by Stephen Lendman
Note: A follow-up article will continue the narrative below. Currently, events in Tripoli are fluid.
Progressive Radio News Hour contributor Mahdi Nazemroaya’s overnight email said:
“NATO landed insurgents in (Tripoli) harbor. They are attacking my hotel. I almost got shot. They’re still lying a lot (about claims of controlling the capital), but we are in real danger.”
He’s saying that armed guerrilla gangs, mercenaries, indistinguishable from (also armed) Tripoli residents, are waging street warfare.
Russia Today reported about 1,300 deaths. No one knows for sure. However, events are fast-moving and chaotic.
On Russia Today, Nazemroaya also said heavy looting occurred, including insurgents breaking into hotel rooms and ransacking them. In addition, he said NATO WANTS A BLOODBATH.
In fact, they’re getting one, exacerbated by intense terror bombing, deliberately targeting civilians.
“Myself, the Press TV journalist (Lizzie Phelan), three French nationals, the Cuban and Telesur journalists are in danger.”
“One of my French colleagues was told: ‘You are going to suffer the consequences of your actions for opposing the NATO war.”
Sunday, on Russia Today, Nazemroaya said he was told that CNN said he personally would pay for opposing the war.
REPEAT: CNN THREATENED MADHI NAZEMROAYA FOR REPORTING TRUTHFULLY ABOUT EVENTS ON THE GROUND, NOT THE PRO-NATO PROPAGANDA CNN (THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND OTHER MAJOR MEDIA) REPORT DAILY.
What’s ongoing in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Palestine, as well as throughout North Africa/the Middle East/Central Asia is part of a COUP D’ETAT AGAINST FREEDOM – PLANNED, ORCHESTRATED AND DIRECTED FROM WASHINGTON.
Below covers the situation through Sunday PM. The narrative aims directly at shameless New York Times propaganda.
Rather than not send out because new events alter the picture I present, I believe it’s nonetheless important to do so because:
(1) The New York Times, CNN and rest of the major media are part of Washington/NATO’s war against freedom.
(2) They publish or broadcast falsified pro-war reports.
(3) They shamelessly support crimes of war and against humanity.
(4) On the ground “reporters” have provided NATO with bombing coordinates.
As a result, at the risk of inaccuracies because of subsequent events, the original article written Sunday begins as follows:
There they go again. Another day, more lies, shameless ones. Their correspondents prostitute themselves daily, making street whores, pimps, and dope peddlers look respectable in comparison.
On August 19, David Kirkpatrick headlined, “Qaddafi’s Hold in Tripoli in Doubt as Rebels Advance,” saying:
Gaddafi’s “hold on his Tripoli stronghold shows signs of slipping….Residents (believe his) flight or ouster could be imminent. Three people said the feeling of fear was ebbing in the streets,” suggesting it’s because they think he’ll soon be gone in contrast to the vast majority of supportive Tripoli residents, besides 85% of Libyans overall.
According to Kirkpatrick, “(w)ith unexpected swiftness, the ill-trained and ill-equiped rebels….overtook Zawiyah with its enormous oil refinery, just 30 miles west of Tripoli.”
He quoted an unnamed US official saying, “Qaddafi might not know what he’s going to do from one day to the next.”
The article discussed other advances, existing solely in the mind of the Pentagon propagandist and unnamed US official who fed Kirkpatrick this rubbish he published.
On August 20, Kareem Fahim and Kirkpatrick headlined, “Heavy Fighting Reported in Tripoli; Rebels Encircle City,” saying:
“For the first time in months, witnesses in Tripoli reported heavy fighting across the capital late Saturday night, even as rebel forces claimed to have encircled the city by taking major towns to its east, west and south.”
According to “rebel leader” Anwar Fekini, “We are coordinating the attacks inside, and our forces from outside are ready to enter Tripoli.”
On August 21, Kareem Fahim headlined, “Libyan Rebels Pass Defense Ring Near Tripoli,” saying:
“Libyan rebels advanced to within 10 miles of Tripoli on Sunday, pushing past the city’s outer defense lines and vowing to combine forces with insurgents who have waged intense battles inside the city,” Gaddafi’s “final stronghold.”
As previous articles stressed, these reports read more like bad fiction than true accounts of conditions on the ground, exposing lies about alleged rebel victories.
Stratfor Global Intelligence (SGI) offered a mixed analysis, discounting notions of Gaddafi’s imminent collapse, while nonsensically suggesting nonexistent rebel “advanc(es) toward Tripoli,” indicating they “may be beginning an attempt to lay siege on the Libyan capital” and claim victory.
At the same time, SGI admits a “rebel disinformation campaign….in full swing….designed to trigger an uprising from within the capital to facilitate the rebel invasion….A lot of loose talk (about) a lot of explosions in Tripoli can be expected in the meantime.”
In fact, Stratfor tried having it both ways, claiming rebel victories based on “disinformation,” then exposing them as lies.
A Reality Check
On August 20, Progressive Radio News contributor Mahdi Nazemroaya’s Global Research.ca article headlined, “Rebel Advances on Tripoli is Media Disinformation,” saying:
Rebel disinformation claims “(h)eavy gunfire and explosions” in Tripoli. By the end of August, they say a final battle to take the city could begin. Other falsified reports indicate fighting in several city neighborhoods, including Tajoura, Soug Jomaa and Arada.
In fact, besides ongoing NATO bombing, “gunfire in the Libyan capital is sporadic and disorganized.” Its main purpose “is to break down the morale here and cause panic.”
“The media here at the hotel where I am staying have been part of this disinformation campaign. They just want to feed the panic here and want the regime to collapse. They are fueling and feeding this psychological war against this country.”
At the same time, Libyans overwhelmingly support Gaddafi, determined to resist efforts to oust him. New York Times and other media sources, however, never report it. Instead, they lie, doing it shamelessly and badly.
Appearing August 20 on Russia Today (RT.com), Nazemroaya confirmed sporadic gunfire only, adding:
“It’s not organized, and it’s meant only to break down the morale” of Tripoli residents “and cause panic….In fact, the (major) media” are a key part of the disinformation campaign.
“They’re talking about airlifts. (They’re) saying migratory workers want to flee Tripoli. That’s not true at all. They just want to (create) panic and make the regime collapse….They want Tripoli to be in panic. That’s their whole aim,” also spreading other lies “to cause trauma, (and) that’s the truth.”
“It’s NATO that’s doing all the fighting” with relentless daily bombing, mostly targeting civilians, “civilian checkpoints that are mostly protected and manned by volunteers,” and civilian infrastructure.
“But when the media say insurgents are moving in, that’s not correct. It’s NATO that’s doing all the hard work here.” Except for scattered elements, rebels won’t “come into Tripoli. The population (is committed) to oppose them,” and well armed by Gaddafi to do it.
“This is a NATO operation,” controlling everything, rebels taking orders from them. Reporters are giving bombing coordinates to NATO, including civilian checkpoints, hospitals, and other nonmilitary targets to terrorize Libyans into submission.
“The media here are part of the war machine.”
Also appearing August 20 on RT, Franklin Lamb said he just returned from traveling all around Tripoli. “There’s no heavy fighting” as falsely reported. “There is sporadic bombing every hour” or so, and some anti-aircraft fire. “It’s clear that the rebels are not here….Now it’s very quiet.” Claiming rebels are there “is nonsense.”
On the same day, independent journalist Lizzie Phelan told RT:
Tripoli gunfire and fireworks now heard is celebratory among Gaddafi supporters, not falsified claims of rebel attacks.
Earlier there were some scattered rebel fighters in the city, perhaps sleeper cells awaiting orders. Libya’s government calls them gangs. “They’ve now been cleared out of the city, captured and arrested.”
“The only explosions (heard are) from NATO bombing and sound bombs to create a sense of panic….Now what we’re hearing happened earlier today is that the rebels (by) their own media, their own channels, including Al Jazeera at the center of the media conspiracy, is that they created some fake footage inside Zawiya, claiming they’re (there) and in Tripoli.”
It was done to create panic. Scattered rebel gangs began firing and threatening people, saying they’d be assassinated if they didn’t join them.
Other “armed Libyans came out to defend their capital.” Control was reestablished. Now people are out because they feel safe again, showing relief with fireworks and celebratory gunfire, ready to resist other rebel attacks if they come.
Gaddafi also spoke live by phone, insisting he’s alive, well, and inside the country. Moreover, “NATO isn’t having any successes on the ground, so (their only recourse) is to fabricate them by (media lies) to convince the Security Council and most people that the war is worthwhile.”
Since the beginning of the conflict, “people have been armed to the teeth,” using weapons Gaddafi supplied. They’re “ready to defend their capital and country, and stand by their leader Muammar Gaddafi.”
They understand the unacceptable alternative. As a result, they’re committed to fight to prevent it.
Phalen’s Sunday report said scattered fighting continues. In other words, rebel pockets claim advances not made, solely for media-spread propaganda purposes to incite panic in Tripoli.
Residents are too smart to buy it. Well-armed and committed, they’re ready to defend their city and country, unwilling to surrender to NATO, rebel cutthroats, and media liars.
Suppressing Information about Israel’s Crimes
On August 20, Times writers Isabel Kershner and Fares Akram headlined, “Casualties on Both Sides as Israel and Gaza Trade Fire,” saying:
“Palestinian militants from Gaza fired rockets at cities deep inside Israeli territory on Saturday, killing one person. And Israel struck a squad that was firing mortars from northern Gaza as violence continued in the wake of an attack on Thursday that killed eight Israelis, Israeli officials said.”
Instead of explaining what’s really ongoing, both writers suggested Palestinians are at fault, responsible for killing Israelis, when, in fact, they had nothing to do with it.
As a result, they implied support for Israel’s right to respond violently, saying nothing about its plan to assassinate Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) leaders, willfully target civilians and nonmilitary infrastructure, and perhaps continue relentless attacks.
Why?
To derail Palestinian UN General Assembly efforts for self-determination and de jure member status.
End weeks of nationwide protests for social justice issues Netanyahu won’t address.
Perhaps also prevent a possible Palestinian spring and provide pretext for Cast Lead II.
Both writers, in fact, steered clear of Israeli motives, said little about Palestinian casualties, nothing about years of Gaza under siege, Israel’s planned slow-motion genocide, nor explain extreme human suffering too severe to ignore.
Instead, they changed the subject, covering IDF attacks against “Hamas training facilities, weapons manufacturing sites, smugglers’ tunnels, and rocket and mortar teams preparing to attack,” ending their brief report, saying:
“Some 50 rockets have been fired at Israel since Thursday. (Saturday) evening, a rocket that hit a house in Ofakim wounded three, including an infant and a child.”
Implied was that only Israeli casualties matter, not horrific ones inflicted regularly on Palestinians.
Not only do Times writers lie, they airbrush uncomfortable truths about Washington and Israeli crimes, betraying their readers and profession in the process.
A Final Comment
Judith Miller’s fall from grace taught Times correspondents nothing. Like her, they’re again in full battle mode, scamming their readers by publishing Pentagon press releases, not accurate reports, disgracing themselves in the process.
And if Times reports proliferate lies, imagine what other media sources provide, especially US television news and information. It’s little more than a bottomless profane sinkhole of worthlessness.
Tune it out, avoid it, and prevent a bad aftertaste and self-flagellation.
Instead, stay informed. Spread the truth and act on it responsibly.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
