‘Everything the West Has Done Was to Create ISIS’ – John Pilger

Afshin Rattansi goes underground with John Pilger. Award winning journalist and author, John Pilger talks to us about how Washington, London and Paris gave birth to ISIS-Daesh. Plus we examine the media's role in spreading disinformation ahead of a vote in Parliament for UK bombing of Syria. Afshin looks at the Autumn Statement and why in a time of high alert we are cutting the police force and buying drones. Also we look at which companies are benefitting from the budget. Plus Afshin is joined once again by former MP and broadcaster, Lembit Opik, to look at the weeks news from a cyber sinking feeling over Trident to budget boosts for the BBC.

Saudi-Arabien: Der Nährboden des Terrors

Großzügiger Spender für zweifelhafte Zwecke: König Salman
Bin Abd al Aziz Al Saud empfängt Würdenträger nach seiner
Inthronisation im Januar 2015.

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Seit einem halben Jahrhundert exportiert Saudi-Arabien mit Milliarden Petrodollars seinen intoleranten Islam in alle Welt – und fördert damit gezielt den Extremismus.

Saudi-Arabien exportiert vor allem zwei Produkte: Erdöl und Islam. Das saudische Erdöl ist das Schmiermittel für die Weltwirtschaft, der saudische Islam aber ist eine Gefahr für den Weltfrieden. Vor mehr als einem halben Jahrhundert hatte das Königreich begonnen, seinen rückwärtsgewandten und intoleranten Islam zu exportieren. Rückwärtsgewandt ist er, weil er sich am Vorbild der ersten Muslime orientiert und dazu den Koran buchstabengetreu auslegt. Und intolerant ist dieser Islam, weil er alle Anhänger anderer Auslegungen zu „Ungläubigen“ erklärt, die bekämpft werden müssen. Die Vertreter dieses wahhabitischen Islams sehen ihn seit seiner Entstehung im 18. Jahrhundert als die einzige wahre Form des Islams an – und als die einzig wahre Religion überhaupt. » | Rainer Hermann | Samstag, 28. November 2015

Putin Tells Everyone Exactly Who Created ISIS

Here's something you probably never saw or heard about in the west. This is Putin answering questions regarding ISIS from a US journalist at the Valdai International Discussion Club in late 2014.

Russia: Erdogan Effigy Burns at Protest against Su-24 Downing

A group of activists gathered in Simferopol's Lenin Square, Crimea, on Friday, where they burned a straw figure with a picture of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a Russian Su-24 fighter jet was shot down by NATO member Turkey.

Turkey: Erdogan Warns Russia 'Not to Play with Fire'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russian President Vladimir Putin not to "play with fire," while addressing to the citizens of Bayburt in northeast Turkey, Friday. "We strongly recommend Russia not to play with fire. We expect Russia to behave in this situation in all seriousness," he stated.

'To Hell with Their Culture' - Richard Dawkins in Extraordinary Blast at Muslims

EXPRESS: TOP academic and atheist Richard Dawkins has attacked western society's relaxed attitude to radical Islam in an extraordinary outburst.

The British scientist was appearing on a live TV chat show in the United States when he blasted "to hell with their culture" when referring to some practices in Islam, such as women being made to wear burkhas.

Dawkins was appearing on the Bill Maher's HBO show and the pair were debating regressive liberals and, in particular, universities banning those with extreme views from giving lectures.

The conversation turned to Islam when Dawkins criticised those afraid to confront the religion on some of its extreme practices, saying the religion was being given a "free pass".

The 74-year-old said: "There's this notion Islam and Muslims are this protected species.

"That if we talk about them at all or criticise at all, it's somehow hurting or humiliating Muslims. It's a ridiculous idea."

Host Maher then added liberals should protect those who are being repressed regardless of who it offends.

He went on to say this includes women forced to wear religious clothing, which led to Dawkins extraordinary comment.

Maher said: "We're on the side of the women's movement and poor and minorities and whatever. Gay people, the disabled, the abused, whatever Caitlyn (Jenner) is up to. We're all for it.

"And they (liberals) applaud that but if you say something about a woman being forced to wear a beekeeper suit in the hot sun all day…"

Dawkins then took over saying: "But that's 'their culture' and you have to accept it. It's the one exception. Liberal about everything but this one exception, 'it's their culture'.

"Well, to hell with their culture." Read on and comment » | John Worthing | Friday, November 27, 2015

Switzerland Overwhelmingly Votes for Burqa Ban with £6,500 Fine for Muslim Women Who Rebel

EXPRESS: WOMEN wearing a burqa in Switzerland will now be fined a whopping £6,500 after an overwhelming number voted to bring in ban.

Muslim women can no longer wear the full-body garment in shops, restaurants or public buildings and anyone caught flouting the ban could be struck with a £6,500 fine.

The local government of Ticino approved the referendum after the Swiss Parliament ruled that the ban did not violate the country's federal law.

Two in three voters in the canton backed the move in an overwhelming result for a referendum, in the wake of heightened terrorist alerts across Europe.

The law which MPs voted for only applies to veils which covers the body from head to foot worn by the 40,000 Muslim women in Switzerland and also applies to all tourists visiting the area.

Other face coverings such as masks, balaclavas or crash helmets are still permitted. » | Oli Smith | Friday, November 27, 2015

Germany: 'Turkey Must Pay' for Death of Su-24 Pilot, Say Protesters in Berlin

Protesters rallied in front of the Turkish embassy in Berlin, Friday, over the downing of Russian Su-24 warplane by NATO member Turkey, claiming that the country should be responsible for the death of the Russian pilot.

‪Turkish Police Use Pepper Spray to Disperse Protesters in Ankara‬

Minor clashes broke out with police using pepper spray to push back protesters that gathered outside the Cumhuriyet newspaper offices in Ankara, to show solidarity with two of the daily's journalists who have been jailed on terror and espionage charges for publishing reports that accuse the government of arms smuggling into Syria.

Russia Imposes Sanctions on Turkey over Downed Plane

A protester at a rally in Moscow on Wednesday holds a placard
reading 'Don't go to Turkey'.

THE GUARDIAN: Russian prime minister says punitive steps could include halting joint economic projects, restricting financial transactions and changing customs duties

Russia has announced that it will impose import sanctions on Turkey and cancel major investment projects as the spat between the two countries over the downed Su-24 fighter jet continues.

The Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, said broad punitive steps could include halting joint economic projects, restricting financial and trade transactions and changing customs duties. There were calls to ban imports of all Turkish produce, while in the city of Krasnodar, dozens of Turkish workers were rounded up and arrested for visa violations.

Already, the country’s tourist board has suspended all tours to Turkey, a move that it estimated would cost the Turkish economy $10bn (£6.6bn). Russia also said it was suspending all military cooperation with Turkey, including closing down an emergency hotline to share information on Russian airstrikes in Syria. » | Shaun Walker in Moscow | Thursday, November 26, 2015

Saudi Arabia Executions: Kingdom to Behead 50 Men Convicted of Terrorism Offences despite Threat of Shia Revolt

THE INDEPENDENT: Impervious to international opinion, the desert kingdom is poised to execute more than 50 people, three of whom were under 18 when their alleged crime took place. All because of a power struggle within the ruling family

Saudi authorities appear set in the next few days to carry out a series of beheadings across the country of more than 50 men convicted of terrorism offences. Among those facing execution are three young men who were juveniles when they were arrested.

The publication earlier this week of an article in the newspaper Okaz, which has close links to the Saudi Ministry of the Interior, has convinced families of the accused and concerned human-rights organisations that the executions are imminent.

Sources have said that the plan is to behead the men in several cities across the kingdom, most likely after Friday prayers. » | Bill Law | Thursday, November 26, 2015

LIVE: Putin and Hollande Give a Joint Press Conference Following Their Meeting - English Audio

Russian president Vladimir Putin and French President Francois Hollande will hold a joint press conference following their meeting in Moscow on Thursday, November 26.

French President Francois Hollande is scheduled to travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss French and Russian actions in combating terrorism as well as the Syrian Crisis on Thursday, November 26.

Russia, which already launched its bombing campaign against militants in Syria on September 30, will negotiate with France for an international anti-terrorism operation in Syria. Hollande called for a broad coalition including the USA after the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militant group claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris last week, that killed 130 people and left hundreds injured.

David Cameron Accused of Failing to Pressure Gulf States over Isis Funding due to Tory Links to Wealthy Saudis

David Cameron was also accused of shelving a report into
the Muslim Brotherhood because it would be 'unhelpful'
to the Saudis

THE INDEPENDENT: Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown suggests Cameron had failed to exert pressure on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to stop its 'rich businessmen' from funding jihadists because of the 'closeness' between the Tories and wealthy Arab individuals

David Cameron has been accused of failing to tell Gulf states to crack down on the flow of funds to Isis because of the Conservative party’s links to rich Arab individuals.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown suggested that the Prime Minister had not put enough pressure on countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar to stop its “rich businessmen” funding the Salafists and the Wahhabists and had also failed to do enough to persuade them from joining the bombing of Isis in Syria.

This could be explained by the “closeness” between Gulf donors and the Tory party in the UK, Lord Ashdown alleged.

He also accused the Prime Minister of shelving a report on the funding of the Muslim Brotherhood in Britain because it came up with findings that were “unhelpful” to the Saudis. » | Matt Dathan, Adam Withnall Online political reporter | Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Islamisierung in Deutschland - Buschkowsky - 9.11.2015

Heinz Buschkowsky spricht über die bereits vorhanden Probleme mit islamischen Parallelgesellschaften und mögliche Auswirkungen von den weiteren Millionen "Flüchtlingen" auf Gesellschaft und Politik.

Das Ende Europas - Flüchtlingswelle bedroht Abendland

Diese Einwanderunsgwelle wird Europa "erschlagen". Nicht nur, dass Hunderttausende von nicht registrierten Einwanderern aus Syrien und Irak (dem Wirkungskreis des Islamischen Staates) hier sind, also es hier Tausende von IS-Schläfern gibt. Die Millionen von "Flüchtlingen" wollen auch ihre Familien nachholen und haben hohe Ansprüche (Auto, Haus, Frau, usw.).

Wird das System aufgrund des nicht endenwollenden Menschen-Stroms kollabieren, werden die "Flüchtlinge", die überall im Land gut verteilt sind, hungern und frieren. Dann bricht hier die Hölle los.

‘Cameron’s Claims on Anti-ISIS Airstrikes Are Deceit’: Former Ambassador to Syria

Prime Minister David Cameron has made his case for extending UK airstrikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) from Iraq into Syria. He has ruled out using British ground troops and claims disagreements with Russia are 'narrowing.'

Happy Thanksgiving!

I should like to take this opportunity to wish our American visitors, followers, and Twitter followers VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

EU Politicians Blast Turkey’s Links to ISIS, Call Erdogan’s Policies Dangerous

Turkey's attack on the Russian bomber is the first such incident between a NATO country and Moscow in half a century. Across the media, there are concerns that relations between the Alliance and Russia could worsen and see a return to Cold War times.

David Cameron: Syrian Bombing Must Not Wait - But Involvement Could Last 'Many Years' - Live

Prime Minister hints at prolonged Syria bombing campaign in 36-page plan as he seeks to win over Tory rebels and Labour MPs ahead of Commons vote

Collapse of 'Comatose' Schengen Will Wreck Euro, Admits Jean-Claude Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker

THE TELEGRAPH: Jean-Claude Juncker issues bleakest assessment yet of state of Schengen free-travel zone

The Schengen zone is “partially comatose”, Jean-Claude Juncker conceded on Wednesday, as he warned that its collapse would take down the eurozone.

The single currency cannot survive if the free movement of people granted by the passport-free travel zone ends, the president of the European Commission said, in the starkest warning yet.

Mr Juncker could only watch this summer after state after state reintroduced border controls in a desperate attempt to halt the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants. The Paris terrorist attacks led France to announce indefinite border checks.

"We have to safeguard the spirit behind Schengen,” Mr Juncker told the European Parliament. “Yes, the Schengen system is partially comatose.” » | Matthew Holehouse, Brussels | Wednesday, November 25, 2015