Syria 101 — The Basics on the Superpower Flashpoint
Independent longtime Middle East journalist and former ABC News foreign correspondent Charles Glass provides a blunt primer on the current state of play in Syria and the broader Middle East.
RadioWhoWhatWhy: Fanning the Flames of Syria
Just how bad is the situation in Syria? Four million Syrians have fled the country in the past four years as its cities smolder and civil war rages on. Strategic dysfunction on the part of the international community, led by the US, continued airstrikes, and growing violence perpetrated by the Islamic State are definitely part of the story that led to Syria’s descent into chaos. RadioWhoWhatWhy’s Jeff Schechtman sits down with Charles Glass, author of Syria Burning, to learn the rest of it.
Book Excerpt: “Syria Burning”
If you want to know the who, what, why of how things got so bad in the Syria (and, in some ways, the rest of the Middle East)—read this excerpt from Syria Burning by Charles Glass, a book so beautifully written you will hardly know you are reading. It is more like seeing.
Published by OR Books, New York and London, 2015.
RadioWhoWhatWhy: The Future of Outsourced Warfare
Blackwater may have become a symbol of all that can go wrong when government contractors outnumber trained military personnel, but what really happened in the killing fields of Iraq and Afghanistan? WhoWhatWhy’s Jeff Schechtman sits down with Blackwater founder Erik Prince to discuss the history and future of “outsourced” warfare.
Drone Deaths, Obama, and a Better Use for these Craft
Earlier this year, two innocent hostages—one American, one Italian—were killed by a US-led unmanned drone strike meant to target al-Qaeda. By some estimates, the drone strikes that President Obama has authorized have murdered more innocent people than the 9/11 attacks. As war rages on across the Middle East and the US continues to fire unmanned strikes that are killing civilians, it’s worth looking back and discovering how this technology came to be… and how it could be put to positive uses instead. See this documentary.
Does Jade Helm Violate Posse Comitatus?
The multi-state military drill known as Jade Helm has provoked a fierce debate. Is it much ado about nothing—or, as some claim, an effort to desensitize the public toward martial law? WhoWhatWhy takes a look.
Explainer: How Poor Timing Buries Important News
What a difference it makes…when news breaks. A look at the consequences of poor timing, in stories about Israel/Gaza and gun violence.
TVWho: Russ Baker on RT, with Syria Update
WhoWhatWhy Editor Russ Baker interviewed by RT on recent developments in the Western war with Syria you won’t hear about while all eyes are on the constructed “news” of the political conventions.
But Syriasly, Folks…..
Take a close look at the uprising in Syria, and what do you find? Another well-oiled puppet show.
WhoWhatWhy’s Libya Primer: The (Still) Untold Back Story to Qaddafi’s Demise
And so begins the deluge of “coverage” on the end of Muammar Qaddafi. But will you learn anything substantive about how and why he met his end? Don’t bet on it. However, at WhoWhatWhy, we’ve been providing fresh and unique reporting and analysis about Libya and the West’s murky role over there, from the beginning. If you haven’t been reading us, here’s your chance to catch up. And feel free to share with others.
Media Manipulation: Are Conflict Photos Staged?
Video offers new perspective on photojournalism in areas of conflict, notably in Israel/Palestine.
The Libya Secret: How West Cooked Up “People’s Uprising”
Forget the “humanitarian crisis” that justified the NATO bombing that helped destroy Qaddafi’s regime. It was always about oil and other strategic issues. And the rebels were a wholly owned subsidiary of West, Inc. Here’s the evidence.
Let Them Eat Baklava: Food Prices and the Arab Spring
Here’s an exploration of an aspect of Arab Spring that hasn’t been properly discussed: Whether skyrocketing food prices underlie the public’s anger that led to the spate of uprisings.
WORTH READING: The Censorship Business, US Still Segregated, Don’t Shoot (Your Camera)!, No Cars Allowed
The Censorship Business You may have heard how the revolutions across the Middle East were spurred by Facebook and Twitter. You probably also know that the governments blocked these websites to counter the protestors. But you probably didn’t know that the technology used to censor these sites comes from US based company McAfee. Read more Read More
Divide & Conquer The Internet, Populist Motorbikes, Why We Fight: Libya Edition
Today’s edition of Worth Reading includes two videos “Worth Watching”. Sometimes a picture, or in this case film, is worth a thousand words. Warning: The video on the conflict in Libya contains graphic images.
Worth Reading: ShoeThrower Index, KochesLoveACLU, OrganicFoodFight
Next Mideast revolts predicted. The Koch Brothers Love…the ACLU(?) And FYI on GMOS.