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Eve and Adam retold by Jon Rappoport April 18, 2014 www.nomorefakenews.com One fine day (every day was fine), in the floating place called Astral Island Y-96a4, or The Garden, Eve was sitting naked under a large tree working on her tan, when a long serpent approached, slithering through the tall grass. Eve sat up and […]
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Ukrainian Offensive Falters
Ukrainian Offensive Falters
by Stephen Lendman
Western media headlined it. The New York Times said "Ukraine Push Against Rebels Grinds to a Halt." Things "unraveled in disarray."
An "entire contingent of 21 armored vehicles…surrendered or pull(ed) back…It was a glaring humiliation for the new government in Kiev. (Events) underscored (its) weakness."
The Wall Street Journal said "Ukraine's Efforts to Regain Control of East Sputter." Locals "halted army columns."
"The faltering 'antiterrorist' operation, launched a day earlier, leaves the government looking increasingly powerless in the face of separatists who are holding government buildings in as many as 10 cities close to the Russian border."
"The stumbling start underscored difficulties faced by the new government…(It) leaves Kiev with narrowing options."
"(M)uster(ing) more force…risk(s) further undermining its already shaky legitimacy in the east, as residents accuse it of sending soldiers against unarmed civilians."
BBC headlined "Ukraine crisis: Armored vehicle(s) 'rebranded as Russian."
Russian flags were hoisted. Weapons were surrendered. Soldiers joined locals.
One resident asked: "Why did you come to our land? Why are you driving over our fields? We are peaceful people! And we just want our demands to be respected!"
Reuters said "pro-Moscow separatists took control of some of their armored vehicles and crowds surrounded another column, forcing the troops to hand over the pins from their rifles and retreat."
Other reports highlighted elite Ukrainian units defecting. They refused to attack unarmed civilians.
Ukrainian forces were lied to. They were ordered to wage an "anti-terrorism operation." One soldier perhaps spoke for others saying:
They were told "Russian invaders who have taken the local population hostage are waging war at us." Orders said "free Donbas from occupants."
"This morning, we started our attack, but the picture we saw (in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk) turned out to be completely different."
"We saw in front of us a crowd of locals, mostly adults, women and men."
"They explained to us that there are no occupants here and there is no one to fight. Instead, they gave us food and talked to us."
Dozens of soldiers vowed "not to follow orders and shoot at these people." Some sided with residents. Others stayed neutral.
APCs hoisted Russian flags. Elite units refused to obey orders. They fraternized with residents. They surrendered their weapons.
Following negotiations in Slavyansk, around 300 Ukrainian soldiers refused to fight. They agreed to go home. Locals cheered.
Media scoundrels lied. They didn't seize armored vehicles and weapons. Soldiers switched sides peacefully. A Slavyansk activist said:
"…Ukrainian troops arrived here flying a Russian flag. (T)hey have taken the side of the people."
Photos showed women and children climbing atop APCs. They fraternized with soldiers. In Pchyolkino village, similar scenes occurred.
Ukrainian troops were exhausted. According to one soldier:
"They've had us running around for about two months now. We're being sent to one city, then to the next. We cannot even wash, or eat normally or rest."
Others complained about media propaganda. "(F)ake information is spread." Doing so "creat(es) unnecessary tension."
Soldiers found "no (local) aggression." Peaceful locals weren't threatening.
State-controlled Ukrainian media lied saying soldiers will "never surrender."
Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) leader Vitali Kitschko allies with illegitimate fascist putschists.
He lied claiming Eastern Ukrainian pro-Russian supports get "300 to 500 dollars a day." Funds come "from abroad," he said. Moscow sends them, he added.
No evidence whatever suggests it. State-controlled Ukrainian media featured his comments.
Separately, they claimed they claimed Russian "shock troops" massed on Ukraine's border near Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkov.
Ukrainian Center of Military and Political Studies head Dmytro Tymchuk lied, saying:
They consist of "airborne forces and special groups of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Russian Federation." They're "battalion" sized tactical groups.
Another report said "(s)abotage and terrorist groups and local extremists have seized several armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region."
"In the center of the town the column was blocked by locals, including representatives of Russian subversive and terrorist groups."
So far, one exception proved the rule. Mariupol-based soldiers attacked unarmed civilians.
Illegitimate putschist interior ministry head Arsen Avakov lied. He called them "armed militant." Three deaths were reported. Over a dozen others were injured.
Protesters approached the base peacefully. They posed no threat. They urged soldiers to support their struggle. They refused.
They fired on defenseless civilians. Whether this type incident repeats remains to be seen. So far, Kiev's offensive failed.
Illegitimate putschist president Okeksandr Turchynov ordered Ukraine's 25th separate airborne brigade "disestablished."
It "showed cowardice and surrendered (its) arms," he said. Its members "will stand trial," he added. Kiev's prosecutor-general was told to prepare charges.
Illegitimate putschist prime minister Arseny Yatsenyuk lied accusing Moscow of "exporting terrorism."
"The Russian government must immediately call off its intelligence-diversionary groups, condemn the terrorists and demand that they free the buildings," he said.
Eastern Ukrainian activists aren't terrorists. "Who are you at war with," they asked soldiers? "With which terrorists?" Local residents are peaceful. They threaten no one.
One perhaps spoke for others, saying:
"Today, Ukrainian troops sided with the people. (T)roops sent to our city to suppress 'terrorism' " found none.
"We do not see any terrorism in our city. This means they have been sent to fight with peaceful civilians, with women and children…to fire at those women and elderly people who have gathered on the city's square."
"Before we had chance to talk with the boys, we had to feed them. It is because they threw those boys at us like kittens, to fire at us, but forgot to even provide them with food."
One soldier called himself a 25th paratrooper division member. "We are all boys who won’t shoot our own people, he said.
Kathrin Hille is Financial Times Beijing correspondent. She shills for power. She headlined "Putin: Russia's great propagandist," saying:
He "annex(ed) Crimea." On March 18, he "lashed out against a 'fifth column' of 'national traitors' enlisted by the West to subvert Russia."
"He vowed to respond forcefully." Hille called Russia's "imperfect democratic institutions under severe threat."
"Since the Crimea annexation, there have been frequent moves that symbolise a Soviet revival," she claimed.
No evidence whatever suggests it. Invented misinformation substitutes for hard facts. Russian democracy shames America's sham process.
Putin enjoys overwhelming popular support. Polls at times shows it tops 80%. Major Western leaders are scorned.
Hille didn't explain. She claims "Putin is tightening his grip."
"The Russian government is determined to control the internet as part of its quest to tighten the noose around free speech."
Voice of Russia, RT International, RIAN, and other Russian media shame their Western counterparts.
They feature real news, information and analysis. Don't expect Hille to explain.
She lied claiming "Putin brought almost all traditional media either directly under state ownership or into a position where they could be indirectly controlled…"
Western media feature Russia bashing. Putin is public enemy number one. He defends Russian sovereignty. He does so responsibly.
He opposes lawless US imperialism. He says what everyone needs to hear.
A separate article discusses his April 17 annual televised Q & A session. He holds them with ordinary Russians.
In 2013, it ran a record four hours, 48 minutes. No Western leader matches him. Rare US events are carefully scripted.
Regime supporters alone participate. They do so by invitation. Questions and answers resemble a love fest. Propaganda substitutes for straight talk.
Ongoing events are worrisome. Kiev wants direct NATO intervention. Putschist grip on power is weak without it.
Eastern resistance shows its vulnerability. So do military units refusing to fight. London's Guardian said "large chunks of the east (are) in open revolt."
"Ukraine is rapidly vanishing as a sovereign state. Its army is falling apart."
"What was meant to be a show of strength" turned into a fiasco. Kiev declared war.
It did so on Washington's orders. Soldiers refused to fight. It remains to be seen what follows.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
Read More »
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Four-Party Agreement on Ukraine
Four-Party Agreement on Ukraine
by Stephen Lendman
On April 17, Russian, US, EU and Ukrainian foreign ministers met in Geneva. Discussion focused on deescalating Ukrainian crisis conditions.
A joint document was agreed on. It's not worth the paper it's written on. Washington's word isn't its bond. Its history reflects one broken promise after another.
Don't expect this time to be different. Ukraine's crisis may escalate. Perhaps the worst of all possible outcomes will follow. The fullness of time will tell.
Following discussions Sergei Lavrov explained an agreement reached, saying:
All parties must refrain from "violence, intimidation, or provocative actions."
"Participants strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-semitism."
Agreement "calls for an immediate commencement of a broad national dialogue which must be inclusive, transparent and accountable."
It must be "within the framework of the constitutional process, which must be inclusive and accountable."
It "must be resolved by the Ukrainians themselves concerning an end to the conflict."
Real constitutional reform is vital. Without it, legitimate May elections are impossible.
Illegal armed groups must be disarmed. Seized buildings throughout Ukraine must be freed.
"The measures we have stated concern all regions of Ukraine without exception and all problematic questions without exception," said Lavrov.
"An amnesty for all the protesters must take place, except for those who committed grave crimes.
"Those who took power in Kiev as a result of a coup - if they consider themselves as representing the interests of all the Ukrainians - must show the initiative, extend a friendly hand to the regions, listen to their concerns, and sit down with them at the negotiation table."
All Ukrainians must agree on decisions reached. They "must be mutually acceptable...as this is a guarantee of stability of the Ukrainian state with due regard for the linguistic peculiarities of different regions of the country."
Russia supports OSCE monitoring. It endorses constructive dialogue among all sides.
"We urge the special monitoring mission of the OSCE to play a leading role, in accordance with its mandate, in assisting Ukrainians and the Kiev authorities in carrying out measures to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine."
"We will support the work of this mission to foster dialogue between the sides in order to unblock the situation step by step."
"We have agreed to meet in different formats" by way of followup.
Agreement terms exclude specific guidelines for a future political system.
"We did not use any terms," said Lavrov. "There are federations where the rights of the regions are limited, and there are unitary states in name only where the regions have broad authority."
Lavrov said Ukrainians are responsible for their own stability. They must ensure "each region can protect its history and language."
"Only then will Ukraine be a strong state, a proverbial bridge between the East and the West."
Lavrov provided his US, EU and Ukrainian counterparts with documents Eastern Ukrainians prepared.
They call for "a through vision of how their interests should be reflected in the new (Ukrainian) constitution."
Washington has "decisive influence" over Kiev putschists, said Lavrov. He wants it used responsibly to resolve crisis conditions.
He knows how America operates. It takes a giant leap of faith to believe it supports doing the right thing.
He said Russia "does not want to send any troops to Ukraine." Doing so runs against "the fundamental interests of the Russian federation," he added.
His chief concern is protecting the rights of all Ukrainians, including Russian nationals. He wants them respected.
He called undermining Ukraine's non-aligned status unacceptable.
"The fact that Ukraine has chosen non-aligned status and enshrined it in its law must be respected by all and there should not be any attempts to doubt it or to erode its meaning," he stressed.
He categorically rejected allegations of Moscow instigating Eastern resistance.
The New York Times reported agreement terms its way. It "calls for armed pro-Russian bands to give up the government buildings they have seized in eastern Ukraine and outlines other steps to de-escalate the crisis," it said.
It "does not specifically require Russia to remove the approximately 40,000 troops it has on Ukraine’s border, as President Obama has demanded."
It can't remove what's not there. No Russian hoards threaten Ukraine. No invasion is planned. No aggression. No seizure of Ukrainian land.
Russia isn't committed "to holding direct talks with the interim Ukrainian government, which has been another American demand," said the Times.
Putin was clear and unequivocal. He rejects Kiev putschists. He called them "illegitimate." Ukrainians deserve real democracy, he said.
Viktor Yanukovych remains Ukraine's legitimate president. Claiming otherwise is false.
Don't expect The Times to explain. It supports putschist governance. It said US officials want Ukraine given time for its May elections "without more extensive Russian interference."
None whatever exists. Russia respects national sovereignty. Washington ignores it. Ousting democratic governments is Exhibit A. So is assassinating foreign leaders.
High crimes too grave to ignore reflect longstanding US policy. It bears repeating. Don't expect The Times to explain.
Agreement terms excludes Crimean/Russian reunification. Washington and rogue EU partners falsely accused Moscow of orchestrating Eastern Ukrainian resistance.
John Kerry wants all government seized buildings vacated. He holds Russia responsible for assuring it. Local activists acted on their own volition.
"If there is no progress in these next days, then there will be additional sanctions, additional costs," said Kerry.
Unresolved is whether federalizing Ukraine will follow. Growing numbers of Eastern Ukrainians demand local autonomy.
They reject fascist rule. It remains to be seen how they'll react. Their demands are fundamental. Expect likely resistance if they're not met.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
Read More »
Secrecy And Lies: Government Collusion With The GM Biotech Sector In Britain
In 2012, the current British Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Owen Paterson called concerns over the use of GM foods “complete nonsense” in an outright attack on valid concerns about GMOs (1). Since then, through comments and speeches, he has consistently voiced unqualified support for the GM food industry.
MP Zac Goldsmith is a member of the Conservative Party to which Paterson also belongs and has accused his fellow party member of making “nonsensical” claims and as being a puppet of the industry. He has stated that Paterson has swallowed the industry line hook, line and sinker and fears that big agribusiness is framing the debate for the government in order to secure control over the food chain (2).
Paterson seems to be blissfully unaware of, or is content to ignore, the devastating, deleterious health, environmental, social and agricultural impacts of GMOs as detailed in this article: http://www.
In a recent report by in the Daily Mail newspaper in Britain, it is claimed that Paterson’s support for GMOs is being carried out in partnership with the Agricultural Biotechnology Council (ABC), which is financed by GM companies such as Monsanto, Syngenta and Bayer CropScience (3). The revelations come weeks after it was revealed that a group of scientists behind an official government study backing GM all had links to the industry (4).
Evidence has emerged of meetings and briefings involving ministers and the ABC and its industry backers, despite no such meetings with groups worried about the impact of GM on human health and the countryside.
GeneWatch UK made a Freedom of Information request to find out what was said at the briefings, but Paterson’s department has refused to give details. As a result, GeneWatch UK has lodged a formal complaint with the Information Commissioner in the hope that ministers will be forced to admit how GM companies are driving government policy.
In a press release, GeneWatch Director Dr Helen Wallace says:
“The evidence strongly suggests the Government is colluding with the GM industry to manipulate the media, undermine access to GM-free-fed meat and dairy products and plot the return of GM crops to Britain. The public have a right to know what is going on behind closed doors… Ministers who should be protecting our environment have put Monsanto and Syngenta in the driving seat of policy on GM crops and foods.”
Paterson’s department has refused to provide details of a telephone conference between the department and the ABC on June 10 last year. Ten days later, Paterson made a speech calling for opposition to be dropped and claiming GM crops and food were ‘probably safer’ than the conventional equivalent. We are left to draw our own conclusions.
Paterson’s ministerial department has also refused to release a “message on media suggestions” sent by the ABC to the ministry last April, or details of discussions between Monsanto and the ministry two months before. In addition, the ministry would not provide details of a meeting and emails between former environment minister David Heath and the ABC in January last year.
The GM biotech has already captured politicians and regulatory and policy-making bodies in the US (5). It is also in the process of doing so in India (6). It is clear that Britain faces a similar problem.
Corruption, whether institionalised or individual, has many faces and too often attempts to hide itself behind a veil of secrecy. Left unchallenged, the corruption soon becomes pervasive, accepted and no longer seen for what it actually is. Its outcomes too often become regarded as normal or part of the ‘natural’ course of events.
The GM biotech sector’s corrosive influences on governments must be challenged now, before it’s too late - before we end up eating and being poisoned by its products and before the sector and its backers in the US State Department (7) destroy each and every nation's food sovereignty by weaponising food in order to control entire populations (8).
Be informed and take action:
Notes
8) William Engdahl; ‘Seeds of Destruction’; 2007; page 143
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