Notations On Our World: On #ISIS/#Dayesh/#Israel & Other Thoughts (w/th late breaking developments from Israel)

It has been a busy morning yet again in our World as Iraq has begun a major offensive to take back territory from Dayesh.     We here @ #outsiders first saw reports on the Islamic Republic News Network as it headlined the head of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp, General (Sardar) Soleimani leading a contingent of 5,000 men having entered Tikrit from five areas.    There was live coverage from Iranian correspondents right at the front lines.

Jordan's Monarch was ever so perceptive and eloquent as he spoke on CNN's Fareed Zakaria on Sunday and noted:

Jordan's King Abdullah on Isis: This is our war http://t.co/WTZJsU84bg pic.twitter.com/i5Q0IA9iwr
— i100 (@thei100) March 2, 2015

As the fight against Dayesh continues, there is the fight over the nuclear deal with Iran.   The Secreatry of State was aboslutely spot on when he noted this, "...You can't bomb away knowledge".   The Israeli Prime Minister seems to think otherwise as he spoke at AIPAC--and as he is gearing up for his pivotal Congress speech tomorrow.   Although Susan Rice and Samathan Powers spoke at AIPAC and the Israeli Prime Minister was deferential, the commentary by Al Jazeera's Marwan Bashara underscored the challenge faced right now:

once again the ever perceptive @marwanbishara lays out the true realites w/3 questions @AJENews http://t.co/VUHNbHwbj7
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) March 2, 2015

The unconditional support for Israel will not change--and the World understands that.  The question is whether The Israeli Prime Minister's Move will help or hinder his re-election bid.     But this from Haaretz underscores a sense of reasonable reality that should be encouraged--but is not especially as The US Senate has just introduced new legislation spearheaded by the new Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Corker of Tennessee, to have Congress have the final say on any Iran Deal:

If only reason prevailed as another voice from #Israel notes #Netanyahu should, but won't, tell Congress | Analysis http://t.co/V5XZBIGZgx
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) March 2, 2015

This is as some key questions about Israel that Amnesty International's Sunjeev Bery asked that is even more pivotal: 

• Why is Israel taking Palestinian land?
• Why is Israel undermining Gaza reconstruction?
• Why is Israel arresting nonviolent Palestinian protestors?
• Why does Israel oppose international accountability? 

It will be interesting if Herzog--if he wins--is willing to take on the challenge of answering these questions and somehow a sense of sanity will prevail or not.

A "Musical Interlude" to Enjoy: Peter White - Joyride *k~kat jazz café* The Smoothjazz Loft

Onward to the New Week w/all its' possibilities...

Notations on Our World (II) : The View From Israel on #Netanyahu, #AIPAC & the Future

As the pivotal speech draws near, it was interesting how the Israeli PM professed respect for President Obama as a new development ensued about 10 US Senators having a new "law" introduced that gives them "veto power" over any nuclear deal.    It is also striking how this very perceptive column by Chemi Shalev  underscores the long-term challenge posted by this move by the Israeli Prime Minister.   The President has said he would veto the legislation--and it has been prominently noted in Iranian Media.   Furthermore, the Iranian Foreign Minister has noted that the efforts by Israel's Prime Minister will have no effect on the potential for a deal to be arrived at as Haaretz again reported that Iran's offer to cut Centrifuges has led to further progress in Talks.   


There is also a concerted grass roots effort to oppose this spreaheaded by +J Street and the National Iranian American Council--although the forces of opposition to the agreement is ever so strong as well.   This is compelling reading that all in Israel have to take notice of.   When Israel loses someone like Robert Kagan, it has profound challenge before it--this is as polls in Israel continue to be all over the map on who will actually prevail:  


The real drama isn’t Netanyahu in Congress, it’s Susan Rice, 'the gladiator' in AIPAC’s lion den - West of Eden - Israel News | Haaretz

It will be a challenge to achieve a deal especially as the Rouhani Government continues to fight rear guard action against the so-called conservatives.     Reports just were received about the potential impeachment of another one of Rouhani's Ministers that has been sent to the Parliament (Majlis).  

Notations On World: Distressing Days For Freedom (A Challenging 24 Hours...)

It has been another challenging and distressing 24 hours in our World.   Democracy's retreat seems to be evident everywhere as epitomized by the assassination of the Russian Opposition leader Boris Nemstov.   Ten of thousands marched in Moscow today to remember this fallen hero,   The banners read, "...."Heroes don't die" and "These bullets are for each one of us"".     Vladimir Putin has vowed to bring the culprits to Justice.     As we here @ #Outsiders assessed, we found it especially interesting that pro Kremlin groups had said they would not disrupt this march that was approved by Moscow City Authorities.      One could not help but wonder whether this would be the spark for true change in Russia?

Beyond Russia, there is Egypt.      We have commented on the plight of Democracy Activits in Egypt as they continue to receive the wrath of the State under Sisi such as Alaa Abdel Fattah.   .    It was telling that his Aunt noted how the family was happy that he was imprisoned and not shot as it appears that Egyptians are not as keen anymore to remember all who stepped up to get rid of a King-President to be replaced by another:

Iran is also just as challenging as we just saw reports that a labor Activist, Jamil Mohammadi, has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in Prison for having been the lead organizer for a 40,000-strong petition protesting the plight of the workers in Iran today,   We have also just received reports of silent protests throughout Iran on the new budget by Teachers as exemplified by these images just received by the #Outsider team:

  

Challenging times indeed....

 

An #Outsider Newsflash: On Our World (Late Breaking Notations)

As we gear up for March here in #Outsider, we wanted to report on this very welcome development on the call by the imprisoned PKK leader in Turkey to end the 30-Year insurrection with Turkey:

Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan calls on his followers to disarmto end 30-year-old conflict: http://t.co/XHt3IDRKKf pic.twitter.com/s43gUSQi7D
— AJE News (@AJENews) February 28, 2015

It is always welcome when there are calls for peace with all the misery that the Middle East has been subjected to for so long.   It was also very welcome as we saw reports of Iraq's National Museum being officially re-opened by the Iraqi Prime Minister.     This is as the merchants of Death of Dayesh continue to suffer losses as they inflict so much misery as epitomized by the latest from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:



These young souls the Kurdish People's Protection Unit and the Assyrian Christians have prevailed yet again as they took the town of Tal Halmis away from the Dayesh  thugs.  Yet, it is also very disturbing as we saw a leading opposition figure in Russia, Boris Nemtsov, was assassinated early this morning.   Vladimir Putin sent a telegram expressing his condolosecnes and promised a full investigation-as the continued slide into defacto Fascism in Russia continues.       

There is also some interesting news to report from India.   The Finance Minister, Arun Jaitely, has presented the first full budget of the Modi Government.   The one interesting feature we have noted here in #Outsider is the new Social Security Scheme.    It is clear that out of the BRICS Group, it is clear that India and China will be the senior partners in the group with all that has been going on in Brazil, the challenges in South Africa and Russia.

An ever so challenging World indeed......

As We go "Dark": On another Challenging Day, Lira's Admonition & Remembering Mr. Spock

It has been another tragic day as a Bangladeshi American Blogger, Avijit Roy,  and his wife were violently attacked in Bangladesh.  He was hacked to death with meat cleavers.    His wife is in serious condition.   This is as we were witness to the horrific acts by Dayesh in having destroyed priceless artifacts over the past 24 hours.   

We here at #Outsiders were not aware of his work directly until we reviewed the morning reports as we geared up to be "Dark" planning for March throughout the Outsider Network.  We join the comments by the CEO of Index on Censorship in strongly condemning this henious act.     This is as gear up for March in #Outsiders with the Israeli Prime Minister's Speech and the opposition avalanche that continues to build hour by hour,  the latest on the US Political Scene--including some of the more bizarre deliberations in Congress.   Conservatives are having their first major meeting that showcases a "beauty contest" of aspirants to the Presidency--including a declaration of cultural fascism by Brett Bozell.   

As we go "dark" we wanted to share this "musical interlude" from Lira that underscores a hope we have and what drives us to develop #outsiders:

It is not easy to live up to smile as we see a World that is engulfed--but Gandhi Ji reminded us all that we must be the change we want to see in our World as we hope to live up to Natalie Goldberg's admonition to "Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go..."

As we finished this final column, we got word that Leonard Nimoy  "Mr Spock" has passed away.    His admonition to us all to "Live Long and Prosper".  In his honor, we remember him:

Notations on Our World: On Yemen & The latest Dayesh Crime

Yemen is located in one of the most strategic parts of the World.  It one of the many "dominoes" in the aftermath of the Arab Spring that has for all intent and purpose become a failed State.  What was very disturbing was this report that underscored how the former President Saleh amassed a fortune of 60 Billion Dollars.  This is as Yemen is running out of Oil, has run out of Water and the ordinary faces of Yemen have no sense of hope.    

Beyond this shocking news, we were also witness to another horrific crime by the merchants of death of Dayesh (also known as IS in the West).  They destroyed artificats as old as 7th Century BC in the Mosul Museum because they say that they are "false prophets".     We have seen reports of infighting and divisions--and there was one scholar who said that this horrific act was to create a bit of a diversion.    We will continue to assess this daily as the apparent countdown to the invasion of Mosul is drawing near.