Daily Archives: 13. März 2018


13.03.2018 - 22:15 [ marcuse.org ]

Herbert Marcuse: „Repressive Toleranz“

Die Kräfte der Emanzipation lassen sich nicht mit einer gesellschaftlichen Klasse gleichsetzen, die aufgrund ihrer materiellen Lage von falschem Bewußtsein frei ist. Heute sind sie hoffnungslos über die Gesellschaft zerstreut, und die kämpfenden Minderheiten und isolierten Gruppen stehen oft in Opposition zu ihrer eigenen Führung. In der Gesamtgesellschaft muß der geistige Raum für Verneinung und Reflexion erst wiederhergestellt werden. Zurückgeworfen durch die verwaltete Gesellschaft, wird die Anstrengung zur Emanzipation »abstrakt«; sie wird darauf reduziert, die Anerkennung dessen zu erleichtern, was geschieht, die Sprache von der Tyrannei der Orwellschen Syntax und Logik zu befreien, die Begriffe zu entwickeln, welche die Realität erfassen. Mehr denn je gilt der Satz, daß Fortschritt in der Freiheit Fortschritt im Bewußtsein der Freiheit erfordert. Wo der Geist zum Subjekt-Objekt der Politik und ihrer Praktiken gemacht worden ist, ist geistige Autonomie, die Anstrengung des reinen Denkens, eine Sache politischer Erziehung (oder vielmehr: Gegenerziehung) geworden.

13.03.2018 - 21:47 [ The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity ]

What is Driving New Drive for AUMF?

After years of sitting back and letting Congressional authority to declare war transfer to the Executive Branch, it appears that some leading Members of the House and Senate are finally waking up to the consequences of their failure. On February 27, the House Progressive Caucus and the House Liberty Caucus joined forces to hold a hearing on the illegal wars raging in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, demanding that Congress take back the war powers authority. The succession of regime change wars of the post 9/11 period have all been justified by the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that was passed in the immediate aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon.

13.03.2018 - 20:00 [ David Rothkopf / Haaretz ]

Trump‘s Abrupt New Romance With Kim Leaves Netanyahu Hurting, and Stranded

It was very nearly 50 years ago that Stephen Sills released his hit single containing the immortal line, „If you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with.“

That song could have been the sound-track for U.S.- Israel relations last week.

Because shortly after star-crossed bromancers Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu parted after their cozy interlude at the White House, Trump quickly turned his affections in another direction.

13.03.2018 - 19:36 [ WSWS ]

Großmachtpolitik, Militäreinsätze, konsequente Abschiebungen – das rechte Programm der Großen Koalition

Die neue Bundesregierung wird erst am Mittwoch vereidigt, aber die Medien haben bereits begonnen, die Öffentlichkeit auf ihren Kurs einzustimmen. Dabei bestätigen sie, was die WSWS von Anfang an über den Koalitionsvertrag geschrieben hat: Die Politik der Großen Koalition wird von Großmachtstreben, Militarismus und heftigen Angriffen auf soziale und demokratische Rechte geprägt sein.

13.03.2018 - 19:29 [ German Foreign Policy ]

Der Blitzaufstieg des Generalsekretärs

Verteidigt wird Selmayr von anderen Deutschen in Brüssel wie etwa von Haushaltskommissar Günther Oettinger, dessen Vorgängerin im Streit mit Selmayr aus dem Amt schied, und von seinem langjährigen Förderer Elmar Brok, der zur Zeit als „Brexit-Sherpa“ des Europaparlaments tätig ist. Der Parlamentsausschuss, der Selmayrs Blitzaufstieg durchleuchten wird, wird von einer CDU-Politikerin geleitet. Deutsche arbeiten in hoher Zahl auch an der Spitze anderer EU-Behörden, beispielsweise der EU-Finanzapparate. Kritiker warnen mittlerweile vor einer „Germanisierung“ des Europaparlaments.

13.03.2018 - 19:17 [ antikrieg.com ]

USA fordern „Dringlichkeitstreffen“ in Jordanien, nachdem Syrien Rebellen im Süden des Landes angegriffen hat

US-Regierungsvertreter gaben eine Erklärung heraus, in der sie alle Seiten warnten, die Deeskalationszone zu respektieren und den Waffenstillstand nicht zu gefährden. Es ist nicht klar, wie ernsthaft dieser Aufruf genommen wird, nachdem Regierungsvertreter der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika offen damit drohen, Syrien auf jeden Fall bald anzugreifen.

13.03.2018 - 16:19 [ Palestine News & Info Agency ]

Presidency condemns attack on prime minister’s convoy in Gaza

The Palestinian presidency condemned on Tuesday the attack on the convoy of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah after entering the Gaza Strip and held Hamas responsible for what it described as “the premeditated aggression against the convoy of the prime minister and the head of intelligence.”

It said in a statement that “this attack against the convoy of the prime minister aimed at efforts and steps by President Mahmoud Abbas to end division and achieve reconciliation.”

It said “whoever carried out this act directly serves the interest of the Israeli occupation, the main beneficiary from the division.”

13.03.2018 - 15:34 [ Wikipedia ]

Gina Haspel

(last edited on 13 March 2018, at 15:26)
Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and has held several top positions in the agency including deputy director of the National Clandestine Service.[5] Haspel ran a „black site“ CIA prison located in Thailand in 2002.[6][7] The site was codenamed „Cat’s Eye“ and held suspected al Qaeda members Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Abu Zubaydah for a time. The Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture specifies that during their detention at the site they were waterboarded and interrogated using no-longer-authorized methods.[5][8] Declassified CIA cables specify that Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in a month, was sleep deprived, kept in a „large box“, had his head slammed against a wall, and he lost his left eye. Zubaydah was deemed, by the CIA interrogators, to not be in possession of any useful intelligence (Interrogation of Abu Zubaydah).[9]

Haspel later was the chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, who headed the CIA‘s Counterterrorism Center. In his memoir, Rodriguez wrote that Haspel had „drafted a cable“ in 2005 ordering the destruction of dozens of videotapes made at the black site in Thailand.[8]

13.03.2018 - 14:09 [ Sofia Globe ]

Bulgarian president, prosecutor-general challenge private security law

In his statement, Radev said that “the state does not have the right to abdicate the duty to ensure the security and peace of people in populated areas, including so-called urbanised territories. The opportunity, which the Private Security Act gives private enterprises to carry out guarding activities in urbanised territories are a de facto refusal by state, through its executive branch, to carry out its duties to secure public order.”

13.03.2018 - 13:58 [ Middle East Monitor ]

Israel uses drones to drop tear gas on Gazans for first time

Some 200 Gazans had gathered at the border fence with Israel as part of a weekly protest against the ten-year blockade when an unmanned aerial vehicle approached the scene. Footage from the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen news agency shows the drone dropping canisters of tear gas on the protesters who can then be seen running blindly from the scene.

13.03.2018 - 13:45 [ Washington Post ]

The Latest: Italian businessman detained in Slovakia

Prosecutor general spokeswoman Andreja Predajnova says Antonino Vadala was detained on Tuesday morning in the eastern town of Michalovce. She says the move comes at the request of an Italian court that issued a European warrant for Vadala’s arrest due to a drugs-related crime. Italy seeks his extradition.(…)
In his last unfinished story, Kuciak was writing about the ties between Vadala, alleged to be a member of an Italian crime syndicate, and people close to Prime Minister Robert Fico.

13.03.2018 - 13:40 [ Middle East Monitor ]

YPG to be withdrawn from Manbij as Turkish forces encircle Afrin

Speaking to reporters during a flight to Moscow, Cavusoglu said Turkey and the US would decide on a detailed plan for the region in the coming week, vowing that Turkish forces would go ahead with a military operation if those talks fail.
The foreign minister added that Ankara would “monitor” the return of weapons given to the YPG by Washington, an issue that has strained ties between the NATO allies.