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Is there anyone local who would like to connect? I’m in the Los Angeles area quite a Jun I and would like to meet people for positive interactions. I am mostly surrounded by people who are very negative and toxic spiritually, and otherwise.

Daily Dot FollowView Profile Welcome to America’s new, digital Satanic Panic Story by Mike Rothschild • 7h ago 43 109 41 Apreschool where sadistic teachers built a secret abuse ring, prompting parents nationwide to worry classrooms were ripe with abuse and grooming. Music performances that overtly prayed to the devil. Political leaders secretly plotting in an evil Satanist cabal to consolidate their hold over us. Smartphone lies and burning on a table in the night© Provided by Daily Dot While these may seem like accusations foisted om the internet over the past few months—as this country is gripped by a fear that a demonic influence is washing across the continent—all of these accusations are at least 40 years old. Welcome to America’s new, digital Satanic Panic. It’s the same as the old one, honed to a razor-sharpness thanks to the speed and reach of the internet. The echoes to the 1980s are undeniable—from the dubious premise to the lack of tangible proof undergirding it all. Today, it’s a song called “Unholy” performed on a stage full of red-clad dancers; a falsely elected leader making demonic proclamations of enemies in front of an frightening backdrop; a fashion line using children to secretly defile innocent minds. It’s led to a nation that needs to be “defeated, [not] saved” as Blaze TV commentator Steve Deace claimed on Twitter. The idea of blaming events or people’s behavior on Satan is a very old one. It can take the form of religious revivals, popular conservative social movements, and “concerned parents'' driving moral panics. These cyclical Satan panics are fixtures of American history, from the apocalyptic “Great Awakening” of the 1740s to preachers blaming 9/11 on the devil and seeing “Satan’s face” in the smoldering wreckage. It can be found at the leading edge of today’s right-wing conspiracy movement and its obsession with “pedophile rings” and “grooming.” The conditions that led to America’s most infamous Satanic Panic in the 1980s are mirrored in society today. A tumultuous economy, fear of rising crime, a newfound evangelicalism, and a charismatic leader promising a return to tradition. The Satanic Panic of the 1980s included multiple innocent people spending time in prison for “ritual abuse” crimes that were never proven to have taken place, and countless children dragged through grueling interrogations demanding details on alleged abuse. And while it’s become a catchphrase for any kind of religiously conservative moral panic, its consequences at the time were devastating for many who did nothing wrong. “People seem to be in never-ending need of a single villain or group of villains upon whom they can project their fears, guilt, uncertainty, and anxieties,” Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves told the Daily Dot. “As polarized political partisans grow more and more to embrace outraged autocrats, they imagine themselves fighting against the totalitarian efforts of imagined villains.” The nontheistic organization advocates for the separation of church and state and against authoritarian laws, and has drawn the ire of both conservative commentators and Christians who misunderstand its purpose—leading to vandalism, death threats, and even a recent bomb scare. In particular, the Satanic Temple studies the original Satanic Panic: the hysteria centered around the 1980 book Michelle Remembers, subsequent allegations of “Satanic Ritual Abuse” said to be carried out in preschools, and vast sex abuse cults at the very highest levels of American politics and finance. The timing was perfect for a devil-driven moral panic, according to experts and journalists who studied the phenomenon. America was just starting an evangelical revival led by Ronald Reagan’s return to purported conservative values after the chaos and hedonism of the 1960s and 1970s, as the economy was also mired in a deep recession. At the same time, more women were joining the workforce, leading to the rise of the “latchkey kid” phenomenon and children needing full-time daycare. The institution of the nuclear family seemed to be under threat It’s the same conditions as today, with an economy that never fully rebounded from both the Great Recession and the COVID pandemic and a famous celebrity political leader pushing for a return to traditional American values. All while fears about LGBTQ parents destroying traditional families flood the internet. When Michelle Remembers came out and made lurid claims about secret Satanic sex abuse cults snapping up children in daycares and alone at home, it became a bestseller. Combined with the general unease of evangelicals about women in the workforce leaving their kids in the hands of strangers, the conditions were set for a moral panic. The book was, essentially, an early form of the Libs of TikTok account. But things moved slower in the era of chain letters and crank faxes. While the claims about a “Satanic” fashion line or rap performance can become national news in hours, it took three years for the claims in Michelle Remembers to drive a cultural panic. But it finally did, starting with the baseless accusations of Satanic ritual abuse against the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California in 1983. A parent accused the school’s staff of horrific sexual abuses motivated by the devil, leading to numerous arrests, a trial that dragged on for three years, and received relentless nationwide TV coverage. Ultimately, everyone involved with the McMartin trial was acquitted or released after their charges were dropped (other arrests for “ritual abuse” at schools around the country ended in the same way), and the vast majority of the “evidence” was discredited or found to have been unduly influenced by investigators. But by that point, the panic had reached every level of government, media, and entertainment. Rock stars were dragged in front of congressional committees, Geraldo Rivera claimed without evidence that there were “millions” of Satanists in a secretive cabal in the U.S. in a TV special in 1987, groups organized to root out Satan in their kids’ schools and hobbies (the game Dungeons and Dragons was a frequent target), and parent activists appeared almost out of nowhere. What became known as the Satanic Panic finally burned out in the early 90s. But the evangelical fear of the influence of the devil and his minions never entirely goes away. And we’re currently seeing a new cycle of accusation, fear, and overreaction. America is in the grips of a new evangelical revival, and concerns about lawlessness echo the fears of crime of the 1980s. Parents are terrified of what social media and COVID measures have done to their kids. This new Satanic Panic isn’t just fodder for daytime TV, though. It’s everywhere, in virtually every corner of entertainment and politics. It exists on a similar timeline, using similar fears. Singers Sam Smith and Kim Petras using a mix of demonic tropes when they performed “Unholy” at the Grammys led to a deluge of complaints to the FCC about it being “wrought with evil imagery, and depict[ing] DEVIL WORSHIPING ACOLYTES.” Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show received even more and was also deemed “Satanic” by concerned viewers. One influencer had a particular fit over her safety harness “actually” being a Pentagram. And when fashion stalwart Balenciaga released a line using photo shoots that “depicted children holding bondage-adjacent teddy-bear bags (leather harnesses, padlocks, fishnet)” and “a $3,000 bag with papers about child-pornography laws strewn across the desk,” as Vogue put it, allegations that the brand was signaling support for Satanic rituals jumped from Twitter to Fox News almost immediately. The fashion house denied any endorsement of the devil or pedophilia, issued an apology and filed a lawsuit against the production company behind one of the photo shoots. But allegations of Satanic allegiance aren’t just being leveled at TikTok-friendly pop stars and fashion lines. When President Joe Biden gave a speech in Philadelphia in September 2022, shortly before the midterm elections, the stark red lighting and content about Trump-aligned Republicans being “a threat to this country” set conservative podcasts and social media alight with allegations that the president was invoking demonic imagery. Biden “looked Satanic tonight” tweeted one popular conservative commentator, while others called him a “Satanic ghoul” and “almost satanic with the blood red lighting.” As former South Carolina governor turned 2024 Republican contender Nikki Haley put it, "he looked like he was in the depths of hell." These claims are easily digested by conservatives. After a half-decade of QAnon conspiracy theories and Trump accusations against his enemies, it's easy to understand why they are primed to believe Satanic pedophiles are real. It's why the groomer slur was so quick to catch on. There is no link between Satanism and pedophilia, but that fear—pushed by QAnon believers first—is driving much of the slurs being used as a cudgel against the LGBTQ community. But like the Panic of the 1980s over “Satanic ritual abuse,” numerous studies have shown that none of this is happening. There is no evidence that Joe Biden, Sam Smith, or random set decorators working for Balenciaga worship the dark lord. But like in the 1980s, the facts simply don’t matter to those who want to believe that the accusations are true. Satanic panics exists for the same reason that the vast majority of conspiracy theories and hate-driven hoaxes exist. They revolve around scapegoating those seen as having lifestyles and social mores regarded as abhorrent to the perceived majority. They turn outsiders into enemies, unexplainable events into smaller pieces of a vast plot, and make their believers feel they have secret and special knowledge that separates them from the masses. Those who see Satan in the gyrations of Rihanna or the lighting in a speech by Biden believe they can divine information that others can’t, and they take that information and wrap it into the worldview they already have. And that worldview often puts them at the center of a vast battle between good and evil, one that doesn’t require understanding or empathizing with the views and actions of others, only destroying them, because they are bad and out to harm you and innocent children. Despite the differences in speed and technology between the 1980s and now, the motivation ends up being the same: concern for children and decaying morality that curdles into obsession, paranoia, and scapegoating. And in both the 1980s panic and the more recent hysteria, no children are actually saved. Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post Welcome to America’s new, digital Satanic Panic appeared first on The Daily Dot.

This Artical Talks about US policies in the Middle East and South Asia about Americas Role in the Sunni-Shia conflict, annd its policies. (It has some anti-Iran and islamic lanuage, readers be advised) The U.S. Role in the Sunni-Shi'ite Conflict :: Gatestone Institute

Do Shia Muslims still think most Americans are friendly and still a Christian nation? i have heard and seen otherwise but i was wondering the Shia muslim view on this?

Kataib Hezbollah leader offers American 'liberation movements' advice and training after US Capitol riot by Michael Lee, Social Media Writer | January 13, 2021 03:51 PM An Iraqi Hezbollah militant has offered to train Americans planning “liberation movements” in the wake of the siege of the U.S. Capitol last week. “A senior military official from Iraqi Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah Abu Ali al Askary has offered to ‘provide direct and indirect advice and training for liberation movements inside the United States of America, and special sites will be provided for this… USA The End,’” reported NBC News analyst Evan Kohlmann on Twitter. Kohlmann added that it “is not entirely clear if al-Askary’s offer is genuine, or whether this is merely Kataib Hezbollah using social media to taunt the U.S. government in the wake of last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol.” Kataib Hezbollah is an Iranian-sponsored militia that operates in both Iraq and Syria. The group was responsible for many of the roadside bombings that killed U.S. forces in Iraq following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the country. After the American withdrawal of troops from Iraq, the militia pivoted to defending the Assad regime in Syria and has been involved in terror activity in Iraq’s Anbar province. National News correspondent Joyce Karam provided a screenshot of Askary's social media post after the militant’s account was suspended by Twitter. “In God’s name,” a translation of the post reads. “Security consultants for the Islamic Resistance are up and ready to offer direct and indirect training and advice for liberation movements inside the non-United States of America and will assign special locations for that.” The post comes as lawmakers are still debating the fallout of last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol, which left five people dead, including four rioters and one police officer. Some lawmakers have directly assigned blame to President Trump, who held a rally immediately before the riot where he repeated claims that the election was “stolen” and urged his followers to fight back by making their voices heard at the Capitol. Democrats introduced articles of impeachment against the president, holding a vote Wednesday on whether or not to charge Trump with “incitement of insurrection.”

When or if Shia islam will spread in the west like Sunni or Salafi, i know in the west and muslim world, most of shia converts are from sunni,when will it appeal to non muslims like Sunni or Salafi? I know they get help from dawah ad media coverage and more money spent on literature like books, pamplets, internet media,ect. But When will Shias have this oppretunity,i know Saudi and other countries outspend and outreach more then shias, even the western entertertainment puts sunni out like movies and television shows like erturl and djjn and others and movies about ottomans. When will it be Shias time to Shine, anybody?

There are many threads existing ta SC where the major and minor signs of Appearance of Imam Al Mahdi (عليه السلام) has been detailed and discussed. However, the topic of this thread has been mentioned to describe the geographical and political conditions in regions of the world before the Appearance of Al Mahdi (عليه السلام). Part 1: Some Basic Facts 1. Introduction of Imam Mahdi 2. Summary of hadith about Imam Mahdi 3. Muslims and Shia condition .....................(Continued)

Civil War were to break out in the USA,which side will Shias back?Would it be the African Americans and liberal Socialist Democrats? Conservatve American Muslims and Christians with religious Values, leftist, socialist, or no one.

Muslims face a suicide crisis in America. The taboo of talking about it must end. (yahoo.com)

I know during the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khomeni ordered Blacks and Women freed first. Does Iran support womens groups like they suport minorites like Black Americans? Do they speak out for women in americaa and count them as oppressed too still?

Is America on the brink of a civil war? (msn.com)

SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE, OUR PEOPLE NEED TO AWAKENED AND TO HEAR THE TRUTH! SPREAD IT EVERYWHERE!

Salam aleykum, Funny how they ask a fashion blogger regarding the nuclear program of another country to begin with.

Salamun Alaykum, My name is Mehdi. I am from India and I am travelling to Salt Lake City, Utah, on 29th Dec. I will be attending graduate program at the University of Utah. I need to know Shia brothers and community centres who can help me get a rented apartment near the U (zipcode :84102) (The apartment should not be expensive). We are 3 students(the other 2 are not shia) who will reach SLC on 29th Dec 11pm. Kindly help connect me to the Student body/ Shia centres around here in Utah. I need this urgently done. Thank you for your help.:)

Israeli defense minister met with Syrian rebels, former IDF commander reveals in a first In a bombshell admission, a former senior Israeli commander has said that former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon personally met with Syrian rebels at the height of the Syrian war. Maj. Gen. Gershon Hacohen was speaking at an Israeli Democracy Institute conference when he made a stunning claim – Ya'alon, who was Israel's chief of defense from 2013 to May 2016, held a meeting with a group of Syrian rebels during his tenure. Hacohen, who was Israeli Defence Forces Staff Corps Commander before retiring in September 2014, said that he was also present at the never-before-reported meet-up. Hacohen refused to specify when the meeting took place and or the subject matter of the discussions. He, however, offered a brief portrayal of his three Syrian 'counterparts,' saying that Ya'alon asked one if he was a Salafist because the minister "wanted to understand who they were." The rebel Ya'alon addressed was apparently somewhat perturbed by the prospect of cooperation with Israel. "He [Ya'alon] asked one of them, 'Tell me, are you a Salafist?' And he said, 'I really don't know what a Salafist is. If it means that I pray more, then yes. Once I would pray once a week, on Fridays, now I pray five times a day. On the other hand, a Salafist isn't meant to cooperate with the Zionists," Haaretz reported, citing Hacohen's recollection of the meeting. Following Hacohen's revelation, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing its own sources, that the meeting did indeed take place and that the main topic on the agenda was “humanitarian assistance.” The JP's sources said the outcome of the talks was an agreement on humanitarian aid deliveries to the residents of the Syrian part of the Golan Heights. The effort, which reportedly started as a one-time goodwill gesture, expanded to become Operation Good Neighbor, which formally inaugurated its headquarters in June 2016. Since then, Israel has been openly assisting the rebels, but insists that its assistance is strictly humanitarian and includes treating wounded militants and their families, supplying them with fuel, medicine, food, clothing and other essential products. The operation was reportedly wrapped up this week after Syrian forces retook control over the Golan Heights from the rebels. However, numerous reports have suggested that Israel's support of the rebels is not as benign as Tel Aviv seeks to portray. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that the alleged humanitarian assistance, that had begun as early as 2013, included cash payments to rebel commanders who, in turn, used the money to pay militants' salaries and buy weapons and equipment. It was reported that one group received a monthly allowance of some $5,000 from the Israeli military. The handouts were conditional upon the rebels' ability to keep Hezbollah, which Israel sees as Iran's proxies, away from the border. Earlier this year, the Jerusalem Post was forced to hastily remove an explosive report on the IDF’s admission that it provided Syrian rebels with light weapons. The managing editor of the newspaper told RT in September that the story was taken down for "for security reasons evidently," while the IDF declined to comment on the issue. ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTER MET SYRIAN REBELS

Allying against Iran: US is creating Arab NATO While the US envisages a new military alliance as a tool to counter potential threats from Iran towards the Gulf monarchies and the Middle East, there are a number of obstacles in the way of creating an Arab military bloc. According to Defense News, an Arab NATO would consist of six Gulf states, i.e. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, plus Egypt and Jordan. The commander of the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Maj. Gen. al-Khalifah, said that this is an American idea which was approved by the Arab Gulf countries, "but didn't take shape yet." He expects this alliance to be successful, although "we are still at the beginning." Back in October, the Bahraini foreign minister said that the Gulf security alliance could be formed by next year. Defense News sees at least one sign of progress there, as the Gulf countries are already involved in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that fights against Houthi rebels, mainly by carrying out airstrikes. "We have been sharing information between coalition fighters all along the operations [in Yemen], and we have been training alongside with the Gulf countries through joint exercises, and this enhances our capabilities," al-Khalifah said. Incompatible with Iran On the other hand, there are clear and tangible challenges on the way to creating this new military alliance, not least of them being the issues of interoperability. All the potential members operate different types of weapons and military equipment: the Egyptian Air Force operates the Russian MIG and the American F-16, while the Saudi Air Force has the American F-15SA and the European Eurofighter Typhoon, and the UAE is equipped with the F-16 and the French Mirage. But the issue of interoperability is not the only impediment for creating an Arab NATO as the relations between Qatar and other Gulf countries have not been fully restored since 2017 when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar. All eight potential members of the new military alliance have concerns related to Iran and Iranian-backed armed groups operating in numerous countries across the Middle East. "Iran continues to cause risks to other nations and act as a destabilizing agent across this region. They aim to disrupt the balance of power and place at risk the livelihood of citizens," Commander of the US Air Forces Central Command Lt. General Joseph Guastella said during the 2nd Manama Airpower Symposium. According to Guastella, the experience of setting up and operating NATO itself could prove useful in establishing an Arab version of the alliance: "There is value in looking at what NATO has been able to do and the successes of an alliance that has guaranteed essentially stability for the region there for decades." Adding America and Israel into the mix "People have been talking about an Arab NATO for several years now," said Vladimir Sazhin, Senior Researcher at the Middle East Department of the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to him, there are plans to get Israel to participate in the alliance that would bring together six monarchies of the Persian Gulf, Egypt, and Jordan. However, instead of becoming a full-fledged member of the Arab NATO, Israel would supply intelligence to the alliance. The US is expected to participate in a similar manner, providing all the necessary resources without officially joining the organization. "The idea to call it an 'Arab NATO' is something journalists came up with. In all of the relevant areas, this potential new alliance will be very much inferior to NATO. I don't believe that it will ever reach the level of NATO," said Sazhin. According to him, even if the bloc is ever established, it is unlikely to resemble NATO at all. There may be some formal organizational structures established, but there are serious doubts regarding their effectiveness and efficiency. Ultimately, all we see is propaganda and media noise, and not much actual progress, Sazhin said. Just how capable the Gulf monarchies are in terms of setting up a united front against Iran remains to be seen. "I very much doubt they would go through with this without the support of other countries. There is a very broad range of attitudes towards Iran among the Gulf states," Sazhin stressed. On one end of the spectrum, there is Saudi Arabia, on the other – countries like Qatar and Oman. The last two are not particularly anti-Iran. As for economic relations, the United Arab Emirates have very close ties with Iran. Tehran's relationship with Abu Dhabi provides it an opportunity to evade US financial and economic sanctions, the expert stated "I think that if there were an Arab military organization then it would most likely be lacking in efficiency and decision-making, but would be very active publicity-wise," Vladimir Sazhin said. "A summit with US President Donald Trump and monarchs of the Gulf countries was expected to take place back in autumn this year in the United States. It was believed that the main topic on the agenda would be the creation of a strategic Middle East alliance that experts already call an Arab NATO for the sake of simplicity," Elena Suponina, adviser to the director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, said. That summit was postponed until the first half of 2019. One of the reasons was the scandal around the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi political analyst. It created an atmosphere that compelled the US to refrain from any discussions regarding strategic cooperation. According to Suponina, that is not the only obstacle that stands in the way of creating such an organization. Firstly, relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar are somewhat clouded; secondly, there is still too much turbulence in the region. The plans are in place, but it would be very difficult for the Americans to make them come true, Suponina believes. Nevertheless, there is every reason to believe that the US is not giving up on these plans since in the upcoming years the main goal of the US in the region will be to contain Iran. This is exactly why America pursues the creation of, if not a full-fledged military organization, then at least something very close to it. Even that kind of alliance would be very useful for the US, the expert thinks. "Donald Trump's idea is to form an Arab NATO that would include Arabian monarchies and – by a long stretch of the imagination – Israel. This idea may sound benevolent, but so do many other plans that are not meant to happen," Evgeny Satanovsky, president of the Institute for Middle East Studies, said. Satanovsky believes that the new military alliance is meant to zero in on Iran. There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia wants to establish that alliance. However, it is very unlikely that the US will succeed in convincing Israel to join the club. Israeli society will never accept that offer. There is zero chance that an Arab NATO will become a reality, he said, adding that Israel doesn't really need any military help from the Arab countries to fight Iran. The Arab armies do not constitute any significant military power nor they are organized enough to be a force others can rely on if it comes to that. For the Arab countries, it is absolutely out of the question to be part of the same military alliance with Israel due to the kind of narrative that permeates their societies. The State Department and the White House – unsurprisingly – do not understand this, Satanovsky claims. It is absolutely clear that Saudi Arabia seeks to create an Arab or Islamic military alliance and to be at the helm. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has already damaged relations with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, cut relations with Qatar, and raised tensions between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan – all in pursuit of this goal. ARAB NATO

Just read a good article. Thought to share with you. US directs Iran to act like a ‘normal’ country. What is a normal country? After reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened that Iran should “act like a normal country, or see its economy crumble.” But, how exactly does a ‘normal’ country act? Since the dictat was issued from Washington DC, it seems only fair to start there. Is the United States itself a ‘normal’ country? What makes a ‘normal’ country as opposed to an ‘abnormal’ one? Foreign Policy If the US is indeed a 'normal' country, there is a lot we can glean from that, including that a militaristic and bullying foreign policy, which regularly features bombings, invasions and the sponsorship of regime change operations around the world, is normal behavior. If this is normal, is Mike Pompeo suggesting that Iran should start invading its neighbors and engineering foreign coups? The ideology of ‘American exceptionalism’, the belief that the US is inherently good and unique among nations, is so pervasive in American society and media, that any politician who does not strictly adhere to it will find themselves labeled as un-American or unpatriotic. American exceptionalism also makes it ‘normal’, celebrated even, for the US government to spend more than $650 billion on the military every year - more than the next seven countries combined. Pompeo himself is a strict adherent to this ideology, recently discussing the “essential rightness” of the US in global affairs. But hey, one man’s normal is another man’s imperialist militarism. Crime The US regularly issues travel advisories to citizens traveling to other countries, warning them about crime rates, instances of political violence etc., but what ratings the US get if other countries were dishing them out as frequently? There have been over 300 mass shootings in the US in 2018 alone. That’s nearly one mass shooting every day so far this year (we’re on day 311). These shootings have become so ‘normal’ that there’s a website which does nothing but track them as they happen. There were 11,000 gun-related deaths in 2016 and statistics show that Americans are twice as likely to die from gun violence than they are to die while riding inside a car, truck, or van, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Police brutality Police in the US shot dead 987 people last year. By contrast, German police shot dead 14 people in the same year. Germany’s population is four times smaller, but if it matched that of the US, only 56 people would have been killed at this rate. In the US, statistics also show that black men are shot at disproportionately high rates compared to the rest of the population. In fact, black men (armed and unarmed) made up 22 percent of the total number of people killed by police in 2017 - but they make up just six percent of the population. Harrowing videos have shown police shoot unarmed black men in the back as they attempted to run away or choking them to death for selling untaxed cigarettes. Yet, rarely do police face trial for these shootings - and fewer still are convicted. Maybe that’s what Pompeo means by ‘normal’? Healthcare Americans spent roughly $3.4 trillion on health care in 2017, which would work out at about $10,350 per person if you divided it equally. That number is twice what any other developed country spends - and yet, the system is so inefficient and broken that there are still about 30 million Americans without health insurance. Some of them are forced to choose between buying food or buying medication because the costs of prescription drugs are so high. It’s estimated that 45,000 Americans die every year simply because they can’t afford health cover. Is that how things work in a ‘normal’ country? It is also the only developed country that does not provide maternity leave. Education Receiving a good college education in the US can be an expensive affair. So expensive in fact, that students often end up saddled with debt for decades. Americans currently owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. Meanwhile, public education is so underfunded in the US that some schools are falling apart. One study found that 94 percent of US public school teachers use their own paychecks to buy essential supplies for their classrooms due to underfunding. In April, Oklahoma teachers went on a nine-day strike complaining that their low wages won’t allow them to make ends meet. During the walkout, pictures of falling-apart textbooks were posted online, prompting one student to admit she “didn’t realize that people had textbooks with covers on them.” Anything can become normal when you get used to it. USA DIRECTS IRAN TO ACT LIKE A "NORMAL" COUNTRY

Israel Vows to create two more occupied lands Yemen and Afghanistan are the bulls eye.

Assalamalaikum, I have been watching news .... Im still not able to figure out who are the good guys .... Can you tell me , which countries are the good guys... P. S: Dont be biased pls.. . Be Truthful n Honest

The Real Reason America Used Nuclear Weapons Against Japan. It Was Not To End the War Or Save Lives. By Washington's Blog / globalresearch.ca Like all Americans, I was taught that the U.S. dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to end WWII and save both American and Japanese lives. But most of the top American military officials at the time said otherwise. The U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey group, assigned by President Truman to study the air attacks on Japan, produced a report in July of 1946 that concluded (52-56): General (and later president) Dwight Eisenhower – then Supreme Commander of all Allied Forces, and the officer who created most of America’s WWII military plans for Europe and Japan – said: Newsweek, 11/11/63, Ike on Ike Eisenhower also noted (pg. 380): Admiral William Leahy – the highest ranking member of the U.S. military from 1942 until retiring in 1949, who was the first de facto Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and who was at the center of all major American military decisions in World War II – wrote (pg. 441): General Douglas MacArthur agreed (pg. 65, 70-71): Moreover (pg. 512): Similarly, Assistant Secretary of War John McLoy noted (pg. 500): Under Secretary of the Navy Ralph Bird said: War Was Really Won Before We Used A-Bomb, U.S. News and World Report, 8/15/60, pg. 73-75. He also noted (pg. 144-145, 324): General Curtis LeMay, the tough cigar-smoking Army Air Force “hawk,” stated publiclyshortly before the nuclear bombs were dropped on Japan: The Vice Chairman of the U.S. Bombing Survey Paul Nitze wrote (pg. 36-37, 44-45): Deputy Director of the Office of Naval Intelligence Ellis Zacharias wrote: Ellis Zacharias, How We Bungled the Japanese Surrender, Look, 6/6/50, pg. 19-21. Brigadier General Carter Clarke – the military intelligence officer in charge of preparing summaries of intercepted Japanese cables for President Truman and his advisors – said(pg. 359): Many other high-level military officers concurred. For example: British officers were of the same mind. For example, General Sir Hastings Ismay, Chief of Staff to the British Minister of Defence, said to Prime Minister Churchill that “when Russia came into the war against Japan, the Japanese would probably wish to get out on almost any terms short of the dethronement of the Emperor.” On hearing that the atomic test was successful, Ismay’s private reaction was one of “revulsion.” Why Were Bombs Dropped on Populated Cities Without Military Value? Even military officers who favored use of nuclear weapons mainly favored using them on unpopulated areas or Japanese military targets … not cities. For example, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy Lewis Strauss proposed to Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal that a non-lethal demonstration of atomic weapons would be enough to convince the Japanese to surrender … and the Navy Secretary agreed (pg. 145, 325): General George Marshall agreed: Historians Agree that the Bomb Wasn’t Needed Historians agree that nuclear weapons did not need to be used to stop the war or save lives. As historian Doug Long notes: Politicians Agreed Many high-level politicians agreed. For example, Herbert Hoover said (pg. 142): Under Secretary of State Joseph Grew noted (pg. 29-32): Why Then Were Atom Bombs Dropped on Japan? If dropping nuclear bombs was unnecessary to end the war or to save lives, why was the decision to drop them made? Especially over the objections of so many top military and political figures? One theory is that scientists like to play with their toys: However, most of the Manhattan Project scientists who developed the atom bomb were opposed to using it on Japan. Albert Einstein – an important catalyst for the development of the atom bomb (but not directly connected with the Manhattan Project) – said differently: Indeed, some of the Manhattan Project scientists wrote directly to the secretary of defensein 1945 to try to dissuade him from dropping the bomb: Political and Social Problems, Manhattan Engineer District Records, Harrison-Bundy files, folder # 76, National Archives (also contained in: Martin Sherwin, A World Destroyed, 1987 edition, pg. 323-333). The scientists questioned the ability of destroying Japanese cities with atomic bombs to bring surrender when destroying Japanese cities with conventional bombs had not done so, and – like some of the military officers quoted above – recommended a demonstration of the atomic bomb for Japan in an unpopulated area. The Real Explanation? History.com notes: New Scientist reported in 2005: John Pilger points out: We’ll give the last word to University of Maryland professor of political economy – and former Legislative Director in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and Special Assistant in the Department of State – Gar Alperovitz: http://www.filmsforaction.org/news/the-real-reason-america-used-nuclear-weapons-against-japan-it-was-not-to-end-the-war-or-save-lives/ In Summary: 1. Japan was going to surrender. The bombs were not necessary. 2. USA could have dropped the bomb on a military target, or a sparsely populated area, but chose to drop it on populated cities with no military value 3. It was done to scare Russia. It had nothing to do with ending WW2 or saving lives

An adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has harshly criticized the recent meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the ringleader of an anti-Iran terrorist group. Speaking on Sunday, Hossein Sheikholeslam said the meeting between Abbas and Maryam Rajavi, the ringleader of the terrorist Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), came as no surprise to Iran. Abbas met with Rajavi in the French capital of Paris late Saturday. According to reports, the two discussed regional issues, and Rajavi briefed Abbas on the MKO’s recent annual meeting. “That a Palestinian faction that compromises with the Zionists (Israelis) and that has yielded to Israel under US pressure... today meets with terrorist elements is no surprise,” Sheikholeslam said, referring to the Palestinian Fatah party, which is headed by Abbas. The Islamic Republic, the Iranian official said, was already in possession of evidence of Abbas’ secret collaborations with the United States. He said the relations between Mahmoud Abbas and terrorist groups and Israelis have been covert and have only become publicized today. Sheikholeslam referred to the MKO’s bleak history of assassinations and bombings against Iranian civilians and officials following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and said the terrorist outfit receives support from the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia. He also pointed to the move by the MKO to side with former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in the eight-year Iraqi war against Iran in the 1980s, and said the group maintains its enmity toward Iran with continued Western support. In early July, the MKO held a meeting in Paris, where Saudi Arabia’s former spymaster, Turki al-Faisal, gave a 30-minute speech to the gathering and expressed support for the anti-Iran group. The Iranian Foreign Ministry subsequently summoned the French Ambassador to Tehran François Sénémaud to hand him a strong note of protest over the meeting. Iran and Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic relations. http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/08/01/477871/Iran-Hossein-Sheikholeslam-Mahmoud-Abbas-Maryam-Rajavi

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/07/28/north-korea-united-states-relations/87659264/ Well, how is this going to work out for them?

Saudi Arabia has paid substantial money for a secret alliance with Israel, a US journalist claims in his study. If this statement is true, it may fundamentally change our perception of Middle East politics. The region's muddled relations, political and military alliances have long been a favourite subject for researchers and journalists studying the Middle East. Those familiar with the region are all quite aware that the area is characterized by an Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as a Sunni-Shiite and a Saudi-Iranian opposition, which root in cultural, religious and political divisions. However, noted US journalist Robert Parry has recently published an in-depth article based on intelligence information, claiming that Saudi Arabia paid around 16 billion USD to Israel in order to buy the friendship of the Jewish State. Lobbyists for sale It is common knowledge that political (and other) lobbying has considerable traditions in the United States. Lobbyists promoting the interests of countries or economic groups often influence US interior and foreign policy decision making processes in a decisive manner. Consequently, Saudi Arabia has also begun to build a lobby in Washington, only to experience bitterly that the masses of law firms and PR specialists costing top dollar or even the exploitation of connections with such powerful families as the Bushes can never outperform the Israel Lobby in the US. Therefore, the Saudis decided to take a different approach: they bought the Israelis, writes Parry. According to the article, Saudi Arabia has given Israel around $16 billion over the past two and a half years, funnelling the money through other Arab states and Israeli development funds. If it is all true, the Saudis may have indeed bought the Israelis, since Israel was starkly opposing the agreement with Iran - and found several American backers along the way. Why Iran? Readers not quite familiar with regional affairs might not know that Iran and its religious Shiite leadership is a thorn in the side of another player beside Israel - Saudi Arabia, a key power in the Sunni world also considers the Shiite state as its archrival. The Sunni-Shiite division is one of the greatest fault lines among Muslim countries, which they not have been able to overcome. As a result, Saudis consider any pro-Iran governments in the Middle East as enemies, so much so, that they are apparently willing to ignore the solidarity rooted in the same culture and all-Islam togetherness. Not to mention that they turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people (who are also Sunni, by the way). So, Saudi Arabia is not in the least interested in a strengthening Iran. However, the lifted sanctions and Tehran's return to international politics would inevitably lead to a strengthening Persian state, and in a big way too, as Iran has all the capabilities to become a key state of the Middle East, similarly to Turkey. It seems such a dreadful outcome for the Saudis, who follow Wahhabism, a rigorous school of Islam, that they appear willing to ally with Israel to prevent it. Religious rigour does not seem to apply to foreign policy... Riyadh is not concerned about the bloodshed According to Parry, Riyadh and Tel-Aviv had a similar cooperation to destabilize Iraq, Syria and Egypt. Even though Iraq's central government had already been toppled by the US invasion, a Shiite, thus pro-Iran leadership that enjoyed the support of the population's majority was obviously not so close to the Saudis' heart, just as they didn't like the Alavite (a branch of Shiitism) Assad regime in Syria, either. This put Riyadh on the same side with Israel. Interestingly enough, the Islamic State that follows a wrong and violent interpretation of Sunni Islam happened to grow strong in this region. Notably, the terrorist organization that calls itself a Caliphate was not planning to annihilate Israel, but the Shiites living in the area. This is one more reason why ISIS may have seemed more likeable for Israel than the Assad regime, which has maintained religious peace but been relentlessly opposed to Tel-Aviv, even though the Islamic State destroys everything with unheard of brutality in the occupied areas. Palestinian cause on the sideline Although the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood gave a glimmer of hope for the Palestinians struggling to survive the air-tight blockade in Gaza, the world's largest outdoor prison for years, Saudi Arabia considered Mohamed Morsi's Muslim revolutionary and not anti-Hamas government as an enemy, so it joined Israel in backing the military coup and the new Egyptian leadership, which wasn't as friendly to the Palestinians as its predecessor but fit the Saudi interests much better. Hypocrisy at its peak As it is known, Saudi Arabia is one of the most radical Muslim states in the world. Its structure is based on Wahhabism, an ideology rooted in the quasi literal interpretation of Islamic religious principles and the most puritanistic traditions. Yet this country hardly ever receives firm criticism from the West, contrary to a democratic Turkey that tolerates religions other than Islam, or the undoubtedly theocratic Iran, which ensures parliamentary representation for religious minorities. In comparison, wearing a cross in Saudi Arabia may constitute a crime and power is concentrated in the hands of one single dynasty. And this country is a reliable ally for the United States and if Parry's article is correct, it is an outstanding sponsor for Israel against other Muslim states. http://jobbik.com/saudi_israeli_cooperation_secret_alliance_bought_for_money

Iran is ranked number forth in the world after North Korea, China, and America. Keep it up Iran http://www.globalfirepower.com/navy-ships.asp