FINIAN CUNNINGHAM—The Trump administration’s brazen ultimatums for regime change and confiscation of Venezuela’s oil wealth are a shocking violation of international law, according to former UN rapporteur Alfred de Zayas.
VASSAL STATES
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HOWARD LISNOFF—A comment on The Real News Network piece observed that the disarray in the peace movement reached its apex during the Obama administration when people were sucked in by the empty rhetoric of hope and change and promptly left the streets and ignored Obama’s expansion of the war in Afghanistan.
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U.S. Coup Attempt In Venezuela Lacks International Support
16 minutes readMOA—The U.S. failed to get sufficient international support for its recognition of Random Dude as president of Venezuela. So far only Canada, Israel and 14 Latin American states took its side. A few European nations are slowly following. But no international organization supports the position. Mexico and Uruguay, both members of the Lima group – a ‘coalition of the willing’ created by Canada, refused to recognize Guaido and called instead for new elections. Secretary of State Pompeo’s attempt to get the Organization of American States (OAS) on his side failed: The efforts were unsuccessful, garnering only 16 favourable votes out of the 34 countries, with US allies Guyana, Santa Lucia, and Jamaica abstaining. The United Nations Secretary General Gutierres announced that the UN only recognizes the Maduro government. Italy blocked a European Union recognition of the Random Dude while the EU parliament, which has no power in foreign policies, followed the U.S. position.
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MOA—There are already moves underway in the Iraqi parliament to (again) kick the U.S. out of the country. The Sadr faction, the biggest one in parliament, is preparing legislation to achieve that. Other groups have threatened to use force to push the U.S. out. Back in December Elijah Magnier predicted that the U.S. would have either leave voluntarily or will be pushed out by force: The Iraqi parliament can exert pressure over the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi to ask President Trump to pull out US troops before the end of his mandate in 2020. The US establishment and the “Axis of the Resistance” can both connive and plan, but the last word will belong to the people of Iraq and to those who reject US hegemony in the Middle East.
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Max Blumenthal on Venezuela & Dark Ops / Follow Up to his must-see video on Capitol politicians squirming under his simple questions.
7 minutes readMax Blumenthal is interviewed by RJ Eskow on Venezuela & Dark Ops. Tulsi Gabbard offers her plea for non-intervention.