U.S. SHOULD CONDEMN GOVERNMENT PERSECUTION OF PEACEFUL SHIA DEMONSTATORS IN BAHRAIN

The U.S. government under Pres. Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rightly condemn Syria for war crimes in the shelling and bombing of civilian cities.  But where is their condemnation of the Khalifas in Bahrain for sending out thugs in the police and army to shoot peaceful demonstrators with bird shot and choke ordinary civilians with corrosive tear gas?

Why the silence?  Two reasons.

1.   The U.S. Navy a has a big presence with its Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.  And the U.S. thinks it should maintain a military presence there as a threat to Iran just across the Persian Gulf.  But the presence of so many American warships and sailors has done little to advance the decline of influence of Iran in the area.

2.  The peaceful demonstrators in Bahrain are Shia, whereas the ruling Khalifas are Sunni.  The relation of Sunnis to Shia in Bahrain is a lopsided three out of 10.  But the Shia find themselves cut off from working for the government or securing their economic rights.  Because Iran is mostly Shia, the U.S. has credulously believed the warnings of Sunni rulers in Bahrain and elsewhere who claim that Shia in Bahrain are disloyal and a fifth column secretly promoting Iran's agenda.  They rant against Iran, and exaggerate its nuclear program as a threat because, as Sunni Arabs, they hate the Shia Persians.

Thus, the U.S. under Obama and Clinton remain hypocritically silent when it comes to denouncing gross human rights violations in Bahrain.

HOW COULD ANY WOMAN VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS AFTER RUSH LIMBAUGH?

After what Rush Limbaugh said about the female law student who was arguing for full insurance coverage of contraceptives, how could any woman in the United States possibly vote for Republicans?

It is clear that Rush Limbaugh functions as mouthpiece and spokesman for many Republican legislators if not for the Republican Party itself.  When he calls Sandra Fluke a prostitute and a slut, Limbaugh shows not only how he feels about women who disagree with his positions, but he also exposes the disdain that some Republicans, especially some Republican men, have towards intelligent women.

DON'T CAVE TO NETANYAHU ON BOMBING IRAN!

Pres. Barack Obama will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday in Washington.  Netanyahu wants the U.S. government to commit itself to join in an attack against Iran.

Obama, don't cave in to that war monger Netanyahu.

Any attack against Iran will have terrible consequences for relations between the U.S. and Iranian people for the next 500 years and maybe more.  War has never solved any political disagreements between countries.

Rather, the U.S. government should look on Iran with respect and with a sincere desire to foster amicable relations.  American bombs will only kill Iranians and incite hatred and desire for revenge.

Stand up, Pres. Obama, for what is right.  Don't cave to Bibi Netanyahu.

STOP ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN

Good for Pakistan in signing a deal for a gas pipeline with Iran!

The United States has no business imposing an economic blockade on Iran and its people.  Economic sanctions are just a form of collective punishment, punishing the people for the "sins" of their leaders.  While this collective punishment does not make use of bombs and bullets, it still imposes harsh economic punishment on ordinary Iranian men, women and children.

I call upon Pres. Barack Obama and Sec. Hillary Clinton to stop the economic warfare waged against the Iranian people and end the sanctions.

OBAMA, STOP RUSH TO WAR AGAINST IRAN!

When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu comes to Washington several weeks from now, besides addressing Israel's premier lobbying group in the U.S., AIPAC, he is expected to visit with Pres. Obama and pressure him on attacking Iran.

Mr. Obama, stand up to Netanyahu.  Don't let him bully you into sending American war planes to bomb Iran and kill thousands of Iranians.

FREE BRADLEY MANNING

Pfc Bradley Manning faces life in prison if convicted.  But what is he guilty of?

Bringing to light "secret documents" that have embarrassed high ranking politicians?  Yes, this is why he is being prosecuted.

And for this, Bradley Manning could be sacrificed on the altar of secrecy.

Don't punish Bradley Manning.  Free him and give him a medal.  He is a hero for his part in releasing documents that show the inner workings of our government.

STOP DRUM BEATS OF WAR AGAINST IRAN!

Scott Shane writes in today's The New York Times about the seemingly ineluctable American march to war against Iran.

Writes Shane:

"Israel’s stance has played out politically in the United States. With the notable exception of Representative Ron Paul of Texas, Republican presidential candidates have kept up a competition in threatening Iran and portraying themselves as protectors of Israel. A bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday released a letter to President Obama saying that new talks could prove a “dangerous distraction,” allowing Iran to buy time to move closer to developing a weapon."

But even more disheartening are the statistics cited by Shane showing most Americans would approve a U.S. attack against Iran. 

"Despite a decade of war, most Americans seem to endorse the politicians’ martial spirit. In a Pew Research Center poll this month, 58 percent of those surveyed said the United States should use military force, if necessary, to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Only 30 percent said no.

"I find it puzzling,” said Richard K. Betts of Columbia University, who has studied security threats since the cold war. “You’d think there would be an instinctive reason to hold back after two bloody noses in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

We must reverse this American blood lust for more war.  The public needs to know that there is no credible proof that Iran is building a nuclear weapon.  We should be friends with Iran and Iranians, not enemies about to drop thousand-pound bombs.

OBAMA: RESIST THE ISRAELI PUSH TO WAR AGAINST IRAN

The Guardian carries an editorial today that warns of the terrible outcome if Israel mounts a bombing attack on Iranian nuclear development sites.

When Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, visits Washington in March to attend the national convention of AIPAC, the biggest and most bellicose Jewish organization unreservedly backing Netanyahu's Greater Israel policies, the U.S. president Barack Obama needs to tell him in no uncertain ways that the U.S. government will not participate in such illegal attack.

If Israel attacks Iran, there will be no peace in the Middle East, or in the world, for the next 500 years.  Stop the constant drumbeat telling the Iranian people that "all options are on the table."  That's only a euphemism for all-out war and destruction of the Iranian people and civilization.

U.S POLICY TOWARDS BAHRAIN PROTESTERS HYPOCRITICAL AND SELF-SERVING

I have written in the past about the hypocritical treatment of the uprising in Bahrain by the U.S. Government.  Because the protesters are overwhelmingly Shia, and because Iran, close by across the Persian Gulf, is predominantly Shia, the U.S. can't bring itself to condemn the harsh and brutal tactics of King Khalifa and his Sunni government in an attempt to to crush the protest.  And all along, the protesters have been non-violent in the face of tanks, bird shot, rubber bullets and tear gas.

Why won't Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton come out and unequivocally condemn Khalifa?  Because Bahrain has a military tie-in with the U.S. military.  It allows the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet to have a base there.  The U.S. is so caught up with perceived threats from Iran that it will put principles on the back burner in its quest to protect its military presence located some 100 miles from Iran.

The U.S. prides itself as a government that supports democracy all over the world.  It has supported the Libyan rebels, the Egyptian revolutionaries and the fighters in Syria.  Yet the U.S. fails to stand up for those marching for democracy and representation in Bahrain.

STOP THE MARCH TO WAR AGAINST IRAN!

Israel again is clamoring for a strike against Iran.  Pres. Obama must resist these militaristic solutions to Iran's nuclear development.  So far there is no evidence that Iran wants or intends to make nuclear weapons.  Everything is innuendo:  Iran "might" have the capability to develop nuclear weapons, signs point to Iran's "desire" for nuclear weapons, Iranian agents are "suspected" in bombings of autos in Georgia and India, but so far not one shred of hard evidence.  Nevertheless there are some who would like nothing better than to drop bombs on Iran.

Imagine the death toll of Iranians in the case of an attack by Israel.  And imagine the lasting damage to world peace by going along with the present Israeli government in an attack against Iran.  There would be catastrophic conflict for the next 500 years.