{"article":{"id":266947,"heading":"A Holiday Season Message","author":"Stephen Lendman","created":"2014-12-26 19:40:32","modified":"2014-12-27 08:10:27","last_modified":"Sat, 27 Dec 2014 16:10:27","article":"<p>A Holiday Season Message <br><br> by Stephen Lendman <br><br> Borrowing a line from Dickens, 2014 was the best and worst of times. Multiple illnesses slowed me down. Stopped me for a while. <br><br> At age 80, the flesh doesn't always respond to the spirit's willingness. Or as easily as years earlier. When healthy, I manage to do what I love best.  <br><br> Daily articles. Media work. Another book or two ahead. This year my 4th. Hopefully not my last. <br><br> My edited and contributed to book on Ukraine. Titled \"Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.\" <br><br> The definitive work on the topic, I believe. Because of the distinguished contributors. An honor for me to include my content with theirs. <br><br> Ukraine a topic I revisit regularly. Because of its importance. A tinderbox in Europe's heartland. US-installed fascists in charge. <br><br> Heavily armed and dangerous. Waging dirty war on Donbas freedom fighters. Rejecting fascist rule. Wanting real democracy. <br><br> Putting their lives on the line to achieve it. Deserving universal support. Facing long odds with US-led NATO backing Kiev's killing machine. <br><br> Confronting Russia. Jointly with Washington and rogue NATO partners. <br><br> Making anything ahead possible. Likely escalated civil war. Potential central European conflict. Perhaps setting the continent ablaze.  <br><br> For the first time since WW II. US-led Balkan wars aside. Culminating with Yugoslavia's 1999 rape. Clinton's war. One of many countries Washington destroyed. <br><br> Expect many more articles on Ukraine ahead. Lots on Obama's war on Syria. Allied with rogue NATO partners.  <br><br> Israel very much involved. Supporting Islamic State death squads. Partnered with Washington against Assad.<\/p><p style='\"position:' absolute top:> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/www.aquafeed.com\/replica-handbags-uk.php\"' rel=\"nofollow\">replica handbags uk<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/vuhu.jednicky.cz\/cheap-handbags.php\"' rel=\"nofollow\">cheap handbags<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/www.enotecamercadante.com\/\"' rel=\"nofollow\">replica gucci handbags<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/www.lift-gefran.it\/cheap-handbags.php\"' rel=\"nofollow\">cheap handbags<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/iscgt.net\/uggs.asp\"' rel=\"nofollow\">uggs for cheap<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/ignitingbrilliance\/gucci-outlet.php\"' rel=\"nofollow\">gucci outlet<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/www.tttc.co.th\/louis-vuitton.php\"' rel=\"nofollow\">Louis Vuitton Replica Handbags<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/harbourpoolclub.co.uk\/gucci.html\"' rel=\"nofollow\">Gucci Replica Handbags<\/a> <br>  <br> <a href='\"http:\/\/liaise.co.uk\/Mulberry-Replica.aspx\"' rel=\"nofollow\">Mulberry Replica<\/a><\/p> <br><br>  <br>  <br> Wanting pro-Western stooge leadership replacing him. Despite his overwhelming popularity. Reelected in June by a nearly 90% majority.  <br><br> An election independent monitors called open, free and fair. Polar opposite America's sham process.  <br><br> One-party rule. With two wings. Controlled by monied interests. Business as usual winning every time. Voters having no say whatever. <br><br> Iraq war III rages. Obama's war. US combat troops directly involved. Despite his promise otherwise. <br><br> On December 19, RT International cited Kurdish media reporting US forces \"c(oming) to the aid of tribal fighters and the Iraqi Army battling Islamic State militants in the Al-Dolab area, 10 km (6.2 miles) from the Ain Al-Assad base, which is about 90 km (56 miles) west of Anbar's capital, Ramadi.\" <br><br> \" 'US forces intervened because&hellip;ISIS started to come near the base, which they are stationed in so out of self-defense, they responded,' said Sheikh Mahmud Nimrawi, a tribal leader in the area&hellip;\"  <br><br> \"The base hosts about 100 US military advisers, the report claimed.\" <br><br> Pentagon officials said nothing about escalating US intervention. Nor media scoundrels. John Kerry said US policy leaves open the option of US combat troops involvement. <br><br> Calling it the \"soundest policy.\" Saying Obama \"has been crystal clear\" in not wanting US combat forces excluded from operations on the ground. <br><br> Polar opposite his August 7 announcement. On targeted US airstrikes. Saying: <br><br> \"As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq.\" &nbsp; <br><br> \"And so even as we support Iraqis as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq, because there&rsquo;s no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq.\" &nbsp; <br><br> \"The only lasting solution is reconciliation among Iraqi communities and stronger Iraqi security forces.\" <br><br> Another promise made. Another broken. Every major pledge made violated. None observed. Implemented policies polar opposite what he said. <br><br> Including on ending Washington's Afghanistan war. Its longest ever. Most expensive. America came to stay.  <br><br> Claims otherwise are Big Lies. Thousands of combat troops remain. Drone attacks continue.  <br><br> Mostly killing noncombatant men, women and children. Rarely striking so-called \"high-value\" targets. <br><br> How many more wars does Obama intend to wage? Against what new adversaries? Enough is enough.  <br><br> Humanity's fate hangs in the balance. A comment I repeat often is saying either we end wars or they'll end us. <br><br> I've been writing and doing media work in retirement for nearly a decade. Entirely pro bono. Something I never planned or imagined.  <br><br> What I look forward to daily. My reason for being. Staying alive. <br><br> I've made wonderful friends worldwide. I get marvelous supportive emails. At age 80, I don't know how many more good years I have left. <br><br> This year's health issues were a wakeup call. Telling me I'm getting old. Not young like I used to me. Needing to adjust accordingly. <br><br> Borrowing a line from John Lennon's \"Yesterday.\" A shadow hangs over me. Not about to stop me. From confronting US-led imperial dark forces. <br><br> Not as long as I draw breath. Believe a better world is possible. Intend working every day for what everyone deserves. <br><br> Peace, equity and justice. For everyone everywhere. Every day of the year. <br><br> My sincere thanks to my readers and listeners. Web editors posting my articles. Your support means everything. More than I have words to say. <br><br> Hopefully I'll stick around a good while longer. Doing my best daily. Grappling with dark forces. Ruthless ones vital to defeat.  <br><br> Making a small contribution toward something better. A new dawn. Societies fit to live in worldwide.  <br><br> At peace. Free from war. Banished to history's dustbin. \"Imagine,\" said Lennon. \"And the world will live as one.\" <br><br> Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net\" rel=\"nofollow\">lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net<\/a>.  <br><br> His new book as editor and contributor is titled \"Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.\" <br><br> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html<\/a> <br><br> Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.  <br><br> Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. <br><br> It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. \n","contact":"lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net","link":"sjlendman.blogspot.com","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"activism","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2014\/12\/266947.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}