(2019-10-31). An Open Letter to Donald Trump: You Are Putting the World at Grave Risk. commondreams.org What is rarely considered is that most of those immigrants and their children come from countries where the U.S. has supported their most murderous regimes and actively destroyed their democratic forms of government. (Photo: Syrian refugees/ Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/refugees_10.jpeg …
(2019-10-31). Lebanon's Prime Minister Resigns, but Protests Continue. therealnews.com 
Human rights campaigner Samah Hadid discusses Hezbollah's decision to switch from supporting the protests to opposing them, why the prime minister resigned, and why this is not enough to end the protests.
(2019-10-31). Baghdadi Had No Real Answer for the Crumbling of His Caliphate. counterpunch.org 
The Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, notably in Syria, presented Baghdadi and ISI with an opportunity for swift expansion as the Syrian government lost control of large parts of the country. Al-Baghdadi sent seasoned militants and fighters, money and weapons to establish Jabhat al-Nusra as the leading rebel organisation, though its dependence on ISI was at first kept secret. More
(2019-10-31). White House Lawyer Rushed to Hide Transcript of Ukraine Call: Report. truthdig.com 
According to The Washington Post, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman informed attorney John Eisenberg that "what the president did was wrong."
(2019-10-31). Beirut is Burning: Rebellion Against the Elites has Commenced. dissidentvoice.org 
Tires are burning, smoke is rising towards the sky. It is October, the 18th day of the month, the capital city of Lebanon, in the past known as the "Paris of the East", is covered in smoke. For years I was warning that the country governed by corrupt, indifferent elites, could not hold together indefinitely. …
(2019-10-31). Lebanon's Hezbollah Fires Anti-Aircraft Missile at Israeli UAV. telesurenglish.net Hezbollah allegedly downed an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was seen violating Lebanon's southern airspace, Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen TV reported. | RELATED: | Lebanese PM Saad Hariri Resigns Amid Pressure From Protesters | The Lebanese channel said the Israeli drone had entered Lebanon's airspace and was spying on Hezbollah's positions before they fired an anti-aircraft missile to bring down this UAV. | Israel's military confirmed that an anti-aircraft miss…
(2019-10-31). Turkey, Syria, and the Kurds. indybay.org NPML – Marxist Library | 6501 Telegraph Ave, Oakland (just North of Alcatraz Ave.)…
(2019-10-31). Trump, Turkey and the Kurds – signs of a crumbling U.S. empire. indybay.org Unitarian Universalist Society of S.F. | 1187 Franklin St. corner of Geary Ave. | San Francisco…
(2019-10-31). Urgent: Stand up for Rojava in the Face of Turkish Aggression. indybay.org Fighting and airstrikes continue during the ceasefire. Brutal Turkish artillery, jihadis employed by Ankara, and airstrikes have created 200,000 internally displaced persons and threaten the very existence of the emancipatory self-government in Rojava and the Kurds themselves. Today they are using tanks to push toward one of the last major cities, Tel Tamir, to push the people into the desert. Please stand up in solidarity!
(2019-10-31). Yemen Runs Out of Fuel and Last Hospitals Close. globalresearch.ca While the mainstream media focuses on condemning President Trump for pulling US troops out of Syria, Yemen faces a national health crisis. The last functioning hospitals across multiple major cities in Yemen will shut their doors and stop providing services …
(2019-10-31). Video: Turkish-backed Forces Shell Russian Military Police in Northeastern Syria. US Says "We are not Going to Abandon (Our) Oil Fields" globalresearch.ca On October 29, a patrol of the Russian Military Police came under a mortar fire near the border village of Darbasiyah. The village is located just east of the Turkish-controlled town of Ras al-Ayn. The Russians were there to discuss …
(2019-10-31). ISIS Announces Al-Baghdadi's Death and New Leader. telesurenglish.net The Islamic State militant group confirmed on Thursday that its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a weekend raid by U.S. forces in northwestern Syria and it vowed revenge against the United States. | RELATED: | Trump Says Islamic State Leader Baghdadi Dead in US Forces Raid | Baghdadi, an Iraqi jihadist who rose from obscurity to declare himself "caliph" of all Muslims as the leader of Islamic State, died during the swoop by U.S. special forces, President Donald Trump…
(2019-10-31). Why Those "Endless Wars" Must Never End. commondreams.org Donald Trump's declared intention to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria as a preliminary step toward reducing our regional military presence has elicited bipartisan condemnation expressed in the strongest terms. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pentagon_budget_0.jpeg …
(2019-10-31). Self-Determination for Syria! U.S. Out Now! counterpunch.org A furious bi-partisan warmongering outburst of opposition met President Trump's mid-October announcement that U.S. troops were being withdrawn from Northeastern Syria. Engineered by the Democrats, and joined by the top spokespersons of the twin parties of war, racism and environmental destruction, they denounced Trump and passed an instant congressional resolution demanding that the estimated 1,000 More
(2019-10-31). Syrian Woman to Ivanka: "How Shameless, You Are Proud Your Father Murders Us" globalresearch.ca This article was originally published in 2017. | Ivanka Trump on Twitter, how shameless you are to be proud of your father's murderous bombings of Syria. Are you both afraid because Syria is protecting Syrians from foreign terrorists armed and funded …
(2019-10-31). Syria's groundbreaking constitutional talks: 'a clear success of mediation' says Guterres in Turkey. un.org Mediation is "one of our most important tools to reduce and end conflict", United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the sixth Istanbul Mediation Conference, in the Turkish capital on Thursday.
(2019-10-31). Lebanon's "Revolution" Is Without Revolutionary Ideology. globalresearch.ca There is a revolution in Lebanon without a revolutionary ideology. It is spontaneous, and if memory serves one well, spontaneous revolutions end up badly for the left. Although the left was at its peak in the less spontaneous German uprising …
(2019-10-31). Is There a Color Revolution in the Making in Lebanon? globalresearch.ca This article is a continuation of my last article about what's really going on in Lebanon. According to many Lebanese and my regular taxi driver and friend in Beirut, Hussein, Lebanon no longer exists for the Lebanese. According to the …
(2019-10-31). Washington threatens to fight Syria and Russia for oil. wsws.org The restatement of US objectives in seizing Syria's oil fields came amid border clashes between Turkish and Syrian troops.
(2019-10-31). Solidarity with Rojava continues to grow. greenleft.org.au 
international solidarity Fred FuentesIssue 1243 Australia RojavaOctober 31, 2019More trade unions have come out in opposition to Turkey's invasion of the Kurdish majority, northern region of Syria, commonly known as Rojava. | The Construction, Forestry, Mining and…
(2019-10-30). There's more to Turkey's invasion of northern Syria than the media's reporting. thecanary.co Dr Celal Cahit Agar is a lecturer at St Andrews University, School of Management. This article was co-authored with Steffen Bà∂hm, professor in organisation studies at the University of Exeter Business School. | Turkey's recent invasion of northern Syria — i.e. " Operation Peace Spring" — sought to displace largely Kurdish communities and establish what Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoƒüan calls a 2…
(2019-10-30). 'Historic' new Syria talks should focus on relief for war-weary civilians, says UN negotiator. un.org Work on drafting a new foundational text for war-torn Syria officially began at the UN in Geneva on Wednesday with representatives from the Syrian Government and opposition sitting face to face and preparing to discuss the country's future for the first time in the nearly nine-year conflict.
(2019-10-30). Syria: The Launch of a Constitutional Committee a Sign of Hope for Syrian People. dissidentvoice.org 29 October 2019 Peter Koenig Transcript of a PressTV Interview following a live press Conference by the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey at the UN Geneva, Switzerland Background GENEVA, October 28 (Xinhua) — The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said here on Monday that the Constitutional Committee's launch should be a …
(2019-10-30). Syrian Constitutional Committee Meets for the 1st Time. telesurenglish.net For the first time and after eight and a half years of civil war, officials from the Syrian government, members from the opposition parties and civil society gathered Wednesday for the inaugural of a United Nations-backed committee which will have the charge to pave the way for reconciliation and to review the country's constitution before it is submitted to the vote of the Syrian people. | RELATED: | US House of Reps Votes to Recognize Armenian Genocide | The delegations representing…
(2019-10-30). Russian MoD Doubts Trump's Announcement of Killing ISIS Chief al-Baghdadi. dissidentvoice.org There's no credible data to prove a successful American raid took place against Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Russia's Defense Ministry said. The US coalition didn't even carry out any airstrikes in Idlib recently. Earlier, Trump made a rare Sunday address from the White House informing the world that al-Baghdadi was eliminated in northwest …
(2019-10-30). Lebanon's Prime Minister Hariri Resigns, But Protests and Demands For a New Government Continue. democracynow.org 
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the resignation of his government on Tuesday following nearly two weeks of nationwide anti-government protests. In a televised address, al-Hariri said he had hit a "dead end" in resolving the crisis. Demonstrators "were congratulating each other while at the same time acknowledging that the struggle is very long," says Lebanese journalist, Lara Bitar, who joins us from Beirut for an update. She says protesters have promised to stay in the streets until all of their demands are met, including the resignation of all top government officials, early parliamentary election…
(2019-10-30). Headlines for October 30, 2019. democracynow.org Vindman: White House Transcript of Trump Phone Call Omitted Key Words, Boeing CEO Grilled by Senate Lawmakers Over 737 MAX Failures, Lebanese Prime Minister Resigns Amid Massive Protests, Tens of Thousands Pour into Baghdad's Tahrir Square as Iraq Protests Continue, Anti-Government Protests in Haiti Enter their Seventh Week, Ceasefire Between Turkey and Syrian Kurds in Northern Syria Expires, House Votes for Resolution to Recognize Armenian Genocide, Journalist Max Blumenthal Says He Was Arrested on False Charges, National Weather Service Issues "Extreme Red Flag Warning" over Fires, Protesters Slam BlackRock for…
(2019-10-29). Media Silent as Nobel Prize Winning OPCW Found "Fixing" its Own Findings on Syria. mintpressnews.com 
Judging by the minimal impact of the news, there will likely be few consequences for those who suppressed information and misled the world, nor for those who called for war on the basis of it, their assertions proving, once again, disastrously wrong.
(2019-10-29). Pentagon's plans to stay in Syria and Iraq are in disarray. workers.org 
The U.S. Department of "Defense" plans to keep its troops in Syria. This may come as a surprise to those who assumed that dumping support for the Kurdish militias meant the Pentagon finally intended to withdraw. The sudden convenient execution of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. forces on Oct. 27 . . . | Continue reading Pentagon's plans to stay in Syria and Iraq are in disarray at Workers.org
(2019-10-29). Tuesday's Daily Brief: Slow progress on women and peace, rights in Kashmir, Venezuela refugees, Guterres on key Syria talks. un.org A recap of Tuesday's top stories: 'Real change' too slow for women's peace and security role; UN rights chief urges India to 'unlock' Kashmir restrictions; UN chief welcomes milestone Syria constitution meeting.
(2019-10-29). By protecting Syria's Idlib, the US created a safe haven for Baghdadi and ISIS. thegrayzone.com With the killing of self-proclaimed ISIS "caliph" Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the shoddy narrative pushed by US government officials and regime…
(2019-10-29). Media Silent as Nobel Prize Winning OPCW Found "Fixing" Its Own Findings on Syria. theantimedia.com New evidence leaked from whistleblowers suggests the OCPW suppressed evidence and testimony that contradicted the U.S. narrative in Syria.
(2019-10-29). Distracting With Baghdadi Psyop, US Sends "Withdrawn" Troops Back Into Syria, Along With MANY More. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/28/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-29). Lebanon's Revolution Unites a Divided Country. progressive.org A long-sectarian society has come together as one people, bringing hope and some much-needed levity to the streets as they push for an end to their current government.
(2019-10-29). Headlines for October 29, 2019. democracynow.org Pentagon: U.S. Will Fight for Control of Oilfields in Syria, Ukraine Expert Who Listened to Trump Phone Call to Testify in Impeachment Hearings, Iraq: Death Toll from Month of Anti-Government Protests Tops 220, Trump Officials Join Industry Executives at Davos in Desert, Boeing CEO to Testify to Congressional Committees, Sanders Endorses Chesa Boudin for San Francisco District Attorney, Facebook Workers Call on Zuckerberg to Reverse Policy of Allowing Politicians to Lie in Ads, North Carolina Court Rules Against State's Gerrymandered Congressional Maps, U.S. Extends Deportation Relief to Salvadorans to 2021, Mexi…
(2019-10-28). Trump gives $4.5 million to Syria's White Helmets, which partnered with jihadists and joined Turkey's ethnic cleansing. thegrayzone.com While touting his efforts to end US involvement in Syria, Trump approved $4.5 million more for the White Helmets. This…
(2019-10-28). Monday's Daily Brief: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, gender gap in Latin America, Syria talks in Geneva, human rights in Egypt, the future of digital telecommunications. un.org A recap of Monday's top stories: 'Multi-generational tragedy' in Israel and Palestine demands viable two-State solution; gender gap persists in Latin America's workforce; Syria envoy urges prisoner release ahead of talks in Geneva; Egypt urged to end repression of protesters and rights defenders; future of digital communications discussed at world conference.
(2019-10-28). The Death of al-Baghdadi: ISIS Grew Out of U.S. Invasion of Iraq. What Will Happen Next? democracynow.org 
President Trump announced Sunday that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. special forces raid on his compound in northwestern Syria. According to Trump, al-Baghdadi detonated an explosive vest he was wearing, killing himself and three of his children. The raid began early Sunday when eight U.S. military helicopters flew from a base near Erbil, Iraq, to northwestern Syria over airspace controlled by Syria and Russia. Baghdadi had led ISIS since 2010. In 2014, he proclaimed the creation of an Islamic State or caliphate during a speech in Mosul. At its peak, ISIS controlled a large swath of land ac…
(2019-10-28). "People Have Reached the Limit": Lebanon Joins Wave of Anti-Government Protests Across Middle East. democracynow.org 
Tens of thousands of people in Lebanon joined hands on Sunday to form a human chain spanning north to south across the entire country. It was a symbolic display of unity across regional and sectarian divisions amid mass protests that have rocked the country in recent days. The protests sweeping Lebanon come amid a wave of similar anti-government protests in Iraq, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East. We speak with Rami Khouri, senior public policy fellow and journalist-in-residence at the American University of Beirut, and a columnist at The New Arab.
(2019-10-28). Headlines for October 28, 2019. democracynow.org ISIS Leader al-Baghdadi Reportedly Dies in U.S. Raid in Syria, California Declares State of Emergency over Wildfires, Chile: Over One Million Take to Streets in Protest Against Inequality, Dozens Killed in Iraq Amid Latest Round of Anti-Government Protests, Lebanese Form Human Chain Across Country as Protests Continue, Alberto Fernandez Wins Argentine Election in Defeat for Right-Wing Incumbent, Brexit Deadline Extended Until Jan. 31, Trump Booed, Taunted at World Series Game, Pentagon Hands Microsoft a $10 Billion Contract, Chicago Teachers Strike Continues, While Support Staff Reach Tentative Deal, UAW and Gene…
(2019-10-28). US Boosts Troop Numbers in East Syria to Control Oil. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — With several hundred US troops already planned to stay in Syria to "control the oil," US convoys are sending more troops into Syria Deir Ezzor Province from neighboring Iraq, and reinforcing the areas around the oil fields. Exactly how many troops are there, or how many were sent is not known. President Trump previously classified …
(2019-10-26). Everyone Is Denouncing the Syrian Rebels Now Slaughtering Kurds. But Didn't the U.S. Once Support Some of Them? theintercept.com 
It's a lazy, cynical rewriting of history to pretend these groups have nothing to do with the U.S., or were never backed by the U.S., in their current form.
(2019-10-26). Russia Has 'Proof' US Is Smuggling Oil In Syria & Did Israel/US Create A Civil War In Lebanon? thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/26/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-26). More Troops/Tanks To Syria Confirmed, OPCW Whistleblower, Barr's PreCrime & Mossad Clinton Blackmail. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/25/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-25). 'There Are Noncoercive Solutions to Our Problems' – CounterSpin interview with Alex Vitale on the role of policing. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Brooklyn College's Alex Vitale about the role of policing for the October 27, 2017, episode of CounterSpin; a portion of that interview was reaired on the October 18, 2019, show. This is a lightly edited transcript of the rebroadcast. | Media…
(2019-10-25). Blowback: US-armed 'moderate rebels' slaughter Kurds in Syria. thegrayzone.com Amid outrage over Turkey's atrocities against Kurdish civilians northern Syria, Max Blumenthal discusses how some of the Syrian militias committing…
(2019-10-25). Trump To Send Possibly Thousands Of Troops & Tanks To "Secure Syria's Oil" & Iraq Goes To UN Over US. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/24/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-25). Headlines for October 25, 2019. democracynow.org Trump's Justice Department Opens Criminal Probe into Origins of Mueller Investigation, Trump Planning to Send Troops and Tanks to Eastern Syrian Oil Fields, U.N. to Probe Human Rights Abuses in Chile Amid Mass Protests, Ecuador's Indigenous Leaders Halt Talks with President Over Austerity Protests, Bolivia's Evo Morales Declares Election Victory as Opponents Cry Foul, Thousands March in Guinea to Oppose President's Bid for Third Term, Baltimore Congressmember Elijah Cummings Lies in State at U.S. Capitol, Joe Biden's Campaign Reverses Opposition to Super PACs, Protesters Demand New Jersey Offer Driver's Licenses…
(2019-10-24). Ending Endless War: Andrew Bacevich on How Reckless Use of U.S. Military Power Caused Today's Crisis. democracynow.org 
President Trump has announced sanctions will be lifted on Turkey as a ceasefire remains in place in northern Syria, where Turkey invaded earlier this month after Trump withdrew U.S. troops. On Tuesday Turkey reached an agreement with Russia that would force Syrian Kurdish forces to retreat from a wide swath of the Syrian-Turkish border. The United Nations is reporting Turkey's offensive in northern Syria has displaced over 176,000 people, including nearly 80,000 children. The Turkish assault also led to a number of former ISIS fighters escaping from jail in northern Syria. We speak with Andrew Bacevich, co-founde…
(2019-10-23). US troops are staying in Syria to 'keep the oil' — and have already killed hundreds over it. thegrayzone.com Hundreds of American soldiers are remaining in Syria to occupy its oil reserves and block the Syrian government from revenue…