FLASHBACK: A List of Children Killed By Drone Strikes in Pakistan and Yemen

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"While it is ultimately impossible to get exact numbers, this means that for every 'terrorist' killed by a drone strike, anywhere between 10 and 50 civilians are killed."

Also keep in mind while looking at these statistics that the Obama administration redefined a "militant to be any military aged male.

Syrians in Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack

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"The U.S., Britain, and France as well as the Arab League have accused the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for carrying out the chemical weapons attack, which mainly targeted civilians. U.S. warships are stationed in the Mediterranean Sea to launch military strikes against Syria in punishment for carrying out a massive chemical weapons attack. The U.S. and others are not interested in examining any contrary evidence, with U.S Secretary of State John Kerry saying Monday that Assad’s guilt was 'a judgment … already clear to the world.'

"However, from numerous interviews with doctors, Ghouta residents, rebel fighters and their families, a different picture emerges. Many believe that certain rebels received chemical weapons via the Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, and were responsible for carrying out the dealing gas attack."

Is World War III About To Start?

Here's what you need to know about the conflict in Syria:

• The evidence used to justify the United States' ramped up pressure and possible strike as early as this weekend is questionable at best.
• There's plenty of evidence that some Syrian rebels were in possession of chemical weapons and may have used them to set up Assad as the villain on the world stage (but at the very least intended to use them in this way).
• So, based on this shoddy evidence, the Obama administration has positioned air force and missile systems in the "ready" position aimed at Syria.
• In response, many countries including Russia and China, have warned that they will not sit quietly if the United States does this.
• Iran is preparing to send or has already sent 4,000 Revolutionary Guard troops to back Assad and could likely send more if the United States does anything overtly.
• Saudi Arabia has promised to incite the Chechens to cause trouble in Russia if Putin and Medvedev do not allow Syria to fall...*
• ...So Putin has threatened to invade Saudi Arabia if things get hairy in Syria...*
• ...and Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah promise to attack Israel (the United States' proxy in the region and their source of intelligence) if an American attack occurs...
• Lebanon has stated that if Israel uses the chaos to inflict damage to Hezbollah, then Beirut will join this mess.
• ...so Israel is calling up reserves.

What we are seeing develop in the world has been slowly creeping over the last decade.  Afghanistan was Austria.  It seemed reasonable so the world powers allowed the United States to respond to 9/11 with an invasion.  Iraq was Czechoslovakia.  It was a mess, most of the world was against it, but the world powers again allowed the United States to do as it pleased in the hopes that two overt wars would be enough.  Syria (or Iran if this fails) will be the Blitzkrieg on Poland - the final straw.  Russia, China, and Iran have drawn their line in the sand.  We could see the start of World War III as early as this weekend.

I rant because I fear for the good People of the world...and I am genuinely scared what might come in the next week.

* - these seem a bit bombastic and their validity is questionable, but likely in the tension that has built in the past few days.

Cheat Sheet on Syria

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All the reasons why an invasion of Syria would be detrimental to the health of the Union.

US: Assad Responsible Even If Didn't Order Gas Attack

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"'We ultimately of course hold President Assad responsible for the use of chemical weapons by his regime against his own people, regardless of where the command and control lies,' State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf told a press briefing.

'The commander in chief of any military is ultimately responsible for the decisions made under their leadership, even if... he's not the one that pushes the button, or says "Go" on this,' she told a press briefing."

So by this logic, Bush and Obama are responsible for all the war crimes committed by American troops in the War on Terror. This includes, but is certainly not limited to:

- using White Phosphorous, depleted uranium, and possibly sarin gas

- abuses at Abu Ghraib and other prisons (including the black sites)

- shooting at and killing civilians, journalists, first responders, etc.

The US, Britain, and Israel Have Used Chemical Weapons Within the Last 10 Years

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Syria Challenges US to 'Produce the Evidence' that Assad Regime Launched Chemical Weapon Attack

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The Taliban demanded evidence of OBL's involvement in 9/11. They never got it.

Iraq demanded evidence of their weapons of mass destruction. They never got it.

Now Syria is demanding the US "produce the evidence" they have that proves they used chemical weapons. This will play out with millions of dead Syrians, hundreds or thousands of dead Americans, and millions of dollars wasted with the potential of a wider conflict as "we" anger Iran and Russia more. And it's all done unconstitutionally since, according to Senator Barack Obama, "The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

Does anyone care? Or are you all distracted by Miley Cyrus' antics?

Bradley Manning Leak Did Not Result in Deaths By Enemy Forces, Court Hears

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"Brigadier general Robert Carr, a senior counter-intelligence officer who headed the Information Review Task Force that investigated the impact of WikiLeaks disclosures on behalf of the Defense Department, told a court at Fort Meade, Maryland, that they had uncovered no specific examples of anyone who had lost his or her life in reprisals that followed the publication of the disclosures on the internet. 'I don't have a specific example,' he said."

The US Just Killed a Boy in Yemen: Will Obama Respond?

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I'm not holding my breath.

"This is the first reported civilian death from a drone strike since President Obama's May 23 speech on counter-terrorism, in which he told us that the U.S. would only strike if there was a 'near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured.' A week after Obama's speech, Secretary of State John Kerry publicly stated, 'We do not fire when we know there are children or collateral … we just don't.'"

Timeline: How Obama Compares to Bush on Torture, Surveillance, and Detention

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Obama = Bush

Wasn't this guy supposed to be different?

By the way - the graphic is interactive.  Black sites are still active even though they were shut down, according to multiple media reports (how's that for Orwellian?).  You'd be naive to think "extraordinary rendition" (read: torture) was stopped by this administration that has no problem with extrajudicial murder. 

Afghan Children Legitimate Targets, Says U.S. Lt. Col., As They Might Have 'Hostile Intent'

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This is sickening.

The Woes of an American Drone Operator

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Israel's Latest Assault on Gaza: The Lie That Started It

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"As in every vicious military offensive Israel carries out in Gaza, the dominant narrative is that it is a response to rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel. This is how it’s being reported in the US, and this is how virtually every American understands it.

And it’s a lie."

'Washington Post' Prints False Narrative of How Gaza Escalation Started

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"As you can see, the escalation began when Israel killed a 12-year-old boy. The rockets and missiles fired in response were what the Gaza-based militant group Popular Resistance Committees called a 'revenge invoice.' "

The Tragic Story Behind Chilling Gaza Photo

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Palestinians: 13-Year-Old Boy is Killed in Gaza

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This is what started the recent wave of violence in Gaza.

Obama Victory Infuriates Pakistani Drone Victims

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"Analysts say anger over the unmanned aircraft may have helped the Taliban gain recruits, complicating efforts to stabilize the unruly border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. That could also hinder Obama's plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2014."

I get it - Americans don't care about brown people half way around the world, but can we at least demand a stop to unmanned drone attacks (that have a success rate of 2%) so that we can keep our soldiers out of harm's way?

Why Losing Indefinite Detention Powers Would Be a Disaster for Obama

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"It could have such a set of ripple consequences: we could see people in the Bush administration, Obama administration and security agencies be investigated for how they have applied the AUMF. Obama could finally be forced to release all the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay who have been cleared for years. It's an incredible headache for him."

Obama Advisor Robert Gibbs Blames Denver Teen's 'Terrorist' Father for His Drone Death

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When you ask these politicians (and advisers) real questions - they say stupid crap.

Dear Robert Gibbs,

YOU CAN NOT CHOOSE YOUR FATHER!

'Every Person is Afraid of the Drones': The Strikes' Effects on Life in Pakistan

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This is why the rest of the world hates us.  It has nothing to do with our "freedoms."