response to a series of questions from committee chairman, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who was probing Power’s position on Genocide, given her past record of being an advocate for Armenian Genocide recognition.

Power played an instrumental role in getting Sen. Obama to issue a strongly-worded statement on the Armenian Genocide and Armenian issues in general during Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. She also made a video in which she recounted Sen. Obama’s outstanding record on issues of special concern to Armenian Americans, including his “very forthright statement on the Armenian Genocide; his support for the Senate Resolution acknowledging the Genocide; his willingness as President to commemorate it and call a ’spade a spade’; and to speak the truth about it.”

Power failed to deliver—just as the Obama Administration—on her pledge to get US recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“Is genocide, genocide when all of the facts that we observe would lead to a conclusion that a genocide has taken place, or is that only when it is convenient to acknowledge it as genocide?” asked Menendez.

“The former, the facts should drive the analysis,” responded Power.

“And if the facts drive the analysis, then we should call that set of actions–whether historical in nature or present, god forbid–in reality a genocide,” queried Menendez.

“I believe so, yes,” said Power.

“Is violation of human rights a violation of human rights depending upon where it takes place, or is it universal?” asked Menendez, to which Power responded: “Universal, sir.”

“I think you understand why I asked you those questions. And I hope that your past history in this regard–even in the context of understanding the new role that you’ll play–will not diminish your fire for making the case internally why genocide should be called genocide when the historical facts attain themselves to that standard,” Menendez told Power, who had no response to the statement.

Menendez told Power that he is “incredibly appreciative of the principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide.”

At the start of the highly anticipated and widely broadcast hearing, Chairman Menendez noted that, “You have been an unrelenting, principled voice when it comes to human rights and crimes against humanity – and I know that voice will be heard around the world — should you be confirmed,” adding: “Personally, I am incredibly appreciative of the principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide. In 2007, you wrote in Time Magazine – ‘a stable, fruitful, 21st century relationship’ [with Turkey] cannot be built on a lie,’ and I completely agree,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

The New Jersey Democrat also stressed that, “Your belief that we should use the lessons of what clearly was an atrocity of historic proportions to prevent future crimes against humanity is a view consistent with my own and which is supported by your role on the President’s Atrocities Prevention Board. I agree that we must acknowledge and study the past, understand how and why atrocities happen, to put-into-practice and giving meaning to the phrase, “never again.”
In 2003, Power received the Pulitzer Prize in literature for the best general non-fiction book was awarded to Samantha Power for her book “A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide.”

Power’s book revisited the Armenian Genocide–the Holocaust–Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge–Iraqi attacks on Kurdish populations–Rwanda–and Bosnian ethnic cleansing. Power makes a compelling argument that US intervention in all these instances of genocide has been inadequate.

‘No justice, equality or freedom for Armenians’ – Radikal blogger

July 19, 2013 By administrator

Senan Porteron, a blogger for the Turkey-based Radikal newspaper, who spend his childhood in Baku, Azerbaijan, tells about attitude to Armenians both in Baku and in Turkey.

Below are excerpts from his article.

“I was eleven. There was a very old building in our neighborhood in those days. That was a historical building, and no one lived there. One day, my father and I went to see the building. There were inscriptions in Armenian on the rear of the building. My father told me the building was left by Armenians.

“A few months later that building was destroyed, and a new 16-story building was constructed on the site. I was upset when I saw it destroyed. That must have been the only thing to remind you of Armenians. The day it was pulled down my father told me about their Armenian neighbors. They were very kind and hospitable people. They were on the same wave.

“Years passed. You can feel only hatred for Armenians in Baku, mainly among young people. Ramil Safarov is a glaring example. He got a life term for murdering a sleeping Armenian officer. However, justice did not triumph because the victim was Armenian. On August 31, 2012, Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan and pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev.

“In Turkey the situation is not much different that in Azerbaijan. Everyone is speaking of ‘Armenians’ in an insulting manner. As years pass, the number of Armenians is decreasing, their culture is being destroyed. Armenians are pressed and called ‘strangers’. Armenians have not seen justice, equality or freedom. Unfortunately, they do not see it now either.

“Almost 100 years have passed since the 1915 Armenian Genocide, but the society has not changed. Some people are still seeking to wipe out Armenian culture. An action has been launched to save the remaining 20 Armenian houses in Mus.

“The destruction of Armenians’ property is a continuation of the genocide. Property of Armenians and Greeks is being plundered both in Mus and in other cities.”

According to the book entitled ‘Les Arméniens dans l’Empire ottoman à la veille du genocide’ by Raymond Haroutioun Kévorkian and Paul B. Paboudjian, in 1915 Mus had 299 churches, 94 monasteries, 53 places of sacred places, 135 Armenian schools and a cemetery. The Armenian population in 355 villages totaled 75,000.

Sen. Menendez praises Samantha Power’s stance on Genocide

July 19, 2013 By administrator

July 19, 2013 – 10:36 AMT

Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, opened his hearing on the confirmation of Samantha Power to serve as U.N. Ambassador by telling her that he is “incredibly appreciative of the principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Armenian Genocide Museum construction launched in Uruguay

July 19, 2013 By administrator

July 19, 2013 – 11:48 AMT

The construction of Armenian Genocide Museum in Uruguay was launched on Wednesday July 17. The Museum, organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture and members of the Armenian community, will open on April 24, 2015, on the Genocide Centennial Anniversary.

The Museum will be the first one created by initiative of a State outside the territory of Armenia.

Uruguayan Undersecretary of Education, Oscar Gomez, said that the initiative “ratifies the Uruguayan policy of defense of human rights”. Gomez recalled that Uruguay was the first country in the world to recognize the Genocide in 1965.

“The Museum will not only refer to the Armenian Genocide, but also to the defense of human rights in general and the recognition of other genocides, such as the Holocaust or the Africans genocide during slavery”, he added.

Ukraine is mature enough to express its position on Armenian Genocide – Ukrainian political scientist

July 19, 2013 By administrator

July 12, 2013 | 11:18

Commenting on the submission—to the Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Council; i.e., the Parliament) of Ukraine—of the bill to recognize the Armenian Genocide, well-known Ukrainian political analyst Vyacheslav Pikhovshek stated that he will be in favor of its adoption.

“It is important for me that this is done not solely because of the political conjuncture, but that it is accompanied with some explanatory work,” the analyst stressed, Analitika.at.ua reports.

“This matter is known to the Ukrainians. We remember that the ‘black chapters’ of history were covered up as much as possible during the Soviet time, albeit these wounds continued to cause pain.

“To my recollection, the Ukrainian parliament has never spoken [about] and has never expressed an official position with regard to this matter. It seems to me that a balanced decision needs to be made. It seems to me we [i.e., the Ukrainians] have matured in our view to express on the Armenian Genocide,” the political scientist stressed.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, a bill on the Armenian Genocide’s recognition was registered on June 6 in the Verkhovna Rada. Ukrainian parliament members Arsen Avakov and Vilen Shatvoryan are the persons behind this law proposal.

BREAKING NEWS: NTY report Detroit Files for Bankruptcy

July 18, 2013 By administrator

Detroit Files for Bankruptcy

Detroit, the cradle of America’s automobile industry and once the nation’s fourth-most-populous city, has filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, an official said on Thursday. It is the largest American city ever to take such a course.
The decision to turn to the federal courts, which required approval from both the emergency manager assigned to oversee the troubled city and from Gov. Rick Snyder, is also the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in the nation’s history in terms of debt.