Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The endless enclosed cul-de-sac of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is leading to one dead end after another. He constantly warns that his patience is wearing thin while demonstrators are attacked and pushed around from parts of several major cities. At all times he seeks to justify his rhetoric by spreading half truths about the mass complexity of what is happening socially within Turkey.

This is the same Erdogan which is isolating Turkey apart from being a NATO puppet and doing the bidding of feudal Gulf nations which include Qatar and Saudi Arabia. However, nearer to home then it is clear that Armenia, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel and Syria don’t trust his authoritarian approach to international politics. Lebanon is equally divided about Erdogan and Iran once more is alarmed by the reality that Turkey is a conduit for military arms, sectarian terrorists and providing a haven for the CIA, MI6 and various intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, the Russian Federation is watching events from a distance but clearly the Chechen and Caucasus Islamist angle in Syria is setting off alarm bells. However, in the world of Erdogan’s enclosed cul-de-sac then he only perceives himself to be a victim.

Turkey is meant to be a bridge linking Europe with the Middle East and a nation which will spread its secular and democratic thought patterns to regional nations. Yet under the troika of America, Turkey and the United Kingdom within the democratic world – alongside the dual sectarian and feudal monarchs of Qatar and Saudi Arabia – then Turkey is now a mere pawn within the respective geopolitical and sectarian religious games of the main allies of Turkey. At no point did Erdogan stop to think about the diversity within Turkey and how regional nations were increasingly distrustful of his new approach.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, Bulent Arinc, is also hinting that the armed forces may be used against the citizens of Turkey. Arinc commented that “Our police, our security forces are doing their jobs…If it’s not enough then the gendarmes will do their jobs. If that’s not enough… we could even use elements of the Turkish armed forces.” He tried to downplay his own comments by stating that his words were taken out of context but this is all part and parcel of the psychological game being played by elites within the Erdogan government.

Deutsche Welle reports that “Meanwhile, Erdogan delivered a speech to hundreds of thousands of bused-in supporters. He accused the international press of a plot against him and his government: “CNN, Reuters, remain isolated with your lies!” he said, and attacked the protest movement once more. He described them again as “plunderers,” and threatened them: “You are no real Turks. Watch out: those who work against Turkey will have cause to tremble with fear.” Hotel owners who hid these “terrorists” would also have to pay the reckoning.”

The above language is further evidence that Erdogan is a dictatorial leader who happens to be the leader of a democratic country. It is also ironic that Erdogan doesn’t mind the media witch-hunt against Syria in order to spread sectarianism and sedition. However, when people can see the reality of “the real Erdogan” then he kindly tries to dehumanize the demonstrators by stating “You are no real Turks.”  Equally alarming, he is warning all opposition forces and ordinary private citizens which are against his leadership that you “…will have cause to tremble with fear.”

Currently, President Obama it talking about a no-fly-zone against Syria and this is something which Erdogan wanted before. However, while any no-fly-zone will be flouting international law it is clear that even America is now concerned by the internal situation in Turkey. After all, it is now apparent that Obama is thinking about a no-fly-zone by manipulating Jordan. Yet prior to the crisis in Turkey it is clear that America would have thought about initiating such a policy by utilizing NATO Turkey in relation to the many ratlines which are assisting terrorists and sectarian forces in Syria. Now, however, even Washington is having second thoughts about Erdogan internally while expressing outward support whereby mild condemnation is for saving international face.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, is dismayed by what is happening in Turkey. Merkel stated that “I’m appalled, like many others…I would like to see those who have criticism, who have a different opinion and a different idea of society, having some space in a Turkey that moves into the 21st century.”

Merkel continued by stating that “What’s happening in Turkey at the moment is not in line with our idea of the freedom to demonstrate or freedom of speech….They are terrible images … I can only hope that the problems will be solved peacefully.”

This is the problem of Erdogan because not only is he leading Turkey into regional isolation on the political front whereby the majority of regional nations don’t trust him; but he is also creating an internal enclosed cul-de-sac whereby he “un-Turks people” and forces them to the outside perimeter whereby their voices are crushed. Yet, the outward perimeter to his political and Islamist enclosed cul-de-sac is much larger and widespread than Erdogan perceives. Therefore, his rhetoric is alienating more and more people within Turkey and many individuals in the media must be alarmed by the fear factor related to them.

If Erdogan focused on areas whereby positive results have been made in relation to the economy and so forth; then these demonstrations would never have happened on such a scale. Yet he doesn’t just want to lead Turkey based on his electoral mandate. Instead, Erdogan wants to enforce his Islamist and political agenda on people who don’t support him and to shackle society by implementing his grand social designs on the electorate. If he continues to use powerful language and incite the rank and file of party members; then clearly social divisions are going to widen further within Turkey. Therefore, the problem for Erdogan is can he escape the enclosed cul-de-sac that he created in order to allow the citizens of Turkey to feel that they really reside in a democratic nation?

http://www.dw.de/erdogan-escalates-the-crisis/a-16886439

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Bosnian civil war witnessed massacres on all sides because outside of the mass simplicity of political leaders and major media agencies you have a different reality which is hidden. After all, despite the reality that America, Iran, al-Qaeda, Saudi Arabia and many others were all on the same side; it didn’t suit the image of the alleged “underdog” against a powerful “enemy.” Therefore, thousands of Orthodox Christians were slaughtered in Bratunac and in the Srebrenica region but of course this had to be kept quiet because it didn’t suit the agenda.

In the adorable art work of Alyse Radenovic (http://www.alyseradenovic.com/) related to this article you have no political words, no military images, no propaganda within her art and so forth. These images in this article are focused on the natural flow of Bratunac, Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Srebrenica and other parts of Bosnia like Sarajevo in relationship to the Serbs of the Balkans. However, Alyse Radenovic cares deeply about the Balkans and how the Serbs were demonized and expelled from various parts of Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo.

Like previously mentioned, no one-side is ever angelic in war and during civil wars the hatred is even higher. Therefore, while leading Western universities can hide and lie about history in order to suit their respective political agendas. On the ground, you can’t hide Croatian fascism which supported Nazi Germany; Ottoman Muslim enslavement and dhimmitude of Orthodox Christians in the Balkans; Muslim SS Units supporting Nazism; the geopolitical reality that Serbs were forced out from the seats of power by Muslim overlords during the Ottoman period; the mass atrocities against the Serbs by the Austro-Hungarian Empire; and a plethora of other realities.

This may appear to be very distant from the art pieces of Alyse Radenovic in relationship to her adorable images of Bratunac. Yet, it the stillness of her art you have no words and this is the point. After all, during the countless massacres of Serbian Orthodox Christians in Bratunac and other parts of Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo, you also mainly had the same silence. Given this reality, and knowing the passion of Alyse Radenovic towards the embattled Serbs of the Balkans; then within each image I can envisage the ghosts of history – and the written out ghosts of the past – which doesn’t suit the simplistic story of the mass media.

French General Philippe Morillon, the UNPROFOR commander who first called international attention to the Srebrenica enclave, is adamant that the crimes were quite “extraordinary in the region committed by those Muslim soldiers made the Serbs’ desire for revenge inevitable. He testified at The Hague Tribunal on February 12, 2004, that the Muslim commander in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, “engaged in attacks during Orthodox (Christian) holidays and destroyed villages, massacring all the inhabitants. This created a degree of hatred that was quite extraordinary in the region.”

Morillon also recounts how “the Serbs took me to a village to show me the evacuation of the bodies of the inhabitants that had been thrown into a hole, a village close to Bratunac. And this made me understand the degree to which this infernal situation of blood and vengeance [...] led to a situation when I personally feared that the worst would happen if the Serbs of Bosnia managed to enter the enclaves and Srebrenica…I feared that the Serbs, the local Serbs, the Serbs of Bratunac, these militiamen, they wanted to take their revenge for everything that they attributed to Naser Oric. It wasn’t just Naser Oric that they wanted to revenge, take their revenge on; they wanted to revenge their dead on Orthodox Christmas.”

In the above art piece by Alyse Radenovic you can visualize the mountains in the backdrop which often rescued the fleeing Serbs throughout history. The bright yellow image of the side of a rural homestead and the natural flow of nature can be seen. However, not so long ago innocent Serbian Orthodox Christians were slaughtered like animals in places like this by forces under Naser Oric in Bratunac and in the surrounding region. It mattered not if they were little children, women, elderly men and so forth; for all would be tortured and killed in brutal ways.

Like Morillon confirms, Naser Oric stated that “One can’t be bothered with prisoners” but what is left out by this simplistic comment by this Muslim warlord is that this even applied to little Serbian Orthodox Christian children. It is known that some CIA and American special forces were sickened by the role of Bill Clinton because they had to standby and witness many massacres of innocent Orthodox Christians while remaining silent. However, the stark reality is that Bill Clinton set in motion not only the massacres of Serbians but he also enabled al-Qaeda Islamists to use Bosnia in their next major power play during the barbaric events of September 11. However, just like the massacres against Serbian Orthodox Christians remain mainly ignored in many parts of the world; the same applies to the Bosnian connection with Madrid, September 11 and other terrorist attacks.

Turning back to the art work of Alyse Radenovic then her art provides a silent dignity whereby words are not needed. After all, while wealthy politicians, major universities (many supplied with Gulf petrodollars) and the mass media need to use words for propaganda and then to enhance the myth during peacetime. The reality is that for local people they know the real facts. Therefore, despite their voices being small in comparison to the enemies of truth; it is clear that the next generation will learn history at first hand in local areas because the Serbs were too numerous to crush. Sadly, for the Serbs of Kosovo then even their graveyards in many areas of their Jerusalem have become desecrated therefore the remaining Orthodox Christians reside in ghettos.

Alyse Radenovic produces stunning art related to a vast array of subjects and the words in this article belong to the author. However, her passion towards the embattled Serbs of the Balkans does remain within her heart. Therefore, the stunning art of Alyse Radenovic in relation to Bratunac,  Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Srebrenica conjures up many words despite the reality of no words being expressed. More alarmingly, in the mass media which relies on words to communicate then very few words were ushered about the brutal massacres against the Orthodox Christian Serbs. In this sense, the art work of Alsye Radenovic speaks a million times more than the closed books of the mantra of major world powers, famous university institutions and the mass media which all collectively help to whitewash the truth.

MORE INFO ABOUT Alyse Radenovic whereby you can contact the artist and buy her stunning art pieces.

http://www.alyseradenovic.com/index.htm Alyse Radenovic

https://twitter.com/AlyseRadenovicA  Twitter account of Alyse Radenovic

http://aelisheva.wordpress.com/

http://www.alyseradenovic.com/alyse%20bio.htmBrief bio and contact information related to Alyse Radenovic

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/02/15/world-of-art-yuzo-saeki-and-alyse-radenovic-and-the-impact-of-france-and-kosovo/

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/04/12/alyse-radenovic-bratunac-and-srebrenica-art-and-the-forgotten-orthodox-christians-of-bosnia/

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Social and political tensions in Turkey continue to be felt throughout this country because many people opposed to Recep Tayyip Erdogan believe that the current prime minister is a threat to democracy, freedom of speech, secularism and the rule of law. If Erdogan continues by issuing threats then it would appear that demonstrators are vindicated in their assumption that he is “a dictatorial leader” hiding behind the façade of democracy.

Once demonstrations erupted throughout Turkey then most analysts believed that Erdogan would vent his anger by whipping up hatred and using authoritarian language. Sadly, Erdogan did indeed respond like expected because regionally and internationally he often creates tensions instead of focusing on diplomacy. The nation of Turkey may be a bridge which links Europe with the Middle East based on the geopolitical reality of this nation state. However, Erdogan isn’t building bridges with forces which have been alienated by his style of leadership. On the contrary, he now is going for the jugular whereby the police do his bidding on the ground; while Erdogan incites against the demonstrators.

During a recent meeting with the European Union it is clear that Erdogan peddled the nationalist agenda. More recently, Erdogan is now using his Islamist agenda which people fear. This is a very dangerous game to play because in neighboring Syria it is clear that Turkey under his leadership is nothing more than a conduit for al-Qaeda, Takfiri Islamists, mercenaries, covert operatives and major shipments of military hardware.

The Daily Mail in the United Kingdom reports that “He held six rallies on Sunday, a measure of tensions after a week of the biggest demonstrations and worst rioting of his decade in power.”

“Thousands waved red Turkish flags and shouted Allahu Akbar (God Is Greatest) as he accused protesters of attacking women wearing headscarves and desecrating mosques by taking beer bottles into them.”

Erdogan therefore is using two dangerous forces which can easily be manipulated against demonstrators. This applies to nationalism and the Islamist card. Therefore, true to his nature he cares little about unleashing dangerous forces against the people of Turkey. He is meant to be dampening the situation by reaching out but instead he is fanning the flames for more divisions within Turkish society.

The current leader of Turkey is a dangerous maverick and by trying to incite nationalism and Islamism, then this speaks volumes about his leadership. It appears that Erdogan and his advisors have no qualms in using the state apparatus against the people of Turkey – while also inciting hatred towards the demonstrators.

Erdogan stated that “We were patient, we will be patient, but there is an end to patience, and those who play politics by hiding behind the protesters should first learn what politics means.”

The Hurriyet Daily News states (Murat Yetkin) that “The Taksim demonstrations and counter-demos by the government are not likely to end up with a radical shift in government policy, let alone a fall of the government as exaggerated by those observers trying to liken Taksim with Tahrir with their orientalist outlook. What most of the people want is simply to let their voices be heard and taken into account, not ignored because they did not vote for Erdoğan and respect for their modernist-secular way of life. The Gezi Park crisis was exactly the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was a small matter and could have been handled very easily, smoothly. But with an overdone “I have the right to do it because I have the vote support” attitude, the protests escalated into a major crisis; Erdoğan has lost his almighty image in Turkish politics and abroad.”

Irrespective of the final outcome it is clear that greater polarization will continue to take place under Erdogan. After all, compromise and diplomacy are not on his agenda. Instead, Erdogan is currently playing with the forces of nationalism and Islamist sentiments by using these forces in order to quell the demonstrations by stealth. It is a very dangerous game to play!

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogans-way-of-handling-crisis.aspx?pageID=449&nID=48500&NewsCatID=409

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2338783/Turkey-protests-2013-Tayyip-Erdogan-warns-speculators-try-make-money-troubles.html#ixzz2Vp5qQhck  

Photo Image by Alan Hilditch

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the current Prime Minister of Turkey but he currently isn’t acting with any major intellect. On the contrary, when Turkey faces its most potent internal social and political crisis, Erdogan responds by travelling abroad on a planned political trip. However, this act merely highlights that he is aloof from the reality on the ground and it shows his utter discontent towards many of the Turkish electorate which have become disillusioned.

It is clear that Turkish nationals who support open democracy, modernization, preserving the secular nature of society and other major positives are the people which are demonstrating in various parts of Turkey. Instead of trying to bridge the enormous gaps in Turkey and catering for people from many different walks of life, it seems that Erdogan intends to crush democracy by stealth. This applies to pandering to Turkish nationals who support his agenda, while alienating all and sundry who oppose his Islamist and dictatorial way of ruling modern day Turkey.

Inside Turkey it is clear that journalists and others face severe oppression based on flimsy charges. Therefore, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated that “Authorities have imprisoned journalists on a mass scale on terrorism or anti-state charges, launched thousands of other criminal prosecutions on charges such as denigrating Turkishness or influencing court proceedings, and used pressure tactics to sow self-censorship.”

The CPJ (http://cpj.org/reports/Turkey2012.English.pdf) further comments that “The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has waged one of the world’s biggest crackdowns on press freedom in recent history. Authorities have imprisoned journalists on a mass scale on terrorism or anti-state charges, launched thousands of other criminal prosecutions on charges such as denigrating Turkishness or influencing court proceedings, and used pressure tactics to sow self-censorship. Erdoğan has publicly deprecated journalists, urged media outlets to discipline or fire critical staff members, and filed numerous high-profile defamation lawsuits. His government pursued a tax evasion case against the nation’s largest media company that was widely seen as politically motivated and that led to the weakening of the company.”

Indeed, during the ongoing social and political crisis in Turkey, it is clear that many major media agencies in this nation continue to give scant coverage considering the severity of the crisis. Yet, in light of Erdogan’s installed fear within the media sector then it raises the possibility that many media agencies also fear terrible repercussions. If this is the case, then clearly Erdogan is “a dictaror who is ruling under the disguise of democracy.”

Erdogan on his return to Turkey stated “We have never been for building tension and polarisation, but we cannot applaud brutality…They say I am the prime minister of only 50%. It’s not true. We have served the whole of the 76 million from the east to the west….Among the protesters there are extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism…”

He then further highlights his power obsession by stating that “My innocent citizens must extricate themselves from the demonstrations.” However, why does he use “my?” Is it because he believes that he controls and owns people – or does this sum up his worldview whereby questioning Erdogan means going against the government of Turkey?

If Erdogan really wants to show the people of Turkey that he serves “the whole of the 76 million from the east to the west.” Then he needs to acknowledge that many sections of society fear his dictatorial approach to politics. Yes, it is clearly factual that segments within Turkish society support Erdogan. Yet, it is equally true that many segments within society oppose his monopolistic approach to serious issues. More worrying, the political, social and religious gaps are also increasing under his leadership because opposition forces feel penned in and under threat.

In another article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated that “In a nutshell, irrespective of the positives and negatives of his political leadership in Turkey; it is clear that he is “a dictatorial leader” who happens to be the leader of “a democratic nation.” Thankfully, the institutions of Turkey are not so weak despite certain areas being dismantled in relationship to secularism and other powerful areas. Despite this, you certainly feel that he wants to re-write and re-model modern Turkey within the dynamics of political Islam by stealth. Not surprisingly, it is the ordinary citizens of Turkey which are fed-up by his real intentions therefore the mass demonstrations currently hitting this nation have erupted because of his dictatorial approach to politics within a democratic nation.”

Erdogan needs to reduce his rhetoric and to stop intervening in everyday life in relationship to the natural dynamics of Turkish society. Media oppression and ignoring people who feel marginalized will only create more problems for Turkey in the long run. Turkey needs to move forward based on modernity, social diversity, media freedom, religious pluralism and the right for people to demonstrate without the fear of being beaten and killed. At the same time, the rich fabric of Turkish society needs to be protected from the heavy handed policies being implemented by political elites which have a clear Islamist agenda in Turkey.

CCN reports that “Demonstrators have demanded Erdogan’s resignation, accusing his government of creeping authoritarianism. The demonstrations have united disparate groups dissatisfied with Erdogan and angry over what protesters and international critics have described as a heavy-handed response by security forces.”

“The result has been the biggest challenge to Erdogan and his governing Justice and Development Party during their decade in power.”

More powerfully, in the Hurriyet Daily News it was stated that “It is perfectly normal that Turkey has ended up with zero friends a few years after it ventured to have zero problems with its neighbors. A government at war with half of its own people was unable to achieve peace on its borders with foreign countries. The parallelism on the etiology of failure is just too visible: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ideologues have failed to make peace with the “drunken” Turks because of their (dogmatic) Islamism, and they have failed to win their hearts because of their neo-Ottoman arrogance. By a simple twist of fate, they have failed to make peace with Turkey’s neighbors because of their (sectarian) Islamism, and they have failed to win their hearts because of their neo-Ottoman arrogance.”

It appears that some politicians in Turkey seek a genuine compromise but it remains to be seen if this logic will enter the mindset of Erdogan. Clearly nobody knows the real impact of the current social and political crisis within the body politic of Turkey. If common sense prevails then secularism and freedom will re-emerge in order to steer this nation during a very delicate period. However, can secularism and democracy be steered under Erdogan given his real intentions?

(http://cpj.org/reports/Turkey2012.English.pdf) Media Oppression in Turkey – CPJ Report

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/why-erdogan-cannot-make-peace-with-half-of-turks.aspx?PageID=238&NID=48346&NewsCatID=398

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/07/world/europe/turkey-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Helmut Joachim Schmidt and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Syrian Armed Forces have retaken Qusair near the border with Lebanon and clearly this successful military operation is hurting the enemies of this secular nation. After all, with NATO Turkey facing internal social and political issues – and with this major terrorist and military ratline being closed in Qusair – then clearly the situation looks more optimistic for the Syrian government. Therefore, major Western powers are responding by manipulating the mass media by raising the issue of chemical weapons and that allies of Syria must refrain from supporting the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Killing and kidnapping religious leaders: Silence when al-Qaeda groups took Raqqah

It is noticeable that two Christian bishops have been kidnapped by the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) but issues like this and killing pro-government Sunni clerics does not concern Gulf and Western powers. Also, when the Al Nusrah Front which is affiliated with al-Qaeda took Raqqah (Raqqa), alongside other terrorist groups like Ahrar al Sham Brigade; then did America, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom tell al-Qaeda groups to pull out? More alarmingly, with thousands of American and British troops being killed in Iraq; then why are America and the United Kingdom supporting the al-Qaeda funding states of Qatar and Saudi Arabia? After all, this is a mockery and perversion against the soldiers of America and the United Kingdom who sacrificed their lives for nothing in Iraq.

The Al Nusrah Front, Ahrar al Sham Brigade and various Takfiri groups then set about turning Raqqah into a “year zero Islamist zone.” Captured soldiers and anyone deemed loyal to the government of Syria were openly executed in front of adults and children alike. Then summary justice of whipping people and putting women in the shadows followed. Yet did major NATO Western powers bat an eyelid and did the take-over of Raqqah by al-Qaeda affiliated groups concern Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other nations in the Gulf? Likewise, did the mass media throughout the West and in the Gulf region launch a campaign to be used against al-Qaeda affiliated groups to pull-out of Raqqah?

Former Yugoslavia to Libya

It is worth recalling that major Western powers and Gulf petrodollars have been involved in the wars of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, former Yugoslavia and now against Syria. At the same time, Mali, India, Niger, Pakistan, (Pakistan destabilized itself by allying with Islamist forces in Afghanistan throughout the 1980s and 1990s) Tunisia (secular leader killed by terrorists) and other nations have felt the ripples of outside meddling. Also, the fiasco of Afghanistan throughout the 1980s and 1990s fueled anti-Shia and anti-modernity forces which continue to grip many parts of the world.

The former Yugoslavia and Libya were bombed from the sky by NATO powers while terrorist groups were given a free reign to kill at random on the ground. This applies to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Libyan affiliated al-Qaeda terrorist groups which once had fought allied American and British troops in Iraq. Indeed, the rise of the KLA and FSA share many parallels in terms of the speed of their development and the ratlines now being used against Syria. After all, it is known that FSA members visited Albanian ruled Kosovo (Vast numbers of Orthodox Christians have been cleansed on the watch of Western powers) and Libya is a military, covert operative and mercenary play ground.

Libya and the former Yugoslavia were bombed from the sky whereby major NATO powers were free to kill and destroy the infrastructure at random. In the former Yugoslavia (by this time Serbia and Montenegro) it is clear that NATO forces did not want to fight the armed forces of Serbia openly. Therefore, NATO systematically bombed the infrastructure of Serbia and killed vast numbers of civilians. The ratio of civilian deaths to military troops is shockingly high but of course NATO powers were exonerated from breaking international law. Likewise, willfully targeting the infrastructure of Serbia and spreading untold fear against civilians in order for this nation to capitulate was deemed reasonable by elite nations. At the same time, KLA terrorist forces which committed mass atrocities, including killing people for organs, were given a free reign to kill Serbian Orthodox Christians and destroy Serbian Orthodox Churches.

Vivian Martin, International Action Center in New York, states that “From the onset of NATO’s aggression from March 24 to June 11, 1999, the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) flew over 35,000 combat missions over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Over 1,000 warplanes (among others F-15, F-16, F-117) and 206 helicopters were used in the air strikes. More than 20,000 laser or satellite-guided weapons were launched and over 79,000 tons of explosives were dropped, including 152 containers with 35,450 cluster bombs, thermo-visual and graphite bombs, which are prohibited under international conventions.”¹

“The NATO forces justified the bombing of civilian targets as either “mistakes” or essential to the destruction of Milosevic and the Yugoslav Army. However, these attacks were not made solely against military targets but against the Yugoslav population as a whole.”

“As a direct result of the bombings, thousands of civilians were killed and more than 6,000 sustained serious injuries. A large number of the injured will remain crippled for life. NATO bombings have burned amputated, wounded and disabled many civilians of all-ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Children make made up 30% of all casualties as well as 40% of the total number injured. In addition, approximately 300,000 children have suffered severe psychological traumas and will require continuos medical surveillance and treatment. Children have been victims of the sprinkle cluster bombs, with delayed effects, and will continue to be victimized until all parks, play-fields and open areas have been made safe from the remaining unexploded bombs scattered throughout Yugoslavia.”

In Libya major NATO powers would once more bomb from the sky while anti-Gaddafi forces would execute their prisoners after torture. Many videos highlight that anti-Gaddafi forces which were allies of America, France, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and others; also systematically tortured and killed black Africans based on their skin color. Indeed, sometimes black Africans were put in prisons that resembled zoos and then forced to beg for mercy while being treated like animals. Of course, massacres took place on all sides but how does this exonerate the barbarity of what happened in Libya based on the meddling of outside nations?

Modern day Libya is nothing more than a failed state whereby Sufi shrines are attacked and the minority Christian community resides in fear. Various militias control several parts of major cities and terrorism emanating from this failed state continues to worry Algeria, Mali, Niger, Tunisia and Syria. Therefore, the new free Libya is a hotbed of instability, terrorism, Takfiri hatred and lawlessness. Also, Libya is a conduit in the flow of terrorists from North Africa to Syria alongside supplying military arms and covert operatives which manipulate the failed structures of this country.

UK, US and France condemn Qusair but Fine for Allies to Sponsor Sectarianism, Terrorism and Sedition

France is clearly riled by the loss of the international terrorist and ratline base in Qusair because once more President Hollande is using the specter of chemical weapons. Ironically, the UN finding under Carla Del Ponte firmly points the finger at forces being supported by major NATO powers and Gulf nations. Also, in Iraq and Turkey it is clear that al-Qaeda affiliated groups have been found with chemicals. Of course, this matters not because it is fine for al-Qaeda and the FSA to behead, kill minorities, kidnap Christian bishops, kill pro-government Sunni clerics, deliberately kill journalists and train little children to behead captured Syrian soldiers. In the world of President Obama, President Hollande and Prime Minister Cameron all the above equates to “freedom” and “democracy.”

American with its usual hypocrisy called on Hezbollah and Iran to pull fighters out of Syria. Of course, the same America isn’t stopping Qatar and Saudi Arabia from funding Sunni militant jihadists which not only hate the Alawites, Christians and Shia – but given their Takfiri mindset, then killing Sunni Muslim clerics is also fine. Qusair is also within easy reach of Lebanon and clearly Shia villages on both sides of the border have been attacked by various Takfiri and terrorist groups. Indeed, instead of condemning Hezbollah it is clear that this political movement stood by for a long time while their co-religionists were being persecuted. It is also essential to note that Christians are not worried about Hezbollah and the same applies to all faith groups because this movement supports the mosaic of Lebanon and Syria respectively. Yet, Takfiri groups want to destroy all and sundry and to crush Syrian civilization just like the Taliban wants to destroy the mosaic of Afghanistan and eradicate all traces of past cultures like Buddhism.

Chemical Issue

In the last few weeks it is clear that al-Qaeda groups and various affiliates are trying to use chemicals. The Long War Journal states “The Iraqi military announced today that it arrested five members of an al Qaeda cell that was seeking to manufacture chemical weapons, including sarin nerve gas, and plotting to conduct attacks within Iraq, Europe, and North America.”

“The Defense Ministry announced that it arrested the five members of the al Qaeda in Iraq cell and raided two factories in Baghdad that were used to research and manufacture the deadly chemical agents. The arrests were made with the help of undisclosed foreign intelligence services.”

In another article by The Long War Journal which provides information from several Turkish media groups. It is stated that “On May 30, the Turkish media reported that 12 individuals from the al Qaeda-linked Al Nusrah Front had been captured in antiterror operations in Adana, along with a total of two kilos (4, 5 lb) of sarin gas. Five of the 12 suspects were later released; the interrogation of the other seven is ongoing.”

“According to another daily, Radikal, however, the suspects said that they planned to take the materials back to the conflict areas in Syria.”

In another article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated that “Human rights investigators from the United Nations (UN) have taken medical testimonies from Syrians which clearly imply that terrorists in Syria have used chemicals against the people of this nation. This applies to sarin nerve gas therefore will the enemies of Syria bomb and agitate against the so-called Free Syrian Army (supported by outside nations and agencies like the CIA)? Of course, individuals like John Kerry (US) and William Hague (UK) will try to squirm their way out like usual and a future “false flag” is sure to be raised. Despite this, it is clear that the “chemical issue” is “dead and buried” because at worse the side of Ankara, Doha, London, Paris, Riyadh and Washington have been involved in using sarin gas. Of course, with America using Agent Orange against Vietnam and dropping this agent on Cambodia and Laos despite not even being at war with Cambodia and Loas – then clearly the information released by the UN human rights investigators isn’t shocking.”

Also, the independent commission of inquiry which was set up by the UN according to Carla Del Ponte can’t find any incriminating evidence against the government of Syria. Therefore, Del Ponte comments that “investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated.”

“This was use on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities.”

All the above information is mocking America, France, the United Kingdom and their allies throughout the Middle East. The same also applies to the mass media in the West and Gulf region which have raised countless false flags and distorted events on the ground. Laurent Fabius, the Foreign Minister of France, clearly doesn’t like to read about al-Qaeda being caught in Iraq and Turkey with chemicals. Likewise, he desires to ignore the UN independent commission which points the finger at the side of so-called opposition forces.

Fabius reported to France 24 “that his government was certain Syria’s army had used chemical weapons during the bloody civil conflict, in particular the deadly nerve agent sarin.”

“Asked if chemical weapons had also been used by the opposition, Fabius said he was not certain, but that documented reports of the use chemical weapons for now only reliably pointed a finger at Assad.”

In other words Fabius like William Hague of the United Kingdom are claiming that the security agencies of Iraq and Turkey are lying and the same applies to international agents which helped Iraq. Similarly, Fabius is rejecting the independent UN commission which reports that it is the side backed by major Western and Gulf powers which appear to have used chemicals. Of course, with the FSA and various al-Qaeda affiliates suffering setbacks on the ground then more false flags must be used against Syria in order to stem the time which is favoring the Syrian government. In other words, the so-called Western and Gulf sponsored revolution can’t succeed without major military support to vast numbers of international terrorists, mercenaries and covert operatives.
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/06/iraq_breaks_up_al_qa.php#ixzz2VPfCodc0

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505 　

http://rt.com/news/un-syria-rebels-chemical-weapons-854/　

http://www.france24.com/en/20130605-syria-rebels-weapons-qusair-france-laurent-fabius-diplomacy-russia-assad

http://www.iacenter.org/warcrime/25_civil.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22789455

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/05/06/syria-and-un-investigators-concrete-suspicions-that-fsa-islamists-used-sarin-gas/

http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2013/05/on_may_30_the_turkish.php#ixzz2VPgQxrfY

http://www.agentorangerecord.com/agent_orange_history/in_cambodia_laos/ US and Agent Orange

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, turned his back on regional nations and today internal convulsions are rocking his grand designs. Internationally, it is known that Erdogan tries to manipulate the media in order to boost his own personal ratings. Yet given his outspoken nature towards other nations then Erdogan appears unstable and openly manipulative. Therefore, the current demonstrations are openly showing the people of Turkey that his shortcomings are indeed severe when it comes to natural communication and diplomacy.

Erdogan stated that “There is 50 percent of [the country who voted for the ruling Justice and Development Party - AKP], and we can barely keep them at home [and prevent them from coming onto the streets for counter-protests]. But we have called on them to calm down.” However, he doesn’t appear to understand that Turkey is democratic therefore why is he implying that counter-demonstrations may take place whereby confrontation will become the order of the day?

In a nutshell, irrespective of the positives and negatives of his political leadership in Turkey; it is clear that he is “a dictatorial leader” who happens to be the leader of a “democratic nation.” Thankfully, the institutions of Turkey are not so weak despite certain areas being dismantled in relationship to secularism and other powerful areas. Despite this, you certainly feel that he wants to re-write and re-model modern Turkey within the dynamics of political Islam by stealth. Not surprisingly, it is the ordinary citizens of Turkey which are fed-up by his real intentions therefore the mass demonstrations currently hitting this nation have erupted because of his dictatorial approach to politics within a democratic nation.

Demonstrations can erupt within a one party state, multi-party democratic nations, feudal monarchies, theocratic states and where ruling elites preserve power. Every nation will respond differently during times of crisis and sometimes outside nations will try to instigate mayhem when they see a weakness based on geopolitical factors. However, Erdogan belongs to a democratic state therefore he needs to respond in a manor within this framework. For example, recently you have had demonstrations in parts of Sweden but the leaders of this nation are not threatening to bring their supporters onto the streets in order to threaten the demonstrators. Therefore, why is Erdogan making it known that he could ask AKP members to start counter-demonstrations if he desired to do so?

Erdogan is also turning against the media and social media like twitter. Once more, this sounds like a very dictatorial leader within the body politic of democracy in modern day Turkey. Ironically, the same Erdogan didn’t mind the same Western and Gulf media from propagating against the government of Syria. Also, while Erdogan went running to Washington about the chemical issue; he now appears to have lost his voice because the so-called Syrian opposition was caught in Turkey with chemical agents. In this sense, Erdogan propagated sensationalism against a neighboring nation based on open lies. Therefore, if opponents in Turkey propagate misinformation then he can’t cry wolf. However, his opponents in Turkey don’t need to propagate misinformation because they are just demanding that their way of life is protected from the ill-intentions of the ruling AKP government.

The leader of Turkey is also showing his disdain towards the current political and social crisis in Turkey by leaving the nation in order to go on a political trip to Morocco. Erdogan stated prior to leaving that “There are those attending these events organized by extremists. This is not about Gezi Park anymore. These are organized events with affiliations both within Turkey and abroad.”

“The main opposition party CHP has provoked my innocent citizens. Those who make news [and] call these events the Turkish Spring do not know Turkey.”

Erdogan is now also trying to pin the blame on a foreign conspiracy. This is also ironic because under the ruling AKP government Turkey is a major conduit for terrorists, foreign security agencies, military arms, and other dark forces; which are entering Syria with the open approval of Erdogan.

He therefore states that “Our intelligence work is ongoing [to determine the foreign actors behind the protests]. It is not possible to reveal their names. But we will have meetings with their heads.”

“Those who advise us to be moderate must themselves first come to moderation.”

It is clear that Erdogan is clutching at straws because he can’t see outside of the walls that he builds around himself. In reality, he wants to turn the social clock back and blatantly intervenes in the foreign affairs of regional nations. Not surprisingly, many swathes of the general public in Turkey are alarmed by his dictatorial ways based on the reality that Turkey is a democratic state.

Paul Mason of the BBC comments that “The main meme – as with the flags – is “we are sons of Ataturk.” That is, we are a secular republic and we are worried about the autocratic use of power by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, combined with a creeping Islamisation.”

He further states that “I have covered Syntagma, the Occupy protests and reported from Tahrir Square. This is different to all of them.”

“First, it is massive. The sheer numbers dwarf any single episode of civil unrest in Greece.”

“Second, the breadth of social support – within the urban enclave of Istanbul – is bigger than Greece and closer to Egypt.”

Gulf petrodollars will not help Erdogan nor will the whims of Washington and the increasing reliance on NATO when dealing with neighboring events. Erdogan needs to wake up to the reality that arresting journalists, threatening to send the supporters of the AKP onto the streets and blaming outside nations – all sounds like a leader who is trapped within the democratic institutions of Turkey. Therefore, the more he rants, the more it becomes clear that Erdogan is not only an internal threat to secularism but he is also a danger regionally because of his undiplomatic approach to events.

Even now, nobody knows the full extent of the ongoing political and social convulsions hitting Turkey because the crisis could spiral – or peter out based on many factors. Irrespective of this, it is clear that Erdogan is a very divisive figure and his rhetoric is not fitting for a major democratic leader.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-gets-into-row-with-reuters-reporter-over-taksim-protests.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48101&NewsCatID=338

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22753418

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-intelligence-looking-into-foreign-links-to-taksim-protests-pm-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48097&NewsCatID=338

Photo by Azirlazarus

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Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is witnessing mass discontent towards his political leadership which is alienating many people within Turkey. It is clear that the protest against the destruction of Taksim Gezi Park was the initial trigger in Istanbul but the underlying factors are much deeper. This applies to major internal issues whereby Erdogan ignores many sections of society and externally. External issues apply to the growing presence of NATO forces within Turkey; supporting chaos against neighboring Syria; allowing dangerous terrorist and Islamist Salafi ideologies to enter parts of Turkey in order to destabilize Syria; creating tensions with neighboring Iraq; and a plethora of other issues. At the same time, it appears that secularism is under threat because of the underlying Islamist agenda of the Erdogan government.

It is reported that demonstrations and unrest also reached Ankara, Bodrum, Konya and Izmir. Therefore, the political leadership in Turkey is bracing itself for a second day of major tensions between the state apparatus and Turkish citizens. Erdogan immediately senses that protests may increase therefore police officers from other areas are being sent to areas of mass discontent. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) under Erdogan is intent on challenging secularism and replacing areas of society by implementing Islamist policies. However, given the delicate nature of Turkey then the AK Party knows that it must tread carefully but Erdogan often neglects diplomacy.

Erdogan stated that he vowed “…to ensure the safety of people and their property….Police were there (Taksim Square) yesterday; they’ll be on duty today and also tomorrow because Taksim Square cannot be an area where extremists are running wild…”

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is taking a very different approach. He states “Don’t confront the people with police. Withdraw the police immediately from the Taksim Gezi [Park] area. People are defending their city. That’s why they are resisting.”

America was quick to voice concern because Jen Psaki from the State Department stated “We are concerned about the number of people who were injured when police dispersed protesters….Turkey’s long-term stability, security and prosperity is best guaranteed by upholding the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and association, which is what it seems these individuals were doing.”

Clearly Jen Psaki isn’t mincing her words despite the strong bonds between America and Turkey based on Turkey’s role within NATO and the geopolitical significance of this nation for America. It remains to be seen if Erdogan will take heed but this comment would imply that America believes that you have genuine concerns within Turkey towards the way the country is being ruled under Erdogan. Therefore, the State Department and other powerful bodies within America don’t want to see the crisis develop further by militancy within the Erdogan government. Given this reality, then the blunt words by the State Department will be aimed at the need to nip the crisis in the bud.

If Erdogan believes that he is untouchable because of being elected three times then he may make the situation worse. Erdogan is either loved or loathed throughout Turkey – just like Margaret Thatcher who led the United Kingdom several decades ago. However, given the volatile nature of the region then America, the United Kingdom, and other friends of Turkey; want to see a reasonable approach taken by the Erdogan government.

Reuters reports that “Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon on Friday at demonstrators in central Istanbul, wounding scores of people and prompting rallies in other cities in the fiercest anti-government protests in years.”

Further down in the same article it states that “Riot police clashed with tens of thousands of May Day protesters in Istanbul this month. There have also been protests against the government’s stance on the conflict in neighboring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.”

It remains to be seen if multiple anti-Erdogan forces will materialize in the following few days given the array of areas where many Turkish citizens feel alienated; or if demonstrations will gradually peter out by early next week. Either way, it is clear that political elites in Ankara, Washington and London are all watching carefully. After all, the anti-Syrian alliance was stoked up heavily by the Erdogan government and NATO’s eyes are firmly on the Russian Federation. Therefore, while demonstrators are heavily focused on domestic issues it is also abundantly clear that international concerns are also very powerful given the policies of Erdogan.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/capital-city-rocked-by-police-crackdown-on-solidarity-protest-with-gezi-park.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48014&NewsCatID=341

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/main-opposition-leader-calls-on-pm-to-order-withdrawal-of-police-from-taksim.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48011&NewsCatID=338

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Irrespective if people support the Syrian government or are against the political leaders of this nation, it is abundantly clear that past interventions lead to chaos and failed states. Either political elites in Gulf nations, America, France, Turkey and the United Kingdom enjoy mass instability and cleansing religious minorities; or the agenda is to create weak failed states in order to protect the feudal monarchies of the Gulf and Israel. If not, then nothing makes sense and this also applies to Western nations being anti-Christian in the Middle East and in other parts of the world.

It is known that the most powerful religious leader in Saudi Arabia desires that all Christian churches are to be destroyed throughout the region. Of course, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia supporting Sunni Salafi fanatics and terrorists against the government of Syria; then this could be part of the anti-Christian crusade installed by feudal monarchs and religious elites in Saudi Arabia.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Asheikh from Saudi Arabia stated that it was “necessary to destroy all the churches of the region.” This distinguished Islamist cleric who is a close friend of the ruling elites in Saudi Arabia, voiced this opinion to the visiting delegation from Kuwait. It appears that he wants Kuwait to follow the anti-Christian and anti-non-Muslim religious line of Saudi Arabia which refuses to allow one single Buddhist temple, Christian church, Hindu temple and so forth. Therefore, when one militant fanatic desires to burn the Koran (something that Islamists do all the time during their terrorist attacks and destroying Shia mosques) in America the American administration and mass media speaks out; however, having strong relations with Islamist states which hate all other religions is obviously not a concern.

It is clear that Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser was a threat to the elites throughout the Gulf and in major Western nations. Likewise, Saddam Hussein was an ally of the Sunni Gulf dominated monarchies and powerful Western nations during the Iran-Iraq war. Yet the Kuwait question destroyed this unity. Of course, when Saddam Hussein was busy killing the Shia in Iraq and fighting against Iran then this was welcomed. Likewise, when Kurds were gassed in Iraq then this also could be brushed under the carpet. However, to enter a feudal undemocratic state called Kuwait was something else. Therefore, a well orchestrated media campaign was paid to increase many lies about the nation of Kuwait and with regards to many alleged massacres which later turned out to be clear fabrications. Despite this, the United States and United Kingdom will protect anti-Christian Gulf monarchies to the hilt because of energy factors, geopolitics and other important areas.

Over forty years ago the usual nations intervened in Afghanistan by supporting the most “year zero Islamists” on the face of the planet. Not only did America, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and other nations, support Islamist sectarians and terrorists – but they even gave military training, assistance and helped to co-ordinate future terrorist groups. Osama bin Laden was once a friendly ally of major Gulf nations, America, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Of course, September 11 brought this home to America but for the people of Afghanistan, North-Western Pakistan and India ruled Kashmir; then Islamist militancy is continuing to destroy all forms of moderation and helping to cleanse religious minorities. Women also have bore a terrible price and while Islamists may ban alcohol it is clear that selling and taking heroin isn’t deemed un-Islamic. Therefore, you now have a major drug problem in Afghanistan and Pakistan but despite all the chaos it is now the turn to destroy multi-religious and secular Syria.

Even while Afghanistan continues to burn in a spiral of Islamist hatred, enormous indoctrination, forcing women into the shadows and being unable to crush Taliban forces; the next venture had begun against Iraq. The Kuwait debacle highlighted the reality that while approximately 3 to 4 million black Africans were killed in Sudan based on the policies of Arabization and Islamization; then this could be tolerated, but invading a wealthy Gulf state was a different matter. Simply put, just like in East Timor whereby approximately one third of the population was killed by central forces in Indonesia – it is apparent that Christians (Sudan and East Timor) and Animists (Sudan) just don’t count because the US and UK kept on supplying weapons to Indonesia. America also welcomed the introduction of Islamic Sharia law in Sudan under the leadership of President Jaafar Nimeiri in 1983 just like Washington helped this legal framework to take power in Afghanistan, Iraq and most recently Libya.

Clearly, the anti-Muslim rhetoric aimed at America doesn’t hold much weight apart from opposing moderate forces in the Muslim world based on the objectives of Saudi Arabia and other major Gulf nations.  Therefore, the only forces to suffer at the hands of America’s foreign policy in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cyprus (invasion by Turkey), Kosovo, Libya, Iraq and now in Syria – are Christians, secular forces and mainstream Islam which became attacked by Sunni Islamic jihadists, Salafi militants and a plethora of terrorist groups. These Islamist groups think nothing about killing Shia Muslims, minority Muslim groups like the Alawites, Sunni Muslim clerics which support religious diversity and non-Muslims. In this sense, the political elites in Washington and London have installed compliant Muslim dominated governments in Bosnia and Kosovo – while doing nothing when Orthodox Christians were cleansed by Turkey after this nation invaded Northern Cyprus. Meanwhile, secular forces within the state institutions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have all been vanquished by the implementation of Islamic Sharia law once ruling elites were overthrown in the three above nations. Given this reality, it appears that America and the United Kingdom are implementing a pro-Saudi Arabia and Gulf Islamist agenda which is anti-Christian, anti-secular and anti-mainstream Islam because they always side with conservative and reactionary Islamist forces. The upshot being that approximately 50% of Christians fled Iraq and vast numbers of Christians have fled Kosovo; this happened on the watch of America and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Egypt the Coptic Christians are now facing a growing Islamist menace but once more America and the United Kingdom keep on supplying more funds to the Muslim Brotherhood led government.

In Kosovo the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was implicated in killing people for organs and other massacres. Similarly, in Syria you have video evidence of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and various Islamist groups teaching children to behead Syrian soldiers, cutting open Syrian soldiers and eating organs, killing Sunni Muslim clerics which support the government and a host of other brutal deeds including beheading many Alawites and Shia Muslims. Yet, it appears that all the above – and kidnapping Christian bishops – means zilch to America, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom. After all, the more massacres are committed by the FSA and various Islamist terrorist groups then the more they obtain funds in order to destroy Syria. It must be stated that Syria, just like Egypt under Nasser, is a proud and free nation which refuses to bow down to international domination. Therefore, the secular government of Syria is deemed to be a threat to Western powers, Gulf powers and treacherous Turkey because these collective forces saw an opportunity to destroy the last major secular and independent nation in the Arabic speaking world.

Libya in the post-Gaddafi period is nothing more than a failed state whereby various militias control parts of the country. Recent terrorist attacks in Algeria, Mali and Niger all have a connection linking the failed state of Libya. At the same time the CIA, MI6 and other security intelligence networks have been involved in sending military arms to terrorists in Syria via Bosnia, Libya, Croatia, Kosovo and other routes. Note, that the US and UK all supported anti-Serb forces in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo; meanwhile, the ruling elites in Libya now rely on London and Washington for economic support.

In another Modern Tokyo Times article about Libya it was stated that “The ‘bomb democracy’ Western and Gulf policy in Libya brought about the massacres of black Africans, killing of Gaddafi loyalists and created a “new society” based on disorder which is currently ongoing. Indeed, the chaos which is engulfing Libya is now destabilizing Northern Mali and creating problems for Tunisia. This destabilization is based on vast quantities of military hardware being available and more dangerously the Salafi ideology is spreading because of money from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.”

“Turning back to Libya and Northern Mali then currently Salafist organizations are intent on destroying all Islamic thought patterns outside of their “blinkered monoculture,” which thrives on hatred and fear. Indeed, in Syria video evidence survives which makes it clear that the Western and Islamist “marriage of convenience” is now spreading this dangerous ideology within this country. Therefore, mainstream Islam and religious minorities have much to fear in Syria. However, like usual political leaders in London, Paris and Washington will support any form of barbarity providing it meets their geopolitical ambitions.”

The nation of Syria welcomed the fleeing Palestinians and took in over one million refugees from Iraq irrespective if the refugees were Christian, Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim or whatever. Syria is a multi-religious nation and secular based. Also, it is abundantly clear that no evidence can be provided which shows massacres by the government of Syria before outside nations sponsored sectarianism, terrorism and sedition against this nation. Therefore, the armed forces of Syria are doing their upmost to protect the people of Syria and preserve the independence of this nation. After all, which side is kidnapping Christian bishops, kidnapping UN personnel, killing Sunni Muslim clerics, beheading Alawites, butchering the Shia, murdering journalists and so forth? Despite this, major Western and Gulf powers alongside Turkey are intent on destroying the fabric of Syrian society and these nations care little about creating another failed state – after all, look at the track record of Afghanistan, Kosovo, Libya and Iraq.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Helmet Joachim Schmidt and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Vast numbers of terrorist attacks have devastated many parts of Syria because of the collective policies of America, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom. This applies to nations openly supporting terrorism and sectarianism against Syria which applies to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Meanwhile, major Western powers including America, France and the United Kingdom are involved in covert operations against Syria and manipulating regional nations like Jordan. Therefore, the terrorist attack in Turkey is now part of the collective approach of crushing Syria by other means because on the battlefield the armed forces of Syria have been reinvigorated.

The Russian Federation unlike other major powers frankly condemns all terrorist attacks. However, other nations opposed to the Syrian government are very selective because clearly the forces they are sponsoring in Syria are involved in car bombings and other forms of terrorist attacks. Not surprisingly, the government of Turkey is pinning the blame on Syria without even waiting for the conclusions of the twin car bombings which killed many innocent civilians.

It must be stated that many Turkish nationals in border areas are opposed to the policies of Erdogan who is the Prime Minister of Turkey. Therefore, demonstrations opposing the Erdogan government have been heard in various parts of Turkey. The Syrian government at all times clearly differentiates between the brutal terrorist, sectarian and seditious policies of the Erdogan government while praising the Turkish people for their friendship. Clearly, the chemical issue and this brutal terrorist attack is not in the interest of the government of Syria. After all, the Syrian government knows  that their enemies are manipulating the media and power control mechanisms of the United Nations in order to defeat Syria by stealth.

Ahmet Davutoglu, the Foreign Minister of Turkey, comments that “Nothing will go unanswered…There may be those who want to sabotage Turkey’s peace, but we will not allow that.” The words of Davutoglu carry little weight because Turkey is behind the destabilization of Syria. This applies to being a conduit for international terrorists, covert operatives, supplying military weapons and allowing various terrorist factions to openly manipulate the border areas in order to weaken independent Syria. Also, it is clear that Turkey is hiding behind NATO because unlike Syria which is independent – the Erdogan government is waiting for the “green light” to attack Syria – in the knowledge that NATO will side with Turkey if a major regional conflict emerged. However, the government of Syria is not interested in responding to such provocations because Syrian political leaders know Turkey is trying to drag this nation into a regional war.

Erdogan and Davutoglu are in league with Washington in the conspiracy against secular Syria. However, many Turkish nationals are alarmed by the policies of the Erdogan government because instability is increasing in Iraq and Syria based on nations supporting sectarianism, terrorism and sedition. Lebanon is also in a very delicate situation therefore  many nationals in Turkey are against meddling into the affairs of Syria.

Iraq, meanwhile, accuses Turkey of being behind sectarianism and destabilization polices. Saadun al-Dulaimi stated that “There are foreign agendas controlling these sites…It is like Anbar, or Mosul or Samarra (the cities hit by major protests) are part of the Ottoman Empire.

Dulaimi also stated that “protest sites have become a safe haven for terrorists and killers and those who call for strife, sectarianism and hate.” 

Major political leaders in Turkey haven’t even waited for any findings to be stated about the terrorist attacks which killed many innocent civilians. Erdogan and Davutoglu also claim that the armed forces of Syria are involved in issues related to using chemical weapons. Of course, Erdogan being Erdogan, then this applies to vast numbers of chemical abuses by the Syrian government.

In another article about Syria by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated that “The independent commission of inquiry set up by the UN according to Carla Del Ponte can’t find any incriminating evidence against the government of Syria.”

On the contrary, Carla Del Ponte states that “investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated.”

“This was use on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities.”

Despite the findings of Carla Del Ponte the same nations involved in supporting terrorism, sectarianism and sedition against Syria are plying their own agendas in order to crush the independence of this nation. Therefore, the devastating terrorist attack in Turkey near the border with Syria is open to manipulation by the forces that have unleashed terrorism against the people of Syria. It is more than likely that blowback hit the people of Turkey just like Turkish border guards were killed recently by “opposition terrorist forces.” After all, it is not in the interest of Syria to enable their enemies to further up the ante against this independent nation.

Alexei Pushkov, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Duma of the Russian Federation, comments that “In the terrorist attack in Turkey, Syria was accused again – as it is always blamed for everything. Someone wants to disrupt the peace conference and to push ahead with the use of military force.” 

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Vojin Joksimovich, PhD

Modern Tokyo Times

Blowback

The term blowback became a part of my vocabulary after I read Chalmers Johnson’s book:  Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire. The late Chalmers Johnson was my neighbor. He sent me a copy of his book and wrote: “With appreciation for your excellent Kosovo Crisis.” His book dealt with examples of Okinawa, Stealth Imperialism, South Korea, North Korea, China, Japan and Meltdown. I felt that my book Kosovo Crisis: A Policy in the Foreign Policy Mismanagement and even more so in my subsequent book The Revenge of the Prophet: How Clinton and his Predecessors Empowered Radical Islam, that these two books supplement his blowback examples while focusing on different parts of the world: Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia. The Boston marathon horror appears to be yet another blowback attributable to the US foreign and domestic immigration policies.

101 on Salafism (Radical Islam)

The Muslim Brotherhood (MB), founded by Egyptian Al-Banna in 1928, has had a slogan: “God is our purpose; the Prophet is our leader; the Koran is our constitution, Jihad is our way; and dying for God’s causes our supreme objective.” The MB spawned another Egyptian called Sayyid Qutb, who provided the intellectual underpinnings of the Salafi jihadism or Radical Islam as it exists today. Salafism advocates a strict interpretation of the Koran and a return to the practices of the Prophet Mohammed and his disciples. Salafists, also called Islamists, are using a black banner as their emblem and they consider jihad as the pillar of Islam. The remarkable “success” of Salafism, including the rise after the so called the Arab spring, is attributable primarily to the Saudi petrodollars and Qatar is increasingly playing a more important role. Saudi Arabia, a key US ally, has been funding for decades Islamic proselytism of its own branch of Salafism, i.e. a conservative version of Sunni Islam named Wahhabism, after its creator Muhammad  ibn Abd Wahhab (1703-1791). Wahhabism became the state religion of Saudi Arabia. It could be viewed that present-day Salafism is an export version of Wahhabism. By supporting various Salafist groups, Saudi Arabia ensures it will not be threatened by home-grown jihadists. The US policy-makers consider Saudi Arabia as untouchable.

The MB and the Salafists have the same goals vis-à-vis the West but the strategies differ. US policy-makers do not seem capable to comprehend this fact. Central to their ideology is the reintroduction of the caliphate, an Islamic super-state governed by  Sharia law that would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific as it did during the Islamic imperium.  Terrorism should be viewed as a tactic in asymmetric warfare. It is an equalizer and it is extremely cost effective.

Osama bin-Laden was a Salafist. After his death, there was attrition among the Al Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan/Pakistan but the Salafist ideology he advanced continues to thrive. The terrorist organization he co-founded, Al Qaeda, continues to operate in different forms in many parts of the world. Bin Laden issued two fatwas (1996, 1998) declaring the war against the US. His second fatwa called on all Muslims “to kill Americans and their allies, civilians and military, as an individual duty.”  Hence, radical Islam has been at war with America since 1996 but America has not been at war with Radical Islam. Instead, the American response has been some kind of an ineffectual appeasement and lack of leadership under all three US presidents (Clinton, Bush and Obama), despite a number of severe blowbacks. The American public has been the victim of this flawed policy.

Another big success of Salafists has been the radicalization of Muslims in the West thereby creating home-grown threats either by offering training outside the US or via the internet. There were 12 home-grown terrorist plots in the US in 2010, compared to 1 in 2005. The New York Police Department (NYPD) has been in the forefront of fighting home-grown terrorism. The NYPD thwarted as many as 16 terrorist plots on the city since 9/11.

The Clinton Era

The Salafist networks flourished during the Clinton era (1993-2001). Mansoor Ijaz, a Pakistani-American and a Clinton supporter, characterized it as: “their counter-terrorism policies fueled the rise of Osama bin-Laden from an ordinary man to a Hydra-like monster.” Clinton’s lack of resolve to fight terrorism and turning a “blind-eye” to Salafism amounted to pussyfooting and appeasement. Bin Laden capitalized. On Clinton’s watch over 10,000 terrorists were trained in Al Qaida (Al Qaeda) training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while only 29 terrorists were captured. On Clinton’s watch Al Qaeda and its affiliates planned many and executed several successfully against the US including: 1993 World Trade Center bombings killing 6 and injuring over 1,000; the 1993 killing of 18 American servicemen in Somalia, the averted 1995 project Bojinka, which called for planting bombs on 11 US airliners; 1995 Riyadh Saudi National Guard Station killing 5 and injuring 30 Americans; the 1996 Khobar Towers attack killing 19 Americans; the 1998 attack on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania killing 224 (12 Americans); and 2000 attack on USS destroyer Cole killing 17 US servicemen.

Several other salient events of far reaching consequences took place in the Balkans, particularly in Bosnia and Kosovo. US condoned and covertly assisted jihad in Bosnia, which enabled Bin Laden to implement his master plan to establish a base of operations in Europe against Al Qaeda’s true enemy: the US. Bosnia became the direct springboard for 9/11. The US empowered Al Qaeda’s Al Mujahid Brigade in Bosnia. Members of this brigade played pivotal roles in both 9/11 and the Madrid bombings. 3,000 New York residents lost their lives due to these misguided policies. After turning Bosnia into an Iranian, Wahhabist and Al Qaeda terrorist haven, Clinton decided to support “good terrorists” in the Serbian provinces of Kosovo and Metohija, i.e. the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) narco-terrorists initially linked to Al Qaeda. In addition, the Clinton administration cultivated relations with other groups known for terrorist violence, e.g. the Palestinian Liberation Organization in Palestine and the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland, thus setting examples for counter-terrorism policies.

It appears that Clinton’s lack of resolve vis-à-vis bin Laden was in part due to his Islamophilia.  In the 2001 speech at the Georgetown University he said that Muslims in the Middle East might hate America less if only they understood how much the Clinton administration had done for Islam. “Most Muslims in in the Middle East, I’ll guarantee you, don’t know the last time we used our military power was to protect poor Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo.” He also referred to atrocities committed by crusaders. So Clinton decided to bomb a small Orthodox Christian nation called Serbia, US ally in both WWI and WWII, in order to appease the Islamic world.

The Bush-43 Era

As a result of his election and 9/11, the foreign policy of the world’s only superpower has been managed by a small clique of so called neo-conservatives (neocons).  After 9/11 the neocons saw a unique opportunity equivalent to the late 1940s, when the US first engaged the Soviet Union in the Cold War. There were two regime changes in Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of the Bush counter-terrorist strategy with explicit endorsement of a preemptive war doctrine. In contrast to the 1940s, the US has been by and large perceived as an aggressor, as an imperialist nation, which made the talk of democracy come across as a blind bid for American supremacy.

Until 9/11 the Bush administration viewed bin Laden as a “little terrorist,” not a strategic threat and hence no sense of urgency in dealing with Al Qaeda. On the night of 9/11 Bush wrote in his diary: “The Pearl Harbor of the 20th century took place today…We think it is bin Laden.”  In his address to the nation he said: “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.”  The neocons had already put Saddam Hussein’s coordinates in the computer and they wanted to attack Iraq irrespective of who was responsible for 9/11. There was no link between Saddam and 9/11 so Bush chose to attack Afghanistan first, a softer target. The so called war on terror was launched. It was executed as Pax Americana and it has resulted in loss of some 7,000 American lives, about 50,000 maimed and it is costing the nation five trillion dollars, a large fraction of the existing $16.8 trillion national debt.

Iraq was a secular Muslim authoritarian country as opposed to the Islamic Republic like Iran or the authoritarian Saudi Kingdom with its Wahhabism. The Christians were protected and even held high government positions, which is unthinkable in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, etc. Hence, it could be argued that Bush invaded the wrong country. Seventeen out of the 21 9/11 terrorists were Saudis. The Bush administration couldn’t have done more to enhance the threat of terrorism. It gave birth to Al Qaeda in Iraq. This writer attended a panel discussion at the UCSD dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The panelists presented two studies attempting to quantify the number of Iraqi fatalities since the invasion. The numbers varied between 600,000 and 1.2 million. The war has advanced Islamism and Al Qaeda influence in the world. On Bush’s watch spectacular terrorist acts were staged such as those in Bali, Indonesia, Madrid and London. Millions of Muslims worldwide were angered not because of the democratic way of life in the US, as Bush had asserted, but because of policies resulting in killing and torturing their own brethren.

Incomplete Obama Era

With the election of President Obama Islamophilia has reached new heights in the US as illustrated in his famous 2009 Cairo speech. America’s #1 Islamophile characterized the Muslim call to prayers “the prettiest sound on earth.” In his speeches he praises and glorifies the Koran. He talked about the civilization debt to Islam. He asserted that Islam is an important part of promoting peace. He says that “America is no longer a Christian nation…Islam is a part of America’s story….America will never be at war with Islam”  (not withstanding that the Afghan war has become Obama’s war). He doesn’t seem to understand that the war in Afghanistan, now his war, like Bush’s war in Iraq, fans the flames for more jihads round the world and thousands of suicide bombers. During his visit to India, an Indian girl asked him to define jihad. He disguised the real meaning of jihad. It is unfortunate that another Indian girl didn’t ask him to explain why over 20,000 terrorist attacks since 9/11 were perpetrated by followers of radical Islam.

During his presidency he has appointed two devout Muslims to Homeland Security posts. He cannot conceive a paradigm in which Muslims can be evil perpetrators. The words “terror,”  “terrorist” and “radical Islam” appears to be banned in his administration.  Bill O’Reilly, of the Fox News, suggested that Obama would not use radical Islam term even if subjected to water-boarding.

In 2009, a joint terrorism task force overseen by the FBI concluded that Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a US born Palestinian Muslim, wasn’t linked to terrorism. Major Hasan after shouting “Alahu Akbar” (Allah is Great) murdered 13 people at Fort Hood and wounded two dozen. The 9/11 hijackers also yelled “Allah Akbar” as they were crashing their planes into the World Trade Center. The mainstream media and the White House were puzzled about what Hasan’s motives could have been!! Obama said that he was at a loss for an explanation. In the first five days after the Fort Hood massacre, 85% of the news stories did not mention the words “terror” and “terrorists.” Many continued to paint Islam as a “religion of peace” and marginalized critics of jihad as suffering from “Islamophobia.” Robert Spencer wrote: “Political correctness has the media and government in a stranglehold.” To this writer and many others, radical Islam is a totalitarian ideology (like communism) more so than a religion. As a matter of fact radical Islam is masquerading as religion.

Libyan president Muammar al-Gaddafi gave up his former ambitions of being a terrorist sponsor and an owner of nuclear weapons in order to become an African leader. Also, he allowed oil companies to operate in Libya. Nonetheless, Obama went along with his secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s push to remove Gaddafi from power.  Removal of Gaddafi left Libya in a state of chaos with war lords and terrorists in charge and with many Islamist fighters moving to Mali thereby causing another battlefield. Benghazi and the 9/11 anniversary fiasco, with the death of the US ambassador and three other Americans became another blowback.

Boston Marathon Horror

At this writing a number of theories offer tentative explanations for the root causes of this latest example of Islamist terrorism. One of them is that the suspects Tsarnaev brothers of Chechen origin from Dagestan were self-radicalized in conjunction with their mother Zubeidat. The younger brother Dzhokhar, who survived the shootings, told the interrogators that he and his brother used bomb-making instructions found in Inspire, an online Al Qaeda magazine and that he was driven to detonate a bomb packed with ball bearings and nails to “defend Islam” and protest US actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Major Hasan protested also the same US actions in his Ft Hood massacre. The Obama administration sent a federal judge to Mirandize Dzhokhar. Obama, who has pledged to fight against “negatives stereotypes of Islam,” warned that Americans shouldn’t jump into any conclusions.

There are many examples of self-radicalization in the US and Western European countries among Muslim immigrants allowed to become residents or even citizens. Self-radicalizations among Kosovo Albanian and Bosnian Muslim immigrants are well-known. Here are three examples. Betim Kaziu, whose parents are Kosovo Albanians, was sentenced in March of 2012 to 27 years in prison for traveling to the Middle East in a failed bid to join Al Qaeda and avenge the abuse of Muslims by killing American troops. In 2007 federal authorities busted the so-called Fort Dix Six before they could launch a murderous attack on a US military installation. Four out of six were ethnic Albanians from Kosovo (one of them was a sniper in Kosovo) and Macedonia. Three of the four were brothers. The institutionalized political correctness approach was used by the mainstream media in order to cover up their identity of being Albanian conspirators. In March of 2011, two US airmen were killed and two injured in front of Terminal 2 of the second continental at Frankfurt Airport. US forces were on their way to Afghanistan. The perpetrator was a Kosovo Albanian named Arif Uka, who was born and raised in Germany. He also yelled “Allah Akbar.”

The FBI’s bomb experts, analyzing remnants of both bombs which exploded near the marathon finish line concluded that the bomb makers likely had additional training or expertise because in part they deviated from the Inspire recipes. The older brother Tamerlan, slain in the shootings, made a six-month trip to Dagestan, which borders Chechnya. He must have received additional training there? Russian Izvestia reported that they obtained documents from the Georgian Interior Ministry suggesting that Tamerlan Tsarnaev went through a Georgian training seminar with Georgian and American instructors. The organization in question is called the “Caucasus Fund,” which cooperates with the American NGO “Jamestown.” These two organizations recruit people from the Northern Caucasus to “work in the interest of the US and Georgia. One of their tasks is to inculcate young men from the Caucasus with Salafist ideology and direct them against Russia.

The Russian officials are claiming that Tamerlan met several times with Mansur Makhmud Nidal, suspected jihad recruiter in Dagestan. The venue was a mosque in Makhachkala, capital of Dagestan, known for its adherence to Salafism. Nidal died last year in a firefight with the Russian authorities. His other likely contact, William Plotnikov from Canada, was slain two months later. Tamerlan was in the region at the time of both slayings, but left Russia for the US three days later after the second one. He left without picking the Russian passport he applied for. A Russian official said: “He intended to join the fighters but lost his contacts. In the end he picked an easier enemy in Boston.”

The Russians know more than anybody else about the Islamist terrorist activities in the Caucasus. The Chechen terrorists, linked to Al Qaeda, had committed a series of most brutal terrorist acts in history including the siege of the Beslan School in 2004. After yelling Allahu Akbar they murdered 350 including many children shot in the back. Beslan was summarized as child rape, torture, enforced urine drinking, sexual sadism and Islamic ritual murder. Stella Jatras wrote: “To call them animals would be an insult to the animal kingdom.” Former FBI agent Colleen Rowley—a 2002 Time Person of the Year— pointed out that the neocons backed Chechen terrorists as a way to challenge Russia. Many distinguished neocons signed up as Chechnya’s “friends.” John Laughland wrote that the leading group which pleads the Chechen cause is the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya (ACPC).

The Izvestia story, if corroborated, could give some credibility to the DEBKA file story alleging that the Tsarnaev brothers were double agents, hired by the US and Saudi intelligence – thereby decoyed the US into a terrorist trap. The DEBKA file story, based on counterterrorism and intelligence sources, suggest that the objective was to penetrate the Wahhabi jihadist networks which, helped by Saudi financial institutions had spread into Russian Caucasia. Instead the two former Chechens betrayed their mission and went secretly over to radical Islamist networks. The Saudis feared that their involvement would come to light when their student was questioned about their involvement in the bombings while in a Boston hospital. The Saudi foreign minister flew to Washington, in the middle of the Boston Marathon crisis, to meet with president Obama and his national security adviser.

The DEBKA file report concludes with four questions that should top the interrogators agenda: a) At what date did the Tsarnaev brothers turn coat and decide to work for Caucasian Wahhabi networks?; b) Did they round up recruits for those networks in the US—particularly, among the Caucasian and Saudi communities?; c) What was the exact purpose of the Boston Marathon bombings and their aftermath at MIT in Watertown?; d) Are any more terrorist attacks in the works in other American cities?

In the interest of the safety of the American people the ongoing investigations should focus on answering these four questions. In addition, president Obama should appoint a Boston Marathon Commission similar to the 9/11 Commission. He might be reluctant to do this therefore public pressure should be applied especially from the 282 injured people in the Boston Marathon horror.

Minutes before closure of this piece the author read about the phone call between presidents Obama and Putin in which they agreed to boost anti-terror cooperation. It is about time for Washington to realize that the US and Russia should be allies against the same enemy: radical Islam.

Vojin Joksimovich, PhD is the author of three books and over 100 articles on world affairs.

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Boutros Hussein and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The two West African nations of Burkina Faso and Niger have stated that they both fully endorse the border decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). According to both nations they are pleased by the decision of the ICJ because you have no winner or loser. Instead, Burkina Faso and Niger can focus on the future whereby a genuine border will now apply between both nations.

In Kosovo the bias of leading nations like America and the United Kingdom is clear for all. After all, the Kosovo Albanians got everything despite not being internationally recognized by all nations and violating many international laws. At least Burkina Faso and Niger have gained and equally lost part of their territory in a diplomatic fashion. This reality shames many leading nations which just arbitrarily take land from nations or enforce their respective power dynamics in order to carve-up or weaken societies when it pleases them.

Tensions over the border between Burkina Faso and Niger date back to 1927 because of the legacy of France. Ironically, the same France is still meddling negatively in the affairs of Libya, Syria and also this nation recognized Kosovo despite the many violations of international law. In Mali it is essential for the international community to help this nation against Islamist terrorist factions. However, the ongoing support of destabilizing Syria isn’t warranted because secularism faces being crushed by Islamist militancy.

Turning back to Burkina Faso and Niger then tensions erupted in 2006 because of security forces and the confusion over the border region. At the same time custom officials in both nations were unsure about the real demarcation zone. Therefore, instead of turning to conflict or involving themselves in destabilization policies both Burkina Faso and Niger turned to the ICJ court to resolve the issue.

In Kosovo the Serbian Orthodox Christians and other minorities had no court to decide fairly about the rights and wrongs of the Kosovo diktat. Once more, Orthodox Christians were treated like second-class-citizens just like in Northern Cyprus whereby Turkey isn’t being forced to leave after invading several decades ago. The upshot of all this is the murder of vast numbers of Orthodox Christians in Kosovo on the watch of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union after the ending of the conflict. This also applies to the destruction of Orthodox Christian churches, monasteries, architecture and even graveyards have been emptied and violated. Today the land of Kosovo is a ghetto for the majority of minorities and meanwhile this part of the former Yugoslavia is now a narcotics paradise. Sadly, this angle often follows in the footsteps of Washington and London because in modern day Afghanistan this nation is awash with heroin.

Vojin Joksimovich commented in an article titled Bare-Handed Kosovo Serbs Battle NATO which was published by Modern Tokyo Times that “On September 16 (2011) deputy mayor of Zvecan, Miodrag Acic, visited the UNMIK office in Zvecan to discuss the present crisis. Acic stated that Serbs have clearly defined who they are, born in the Serbian Province of Kosovo and Metohija, not so called Kosovars, with a rich identity of more than 1500 years old and who have a love of their culture, language and traditions. Serbs have survived all of the invasions and occupations which befell them in the last 1500 years. Serbian culture and heritage is all over Kosovo despite the fact that Albanians are trying to destroy it. He pointed out to a lack of toponyms, whose origins could be found in the Albanian language. There are, however, Islamic and Turkish toponyms due to the 500 year occupation. Now the Kosovo Albanians with help from US/NATO, with disproportional use of force, are trying to steal our history, our toponyms, our land, our language and are making the last try to expel of us. Acic pointed out and named international officers who side with the Albanians and disregard international law and use instead the Kanun of Leke Dukagjini, set of traditional Albanian codes.”

The embattled Serbs of Kosovo which are witnessing their “Orthodox Christian Jerusalem” being Islamized and Albanianized must be amazed by the even-handed approach of the ICJ when it comes to Burkina Faso and Niger. After all, for the Orthodox Christian Serbs they have seen the bias of major international institutions which forgive Muslim and Catholic war criminals against them – at the same time where is the outcry about the cleansing of Orthodox Christians from Krajina, Kosovo and parts of Bosnia?

The Justice Minister of Niger, Marou Amadou, told AFP that “I think that the court sliced up the territory fairly….We gain a little in the North, we lose a bit in the South. Both countries win out because there’s no more border dispute.”

Likewise, Jerome Bougouma, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administrative and Security, commented that “We are parting as good friends, very good friends.”

For the Kosovo Serbs and other minorities, just like for Serbia itself with regards to the European Union, it is one diktat after another. Therefore, only when Serbia bows down to nations which violated the sovereignty of the former Yugoslavia – and accept their servitude to all and sundry – will this nation be allowed to join the European table. Ironically, the Serbs in history fought against the invading Islamic invasions of Ottoman Turkey and against Nazi Germany. However, the real winners in the Balkans are the former fascist states of Germany and Croatia (Bosnian Muslim SS Units) and Turkey which still denies the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Christian holocaust which led to millions being killed in the early twentieth century.

In this sense, the Orthodox Christian Serbs are being punished for “fighting on the right-side of history.” Whoever says history is dead should only look at the conspiracies against the Serbs of the Balkans. Therefore, while justice can be found between Burkina Faso and Niger the same can’t be said about the ongoing diktat in Kosovo whereby the Serbs and other minorities must bow down to Albanianization.

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/09/20/bare-handed-kosovo-serbs-battle-nato/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22165499

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Alyse Radenovic (http://www.alyseradenovic.com) was born in 1973 therefore during her early adult life the war in the former Yugoslavia was blazing. This extremely talented artist was born in America and her adorable fine art covers many different themes and often flows in many directions. Many strong passions exist within Alyse Radenovic and this applies to her love of art and her deep respect towards many political issues. Of major concern for Alyse Radenovic is the distortion of reality when it comes to the coverage of what happened to the Serbs in Bosnia, Krajina and Kosovo. Therefore, this article is about fusing art, history and the “other reality” which was neglected by the mass media. Also, it highlights the fact that many major nations will do anything in order to appease the petrodollar nations of the Gulf.

It firstly must be stated that Alyse Radenovic is a fine arts artist who focuses on many themes. Therefore, the words in this article belong to the respective writers despite being inspired by the art of Alyse Radenovic. However, it must be stated that Alyse Radenovic is troubled by the re-writing of history – or, better to say – a history that was never taught in the first place outside of the embattled Serbs of Bosnia, Krajina and Kosovo.

In this article all the art pieces by Alyse Radenovic are focused on Bratunac and Srebrenica. These images can be put within a limited theme applying to what the viewer can see and feel. Or, alternatively, a bigger picture may entail from many different angles. If we then take the names Bratunac and Srebrenica away then the mist of reality can’t be debated. Yet, the titles clearly state that the art pieces apply to Bratunac and Srebrenica. Despite this, at no point am I implying that Alyse Radenovic is focused on the deeper meaning – only this talented artist can answer this; however, it is this chaos which aptly applies to Bratunac and Srebrenica which creates many images within the mind.

Serbian Orthodox Christians in Bosnia, Krajina and Kosovo had their entire history and martyrdom crushed by a mass media which ignored the past, the reality of the time and this ongoing blindness continues today. In modern day Europe you have northern Cyprus whereby Turkey continues to occupy parts of this country. Following on from Turkish occupation is the de-Christianization of this part of Cyprus. Likewise, in modern day Kosovo vast numbers of Orthodox Christian churches and important Serbian architecture have been destroyed. On top of this, many Orthodox Christians have been killed in Kosovo since the ending of the conflict under the watch of America and Europe. It is no coincidence that the petrodollars of the Gulf and the importance of Turkey in NATO, meant that in three conflicts involving Orthodox Christians and Muslims in the last 40 years in Europe; that America sided with Muslim forces in each conflict.

The stunning art piece by Alyse Radenovic titled Bratunac – Blue says much about the distortions of reality. In this image we see the power of the mountains, distant buildings and flowers which immediately hit you. Tranquility can be viewed despite the rugged landscape. However, for the Bosnian Serbs of Bratunac and other mainly Orthodox Christian villages in and around Srebrenica; then only death, persecution and fear could be found during the Bosnian conflict.

Many powerful individuals on the ground and people in the know, fully understood the real reality of Bratunac, Srebrenica and the entire area whereby mutual hatred flourished. In this atmosphere of hatred many innocent Muslims and Orthodox Christians were killed by opposing forces in this part of Bosnia. French General Philippe Morillon, the UNPROFOR commander who first called international attention to the Srebrenica enclave, is adamant that the crimes were quite “extraordinary in the region committed by those Muslim soldiers made the Serbs’ desire for revenge inevitable. He testified at The Hague Tribunal on February 12, 2004, that the Muslim commander in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, “engaged in attacks during Orthodox (Christian) holidays and destroyed villages, massacring all the inhabitants. This created a degree of hatred that was quite extraordinary in the region.”

Philippe Morillon further states that “Naser Oric was a warlord who reigned by terror in his area and over the population itself. I think that he realized that these were the rules of this horrific war, that he could not allow himself to take prisoners. According to my recollection, he didn’t even look for an excuse. It was simply a statement: One can’t be bothered with prisoners.”

Morillon continues by stating that “the Serbs took me to a village to show me the evacuation of the bodies of the inhabitants that had been thrown into a hole, a village close to Bratunac. And this made me understand the degree to which this infernal situation of blood and vengeance [...] led to a situation when I personally feared that the worst would happen if the Serbs of Bosnia managed to enter the enclaves and Srebrenica.”

“I feared that the Serbs, the local Serbs, the Serbs of Bratunac, these militiamen, they wanted to take their revenge for everything that they attributed to Naser Oric. It wasn’t just Naser Oric that they wanted to revenge, take their revenge on; they wanted to revenge their dead on Orthodox Christmas.”

Bratunac and the entire area in and around Srebrenica witnessed countless massacres against local Orthodox Christians. Indeed, while nobody can deny the brutality of what happened when Srebrenica was taken by Bosnian Serb forces – how, what really happened and the numbers killed can be debated; but it is clear that thousands of Muslim males were killed. However, unlike Naser Oric and the brutality that occurred under his command against old people, women and very small children; the Bosnian Serbs allowed Muslim women and children to escape. At no point does this cover-up the massacres that took places by victorious Bosnian Serb forces when Srebrenica fell. However, it is ironic that the brutal murder of over 3,500 Orthodox Christians was brushed under the carpet despite three years of brutality by Muslim forces in the region.

In the art piece by Alyse Radenovic titled Srebrenica – Gold Red then the stylishly distorted images of houses and the vivid color red denotes the distorted bloodshed and reality which happened throughout this part of Bosnia. The Gold background can denote many things. Yet for both writers of this article it denotes the petrodollars of the Gulf and how America and the United Kingdom were willing to “sell their collective souls” while Turkey and Saudi Arabia were dreaming about the re-Islamization of vast parts of the Balkans. Alyse Radenovic may of course see something very different and the same applies to everyone who views this lovely art piece. Yet this is the connection between art, history, power mechanisms and various thought patterns – after all, much will depend on the world that you see – or the world that you have been allowed to witness.

Major-General (Ret) Lewis Mackenzie, a retired Canadian general, also raises serious doubts about “good” and “evil.” In his article titled “The real story behind Srebrenica.  The massacre in the UN ‘safe haven’ was not a black and white event,” which was published in The Globe and Mail (July 14, 2005), he clearly highlights many neglected areas.

Lewis MacKenzie witnessed many events and he states the following:

“As the Bosnian Muslim fighters became better equipped and trained, they started to venture outside Srebrenica, burning Serb villages and killing their occupants before quickly withdrawing to the security provided by the UN’s safe haven. These attacks reached a crescendo in 1994 and carried on into early 1995 after the Canadian infantry company that had been there for a year was replaced by a larger Dutch contingent.” 

“The Bosnian Serbs might have had the heaviest weapons, but the Bosnian Muslims matched them in infantry skills that were much in demand in the rugged terrain around Srebrenica. As the snow cleared in the spring of 1995, it became obvious to Nasar Oric, the man who led the Bosnian Muslim fighters, that the Bosnian Serb army was going to attack Srebrenica to stop him from attacking Serb villages. So he and a large number of his fighters slipped out of town. Srebrenica was left undefended with the strategic thought that, if the Serbs attacked an undefended town, surely that would cause NATO and the UN to agree that NATO air strikes against the Serbs were justified. And so the Bosnian Serb army strolled into Srebrenica without opposition.”

Most tellingly, Lewis MacKenzie comments that “two wrongs never made a right, but those moments in history that shame us all because of our indifference should not be viewed in isolation without the context that created them.”

Lord Owen was equally alarmed and on page 143 of his book, Balkan Odyssey, he states that “On 16 April I spoke on the telephone to President Milosevic about my anxiety that, despite repeated assurances from Dr. Karadzic that he had no intention of taking Srebrenica, the Bosnian Serb army was now proceeding to do just that. The pocket was greatly reduced in size. I had rarely heard Milosevic so exasperated, but also so worried: he feared that if the Bosnian Serb troops entered Srebrenica there would be a bloodbath because of the tremendous bad blood that existed between the two armies. The Bosnian Serbs held the young Muslim commander in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, responsible for a massacre near Bratunac in December 1992 in which many Serb civilians had been killed. Milosevic believed it would be a great mistake for the Bosnian Serbs to take Srebrenica and promised to tell Karadzic so.”

The three individuals quoted come from Canada, France and the United Kingdom and all are respected individuals within the military and political world. Sadly, if Modern Tokyo Times gave quotes from Serbians, then people who want to gloss over the reality of Bratunac and Srebrenica, will use any means at their disposal. After all, the point was to kill Orthodox Christians in silence and then to hide what really happened by either silence or mass propaganda. In truth, all sides did massacres throughout the Bosnian conflict – after all, you don’t have any war whereby one side is free from committing massacres irrespective of faith, nationality and so forth. Germany committed many massacres during World War Two but millions of German civilians were also killed by carpet bombings and other brutal realities.

The Serbs of the former Yugoslavia have witnessed dhimmitude under the Ottoman Empire and enslavement; the brutal rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; NAZI Germany; Bosnian Muslim, Catholic Croatian and Albanian SS units. On top of this, the communist leadership in Yugoslavia after World War Two allowed further Albanianization to take place in Kosovo. During the conflict in Bosnia the Bosnian Serbs faced Bosnian Muslim forces, America, al-Qaeda, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the role of many other nations – in time NATO would bomb Serbia from the sky at a later date. Therefore, the mass media not only distorted the Bosnian conflict but they trashed the martyrdom and history of the Serbs by simplistic phrases. Today the same mantra is being thrown at Syria whereby America, Gulf nations and major NATO powers are once more siding in a brutal conflict; whereby Islamist terrorists are on the same side and the Croatian military angle is being used to arm the friends of Washington, Ankara, Doha, London, Paris and Riyadh alongside many other ratlines.

Therefore, the art of Alyse Radenovic with regards to Bratunac and Srebrenica unites with the distortions of reality but in a positive sense. The natural beauty of the art pieces by Alyse Radenovic, in relation to this article, also highlights the stillness of time and the rugged landscape. If people don’t know about the history of the former Yugoslavia before the Bosnian conflict, during and after the demise of this entity; then it is easy to take these art pieces at face value. Of course, Alyse Radenovic may desire people to take these pieces of art at face value but given the places that she portrays – then maybe the meaning is much more powerful than what people see outside of the images which spring to mind?

Irrespective of the real reasons behind the art work of Alyse Radenovic towards Bratunac and Srebrenica; the art pieces according to both writers of this article depicts “the ghosts of the dead that have been abandoned by the whims of outside forces.” Therefore, by Alyse Radenovic depicting natural landscapes alongside more blurred images of Bratunac and Srebrenica; it is what can’t be seen which also fascinates given her love towards the abandoned Serbs of Bosnia, Krajina and Kosovo. In this sense, for people who adore the art of Alyse Radenovic it is important to explore the real meaning behind the subject matter in this article. On a bigger scale, the same obviously applies to the distortions of reality when it comes to Bosnia and other issues related to the former Yugoslavia.

Art may appear to be a million miles away from what happened in Bratunac and Srebrenica. Yet, art is open to enormous interpretation and clearly all individuals will come up with their own meaning to the art viewed. However, when it comes to Bratunac and Srebrenica – just like in modern day Syria – then the mass media and powerful nations want only “their single interpretation.” In this sense, the natural charm of Alyse Radenovic allows many interpretations; if only the mass media and major nations would allow the same logic instead of instigating hatred and falsehood.

President Milorad Dodik of Republika Srpska (RS) comments that “The suffering of the Serbs in and around Srebrenica during those three years was in no way inferior, it just didn’t take place cumulatively in the space of a few days, but over the course of three years. Over 3,500 people lost their lives there, for which, as you can see, they clear Naser Orić, and convict Biljana Plavšić of command responsibility, even though she didn’t command anything in the RS, and only held political office. And that makes us wonder again if we’re willing to accept the double standards in this republic or not. I am not willing.”

MORE INFO ABOUT Alyse Radenovic

http://www.alyseradenovic.com/index.htm  Alyse Radenovic

https://twitter.com/AlyseRadenovicA  Twitter account of Alyse Radenovic

http://www.alyseradenovic.com/alyse%20bio.htm  Brief bio and contact information related to Alyse Radenovic

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/02/15/world-of-art-yuzo-saeki-and-alyse-radenovic-and-the-impact-of-france-and-kosovo/

Images belong to Alyse Radenovic

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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