Daily Archives: March 20, 2020

2020-03-20: News Headlines

Nick Turse (2020-03-20). America's Commandos Deployed to 141 Countries and "Criminal Misconduct" Followed. counterpunch.org Last October, a group of eight Apache attack and CH-47 Chinook helicopters carrying U.S. commandos roared out of an airfield in Iraq. They raced through Turkish airspace and across the Syrian border, coming in low as they approached a village just north of Idlib Province where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, his bodyguards, and

RT (2020-03-20). Stanford Professor Michael McFaul dunks on Khamenei… by puzzling over why Iran doesn't use Gregorian calendar. rt.com Ex-ambassador Michael McFaul has taken to Twitter to express astonishment over the start of the Iranian New Year, leading to speculation that he might not know that there are non-Gregorian calendars out there. | The former US envoy to Russia and current Stanford academic found it fitting to mock Iran's supreme leader for commenting on the start of the Iranian (or Persian) New Year, Nowruz. In his tweet, Ali Khamenei had congratulated his country for becoming more self-reliant in the face of US sanctions, but urged for further production boosts in 1399 to help the Islamic Republic recover from Washington's econ…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-20). Death at the Greek Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns. counterpunch.org In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-03-20). Australia Willing to be the U.S. Policeman in the Pacific. globalresearch.ca The U.S. is ramping up pressure on Australia to support hostilities against China in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Last week in Sydney, the U.S. Ambassador to Australia, Arthur Culvahouse, said that "We'll be pushing Australia to expand …

South Front (2020-03-20). Video: ISIS Threat Revives in Eastern Syria. Idlib Militants Kill Each Other Over Security Zone Deal Contradictions. globalresearch.ca ISIS cells are once again active in eastern Syria. Late on March 17, the Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces repelled an ISIS attack in the area between the town of al-Sukhna and the T3 station. The attack involved …

yenisafak (2020-03-20). Four Arab countries report new coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com Authorities in Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon and Tunisia on Friday reported new cases of the coronavirus."A new case has been diagnosed in a Palestinian citizen from Salfit province (North) who came from Pakistan, bringing the number of cases to 48," Palestine's Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said.In Kuwait, the Health Ministry said that 11 new cases of the virus were reported, increasing the total number of cases in the country to 159.Lebanon's Health Ministry reported 14 new cases, confirming the total cases to 163.In Tunisia, the total number of cases rose to 54 as 15 new cases were recorded.The global death toll f…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-19). Death at the Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns. mintpressnews.com Turkey's use of Syrian refugees as political pawns was one of the most tragic, heart-rendering episodes of the Syrian war and subsequent refugee crisis saga.

South Front (2020-03-19). Video: US Forces Withdraw from Key Base Near Syrian Border. More Rocket Attacks on US Targets in Iraq. globalresearch.ca Late on March 17, at least three rockets struck the area near the US embassy in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone. This was the fourth such attack in the span of a week. A day earlier, a pair of rockets struck …

Golnaz Esfandiari (2020-03-19). Vulnerable Vets: Coronavirus Threatens Iran's Chemical-Weapons Victims. iranian.com As the deadly coronavirus continues to bedevil Iran, there is growing concern about the danger it poses to tens of thousands of victims of chemical weapons who suffer from respiratory problems and lung diseases. An estimated 100,000 Iranians survived chemical-weapons attacks by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and many are disabled …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-03-18). Death at the Greek Border. dissidentvoice.org In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from …

Susan Price (2020-03-18). Syria: Shaky ceasefire in Idlib. greenleft.org.au

Whitney Webb (2020-03-17). Podcast: Vanessa Beeley Unpacks the Idlib Crisis and the Fight for Syria's Oil, Gas and Water. mintpressnews.com Vanessa Beeley weighs in on the crisis in Idlib, Syria, the geopolitical agendas at play and how civilians are scrambling for survival amid a fight for Syria's major oil, gas and water reserves.

Susan Price (2020-03-17). Rojava welcomes refugees from Idlib. greenleft.org.au

news.un (2020-03-16). UN Population Fund sounds alarm over dire situation facing women and girls in Syria, as 10th year of war begins. news.un.org The UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA, is expressing increasing concern about the women and girls trapped in Syria's dire and escalating humanitarian crisis, especially in the north-west, where hostilities have caused mass displacement, human suffering and damage to civilian facilities.

Sputnik News (2020-03-16). Iranian Hails New UK Stance on Arrested Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe & Repayment Of Debt. iranian.com Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who possesses both British and Iranian passports, has been under arrest in Iran since April 2016 over allegations that she plotted against the government, claims that she has consistently denied. She was sentenced to five years in an Iranian jail. The Iranian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad, welcomed a new approach …

Aaron Maté (2020-03-12). Exclusive: New OPCW whistleblower slams 'abhorrent mistreatment' of Douma investigators. thegrayzone.com A fourth OPCW whistleblower has emerged to defend the two veteran inspectors who challenged a cover-up of the chemical weapons…

Jason Ditz (2020-02-20). Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive. theantimedia.com Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Middle East Eye (2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Middle East Eye (2020-02-06). Turkey Gives Assad Deadline to Pull Back or Face Military Action. theantimedia.com Turkey has given the Syrian government until the end of this month to withdraw from recently seized territory in Idlib province.

2020-03-20: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Australia Willing to be the U.S. Policeman in the Pacific
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-20
The U.S. is ramping up pressure on Australia to support hostilities against China in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. Last week in Sydney, the U.S. Ambassador to Australia, Arthur Culvahouse, said that "We'll be pushing Australia to expand …
globalresearch.ca/australia-willing-u-s-policeman-pacific/5706800

Death at the Greek Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns
Ramzy Baroud | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-20
In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/20/death-at-the-greek-border-syrian-refugees-should-not-be-used-as-political-pawns/

Death at the Greek Border
Ramzy Baroud | zcomm.org | 2020-03-20
Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/death-at-the-greek-border/

Video: ISIS Threat Revives in Eastern Syria. Idlib Militants Kill Each Other Over Security Zone Deal Contradictions
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-20
ISIS cells are once again active in eastern Syria. Late on March 17, the Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces repelled an ISIS attack in the area between the town of al-Sukhna and the T3 station. The attack involved …
globalresearch.ca/video-isis-threat-revives-eastern-syria-idlib-militants-kill-each-other-over-security-zone-deal-contradictions/5706834

Stanford Professor Michael McFaul dunks on Khamenei… by puzzling over why Iran doesn't use Gregorian calendar
rt.com | 2020-03-20
Ex-ambassador Michael McFaul has taken to Twitter to express astonishment over the start of the Iranian New Year, leading to speculation that he might not know that there are non-Gregorian calendars out there. | The former US envoy to Russia and current Stanford academic found it fitting to mock Iran's supreme leader for commenting on the start of the Iranian (or Persian) New Year, Nowruz. In his tweet, Ali Khamenei had congratulated his country for becoming more self-reliant in the face of US sanctions, but urged for further production boosts in 1399 to help the Islamic Republic recover from Washington's econ…
rt.com/news/483574-mcfaul-iran-new-year-calendar/

America's Commandos Deployed to 141 Countries and "Criminal Misconduct" Followed
Nick Turse | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-20
Last October, a group of eight Apache attack and CH-47 Chinook helicopters carrying U.S. commandos roared out of an airfield in Iraq. They raced through Turkish airspace and across the Syrian border, coming in low as they approached a village just north of Idlib Province where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, his bodyguards, and…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/20/americas-commandos-deployed-to-141-countries-and-criminal-misconduct-followed/

Four Arab countries report new coronavirus cases
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-20
Authorities in Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon and Tunisia on Friday reported new cases of the coronavirus."A new case has been diagnosed in a Palestinian citizen from Salfit province (North) who came from Pakistan, bringing the number of cases to 48," Palestine's Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said.In Kuwait, the Health Ministry said that 11 new cases of the virus were reported, increasing the total number of cases in the country to 159.Lebanon's Health Ministry reported 14 new cases, confirming the total cases to 163.In Tunisia, the total number of cases rose to 54 as 15 new cases were recorded.The global death toll f…
yenisafak.com/en/world/four-arab-countries-report-new-coronavirus-cases-3514480

Death at the Border: Syrian Refugees Should Not Be Used as Political Pawns
Ramzy Baroud | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-19
Turkey's use of Syrian refugees as political pawns was one of the most tragic, heart-rendering episodes of the Syrian war and subsequent refugee crisis saga.
mintpressnews.com/death-at-the-border-syrian-refugees-should-not-be-used-as-political-pawns/265872/

Video: US Forces Withdraw from Key Base Near Syrian Border. More Rocket Attacks on US Targets in Iraq
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-19
Late on March 17, at least three rockets struck the area near the US embassy in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone. This was the fourth such attack in the span of a week. A day earlier, a pair of rockets struck …
globalresearch.ca/video-us-forces-withdraw-base-near-syrian-border-more-rocket-attacks-us-targets-iraq/5706747

Vulnerable Vets: Coronavirus Threatens Iran's Chemical-Weapons Victims
Golnaz Esfandiari | iranian.com | 2020-03-19
As the deadly coronavirus continues to bedevil Iran, there is growing concern about the danger it poses to tens of thousands of victims of chemical weapons who suffer from respiratory problems and lung diseases. An estimated 100,000 Iranians survived chemical-weapons attacks by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and many are disabled …
iranian.com/2020/03/18/vulnerable-vets-coronavirus-threatens-irans-chemical-weapons-victims/

Trump Administration in "Historic" Withdrawal of Troops from 3 Iraq Bases Amid Ongoing Rocket Attacks
Juan Cole | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-18
AFP is reporting that the US military is withdrawing US troops from 3 Iraqi bases. They are al-Qa'im in the far north on the Syrian border, Qayyarah near Mosul, and Kirkuk. | AFP quotes Coalition spokesman Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. …
globalresearch.ca/trump-administration-historic-withdrawal-troops-3-iraq-bases/5706724

Death at the Greek Border
Ramzy Baroud | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-18
In a surprising move, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on February 29 that he will be re-opening his country's border to Europe, thus allowing tens of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Greece and other European countries. Expectedly, over 100,000 people rushed to the Ipsala border point in the Edirne province separating Turkey from …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/death-at-the-greek-border/

Syria: Shaky ceasefire in Idlib
Susan Price | greenleft.org.au | 2020-03-18
Imperialism & war Chris SleeIssue 1257 Northern Syria Rojava Syrian Democratic Forces IdlibMarch 18, 2020Turkish president Recep T…
greenleft.org.au/content/syria-shaky-ceasefire-idlib

Podcast: Vanessa Beeley Unpacks the Idlib Crisis and the Fight for Syria's Oil, Gas and Water
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-17
Vanessa Beeley weighs in on the crisis in Idlib, Syria, the geopolitical agendas at play and how civilians are scrambling for survival amid a fight for Syria's major oil, gas and water reserves.
mintpressnews.com/podcast-vanessa-beeley-idlib-crisis-fight-syria-oil-gas-water/265768/

Rojava welcomes refugees from Idlib
Susan Price | greenleft.org.au | 2020-03-17
Imperialism & war International solidarity Peter BoyleIssue 1257 Northern Syria Rojava RefugeesMarch 17, 2020While Turkey an…
greenleft.org.au/content/rojava-welcomes-refugees-idlib

UN Population Fund sounds alarm over dire situation facing women and girls in Syria, as 10th year of war begins
news.un.org | 2020-03-16
The UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA, is expressing increasing concern about the women and girls trapped in Syria's dire and escalating humanitarian crisis, especially in the north-west, where hostilities have caused mass displacement, human suffering and damage to civilian facilities.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/03/1059562

Iranian Hails New UK Stance on Arrested Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe & Repayment Of Debt
Sputnik News | iranian.com | 2020-03-16
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who possesses both British and Iranian passports, has been under arrest in Iran since April 2016 over allegations that she plotted against the government, claims that she has consistently denied. She was sentenced to five years in an Iranian jail. The Iranian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad, welcomed a new approach …
iranian.com/2020/03/16/iranian-hails-new-uk-stance-on-arrested-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-repayment-of-debt/

Exclusive: New OPCW whistleblower slams 'abhorrent mistreatment' of Douma investigators
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-03-12
A fourth OPCW whistleblower has emerged to defend the two veteran inspectors who challenged a cover-up of the chemical weapons…
thegrayzone.com/2020/03/12/opcw-whistleblower-mistreatment-douma-investigators/

Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-20
Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive