[26 May 2012] West policies doomed to fail in Syria - English
NATO-supported politicians in Syria are isolated since the national election. Meanwhile the UN has about-turned to announce the presence of...
NATO-supported politicians in Syria are isolated since the national election. Meanwhile the UN has about-turned to announce the presence of al-Qaeda inside Syria.
Press TV has interviewed Webster Griffin Tarpley, author and historian from Washington about the admission by UN and US heads that al-Qaeda is attempting to destabilize Syria from inside the country after so long refusing to admit its presence and surmises on why the announcement would be made at this point in time. What follows is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: How surprising is it to you to see UN Chief Ban Ki Moon expressing concern about the situation in Syria? And what does Ban Ki Moon's breaking of his own silence mean to the UN Security Council?
Tarpley: In the case of Ban Ki Moon we must always suspect ulterior motives i.e. an evil intent. And in these circles that Ban Ki Moon speaks for, that is to say NATO and imperialism in general, the new line is no longer to deny the presence of al-Qaeda in Syria, but to begin to cite al-Qaeda as yet another reason why an invasion and bombing will be necessary that is to say, if this terrible situation goes on any longer that al-Qaeda might get the upper hand.
We heard Hilry Clinton in a rare moment of candor in the past week also conceding the presence of al-Qaeda in Syria.
However, we need to point out that the reason al-Qaeda is there is because these NATO heads of government, heads of state and other officials have brought al-Qaeda into the picture.
Al-Qaeda is what it always was, the CIA Arab Legion and in particular some of the most experienced al-Qaeda operatives were brought from Tripoli in Libya all the way to southern Turkey to Iskandaron and other places in kind of an airlift by NATO some months ago.
So much so that when Ambassador Jafari of Syria showed his CD at the UN - he said that the Syrian government has these confessions of foreign fighters including Turkish and Libyan foreign fighters and I think we can assume that's the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which is therefore al-Qaeda.
So, Ban Ki Moon is just as morally bankrupt as he always was, it's just that he has had to change his mode of attack.
The entire situation of this resistance is of course desperate. As a result of the Syrian election a couple of weeks ago when more than half of the possible voters voted under the worst possible conditions, the Syrian National Council is breaking apart and the leader (Berhan) Ghalioun has now resigned, he's out.
So, there is no coherent opposition so now they're less worried about trying to pretend that there's a political opposition and more with let's get on with the invasion.
Press TV: Just imagine if those armed gangs who claim to be the saviors of the Syrian people, yet kill civilians and use the human population as a human shield according to reports - just imagine if they came to power, I mean, what kind of a government would we see? Isn't it paradoxical?
Tarpley: This is of course the essence of the imperialist policy, it is partition, mini-states, micro-states and failed states. It's more or less what you see in Libya.
We notice that the Western media have been much less interested in showing us the wonders of democracy, the singing tomorrows of the National Transitional Council in Libya because that country of course is tragically breaking up and you've got terrorist gangs and the beginnings of a separation of different parts of the country.
This is what they would like to bring to Syria using NATO bombing, invasion… and the shock troops i.e. the people NATO has on the ground at the moment are these al-Qaeda types supplemented of course by mercenaries from France, turkey and other countries.
The specific emphasis we have right now though is to try to cut a corridor - and it won't be a humanitarian corridor, it will be a terror corridor - starting with Tripoli to northern Lebanon and this Kleyate airport, which NATO would like to seize.
That's why we've had an increase in terrorist assassinations in that area; we've had the kidnapping of the pilgrims… This is a thrust to try to get a corridor from the Mediterranean into Syria through Tripoli and the Kleyate airport.
Press TV: What lies ahead for Syria in the long term especially in terms of the Assad government? How long can the Assad government resist and maintain its power?
Tarpley: I think the Assad government politically is better off in the last two weeks than it was before because they've successfully carried out a national election, a multi-party election; the Constitution has been changed so that the Baath Party no longer has a monopoly of power.
I think anybody who is sincerely interested in democratic reforms has participated in that election; some of them did get elected. The people who have been boycotting it have isolated themselves - they're now exposed as either al-Qaeda or fellow travelers with al-Qaeda.
So it seems to me the NATO political situation has gotten desperate and the only way out of that is to try to escalate the military side. But there once again they risk the collision with Russia, China and others who are not going to allow them to do that at least under the UN cover.
One of the places to look for a possible resolution for this is the Bilderberg-er meeting here in Washington SC at the end of next week, would typically be a place where a solution to that dilemma might emerge and therefore bears very, very careful watching.
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[01 June 2012] Houthis need assurances for dialogue - English
[01 June 2012] 'Houthis need assurances for dialogue' - English
Members of Yemen's Committee for Dialogue have arrived in the country's northern...
[01 June 2012] 'Houthis need assurances for dialogue' - English
Members of Yemen's Committee for Dialogue have arrived in the country's northern province of Sa'ada to hold talks with the Houthi group, Press TV reports.
Interview with Mohsen Saleh, professor of Lebanese University
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[03 July 2012] Iran military power defensive not offensive - English
[03 July 2012] Iran military power defensive not offensive - English
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) has begun its military...
[03 July 2012] Iran military power defensive not offensive - English
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) has begun its military drill, the Great Prophet 7, by firing indigenously made missiles at hypothetical enemy bases.
On Tuesday, IRGC's long, medium and short-range missiles targeted "simulations of the trans-regional forces' airbases" in the northern Semnan Desert.
The domestically-produced missiles include Shahab (Meteor) 1, 2, 3, Khalij Fars (Persian Gulf), Tondar (Lightning), Fateh (Victor) and Zelzal (Quake) as well as Qiam (Uprising).
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says the ongoing drill in the central sector of the country is intended to convey a message of sovereignty and full preparedness to establish security in the Persian Gulf as well as the Strait of Hormuz.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Nader Mokhtari, a columnist and commentator, to further talk over the issue.
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[01 Aug 2012] Power crisis grips India - English
[01 Aug 2012] Power crisis grips India - English
20 states in northern and eastern India were deeply affected as power failures hit the country...
[01 Aug 2012] Power crisis grips India - English
20 states in northern and eastern India were deeply affected as power failures hit the country for second consecutive days.
Press TV's Sanjay Sethi reports from New Delhi.
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[08 Sept 2012] What next for Syria - Middle East - English
[08 Sept 2012] What next for Syria - Middle East - English
Reports have mentioned that US secretary of state Clinton and Turkish Prime Minister...
[08 Sept 2012] What next for Syria - Middle East - English
Reports have mentioned that US secretary of state Clinton and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogon are still seeking to intensify pressure on both Hezbollah and Syria perhaps through the deployment of international troops along Lebanon's northern border with Syria thereby crippling all the Lebanese-Syrian efforts of securing the border from arms smuggling. In this edition of the show we ask; what's next for Syria?
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[22 May 13] Lebanon Tripoli hit by heavy clashes - English
Around twelve people have been killed and one-hundred-and-thirty others wounded during clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian...
Around twelve people have been killed and one-hundred-and-thirty others wounded during clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian government in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.
Press TV\\\'s Elian el-Khamissi reports from Beirut.
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[23 May 13] Syrian army continues mop-up operation in Qusayr - English
These Syrian soldiers are entering the unknown, walking into the edge of the northern quarter of Qusair city, this unit is carrying out a limited...
These Syrian soldiers are entering the unknown, walking into the edge of the northern quarter of Qusair city, this unit is carrying out a limited mission as part of the second stage of the Syrian military operation in Al-Qusair.
The second phase involves a variety of tactics to minimize human losses among Syrian soldiers according a Syrian military source. The Syrian command doesn\'t want to push everything it has into the battle right now so while some attack, others wait.
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[28 May 13] Lebanon must discuss attacks on army soldiers - English
Two rockets hit the southern district of Zahyieh in Lebanon\\\'s capital, Beirut, on May 26, injuring several people. In another incident on the...
Two rockets hit the southern district of Zahyieh in Lebanon\\\'s capital, Beirut, on May 26, injuring several people. In another incident on the same day, four mortars slammed into the heart of Hermel, which is situated about 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of Beirut. The incidents in Lebanon came amid recent deadly clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian government in the country\\\'s northern city of Tripoli.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Elias Farhat, a retired Army General, about the recent attack in Lebanon where three soldiers were killed.
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[31 May 13] McCain-militants meeting sparks controversy in Lebanon -...
US Senator John McCain posing alongside insurgents in Syria! During his recent illegal trip to Syria from Turkey\'s \"Bab Al-Salameh\"...
US Senator John McCain posing alongside insurgents in Syria! During his recent illegal trip to Syria from Turkey\'s \"Bab Al-Salameh\" border crossing, Senator McCain met with militants that he described as quote \"brave fighters who need our help\".
However, two of the insurgents McCain shared his photo op with were identified by freed Lebanese hostages to be members of the notorious - \"Northern-Storm Brigade\" - a group implicated over the abduction of nine Lebanese Shia pilgrims more than a year ago.
According to the Los Angeles Times the insurgents called on the US Senator to provide them with \"heavy weapons, set up a no-fly zone in Syria, and conduct airstrikes against the Lebanese Resistance movement Hezbollah\".
Altaf Ahmad, Press TV, Beirut
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[03 June 13] Violence against Shia Muslims in Pakistan - English
Pakistani Shias who make up nearly 20 percent of the country\'s 180 million population, has been the main target of sectarian violence.
The...
Pakistani Shias who make up nearly 20 percent of the country\'s 180 million population, has been the main target of sectarian violence.
The menace has assumed deadly proportions with the beginning of the year 2013. Quetta witnessed the deadliest bombings this year with two suicide blasts that claimed the lives of over 200 Shia Muslims in the city.
In another massacre, which shook the port city of Karachi, a powerful bomb with impact radius of over 700 meters exploded in a predominantly Shia neighborhood of Abbas Town.
The targeted killings still continue unabated across Pakistan particularly the port city of Karachi, the eastern city of Lahore, northern areas bordering China and northwestern Kurram agency.
The Human right watchdog and other right groups point fingers towards the inaction of the government, which they say is not doing enough, or in some cases nothing.
The Human Rights Watch in its last year\'s report says \"The Pakistani government should urgently act to protect the minority Shia Muslim community in Pakistan from sectarian attacks by Sunni militant groups. The government should hold accountable those responsible for ordering and participating in deadly attacks targeting Shia.\"
On this week\'s INFocus we talk to Shia Muslims in Karachi to bring this issue to the limelight.
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[06 June 13] Two unmanned US drones crash in Somalia - English
These photos show the remaining pieces of the unmanned US surveillance drone and also show fighters celebrating the US loss of one of its spy...
These photos show the remaining pieces of the unmanned US surveillance drone and also show fighters celebrating the US loss of one of its spy drones. These picture were posted on twitter.
Another drone crashed on Saturday in Qaw, a village located 20 kilometers west of the port city of Bossasso in the northern Puntland region.
The United States claims to be targeting militants with its assassination drone attacks overseas, but reports indicate the airstrikes have mostly led to civilian casualties in Somalia and several other Muslim countries.
Anti drone activists say that Somalia does not need US interference, especially its drone programs. They say the unmanned aircraft has caused more harm than good. A security expert says that the UAVs have led to higher civilian deaths in Somalia since its inception.
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[06 June 13] Syrian army recaptures city of Qusayr - English
The battle for Qusayr is over. The Syrian Army is now in full control of what the foreign-backed opposition called \"the backbone of the...
The battle for Qusayr is over. The Syrian Army is now in full control of what the foreign-backed opposition called \"the backbone of the revolution\". Video footage from the previous night when the city was under the insurgents\' control reveals a lot about the nature of the battle that represents a turning point in the Syrian government\'s fight against the militants. After the sunset on June 4th, The Syrian army intensified attacks on insurgents\' strongholds from various directions. The army took new routes different from the ones used in previous days pressuring the militants and making them leave Qusayr\'s city center into the northern quarter. By then, it wasn\'t long before the militants made the conclusion that the battle is lost and started leaving the city.
Alaa Ebrahim, press TV, Qusayr
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[13 June 13] Iranians hit the streets in final hours of campaigning -...
A city with an altered face; the Iranian capital Tehran preparing for the vote on Friday and the heated atmosphere is everywhere. The people\'s...
A city with an altered face; the Iranian capital Tehran preparing for the vote on Friday and the heated atmosphere is everywhere. The people\'s normal commute to home and work has now become full of election banners and not just that but also rallies of supporters and campaigners. I started my journey from Tehran\'s northern Tajrish square were things were not that loud but campaigners were passing out CDs and brochures about their candidate and had opened their doors to talk to the people and make them decide on their candidate of choice. Most of the campaigns here were for Presidential Candidate Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf with their white scarves.
Pedram Khodadadi, Press TV, Tehran
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[04 July 13] G8 meeting amid longest recession and deepest divides -...
The G8 summit of world leaders ended with the usual positive statements about so-called progress on the main agenda items such as the conflict in...
The G8 summit of world leaders ended with the usual positive statements about so-called progress on the main agenda items such as the conflict in Syria and a US-EU trade deal.
But Russia blocked a joint G8 statement which would have called for President Assad to step down.
President Putin also made it clear that a political solution is the only way to stop the conflict and that the Western plan to arm the rebels would only pour fuel on the fire.
The G8 summit received a mixed reception in Northern Ireland itself. Some viewed it as a positive sign of progress in a part of the world which has been blighted by sectarian violence.
Others felt that the G8 leaders were war criminals and an international financial mafia governing on behalf of the rich and powerful.
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[04 July 13] Iranian diplomats still alive in israeli jail - English
The Iranian Embassy in Lebanon marks the 31st anniversary of the abduction of four Iranian diplomats - Ahmad Motevaselian, Seyyed Mohsen Mousavi,...
The Iranian Embassy in Lebanon marks the 31st anniversary of the abduction of four Iranian diplomats - Ahmad Motevaselian, Seyyed Mohsen Mousavi, Taqi Rastegar Moqaddam, and Kazem Akhavan.
They were abducted on July the 4th, 1982 - amid the Lebanese civil war - by Israeli-affiliated militias. Headed by Samir Gaegae, the militias stopped their car on the way to Beirut at the Al-Barbara checkpoint in Northern Lebanon. The militias were known for their close ties with Israel.
When asked about the case of the four men, Gaegae first said they were handed over to Israel, but later claimed they had been killed. Iran\'s ambassador to Lebanon says Tehran has the evidence that suggests they are still being kept captive in Israeli jails.
Altaf Ahmad, Press TV, Beirut
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[06 July 13] Indian food prices spike as rains hit supply - English
Over the last week vegetable prices in north India have been rising sharply due to heavy rains which damaged crops and caused shortage of supplies....
Over the last week vegetable prices in north India have been rising sharply due to heavy rains which damaged crops and caused shortage of supplies. According to traders in okhla vegetable market the heavy rainfall in have also hampered the supply chain thus the prices have risen .Traders say the supplies of various vegetables have reduced drastically and may get worse if heavy rains continue to fall.
India has received about 54% more rainfall than usual in this monsoon season and in the northern states of uttarakhand and himachal Pradesh floods and landslides have left thousands of people dead and tens of thousands stranded.
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[12 July 13] Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan and China - English
Torrential rains, floods and landslides have left more than two hundred people dead or missing in western China. The Himalaya Mountains in Sichuan...
Torrential rains, floods and landslides have left more than two hundred people dead or missing in western China. The Himalaya Mountains in Sichuan province was the hardest hit by flooding in 50 years. The downpour triggered a landslide in a hillside resort outside the city.
More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Sichuan. Thousands of homes have been destroyed and transportation brought to a virtual standstill in hard-hit areas.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs says more than two million people have been affected by flooding this week. Also, casualties have been recorded in the northern provinces of Shaanxi and Ningxia, and even in the central provinces of Henan and Hubei.
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