The Free

Tabarnia: A not-so-funny Joke on Catalan Democracy

At first sight the Imaginary Kingdom of Tabarnia may be funny and subversive, (of course there’s less support for Independence on the industrial Catalan coast due to ”immigration” from other parts). But at second glance it’s another maneuver by the far right to sabotage the relatively progressive independence movement.

The December 21 election in Catalonia produced some striking results and accentuated the deepening polarisation in the region. In the middle of what the pro-independence camp called a “Spanish occupation”, with the region’s autonomy practically repealed, the Catalan President Carles Puigdemont forced into self-exile in Belgium and some Catalan legislators sent to prison, those who support Catalonia’s independence from Spain still managed to maintain a slim majority in the regional parliament after the snap election.

The leaders of the ”winning” Ciutadans’party have been exposed as prominent fascists who received huge financial support from the far right central government

The unionists in Catalonia, however, did not accept defeat gracefully. The pro-union Citizens Party won the majority of votes* across the region, but failed to secure the necessary majority to either govern alone or in a pro-Spain coalition. (*note.. this is a misleading … the well financed Citizens Party (Ciutadans) had more votes than any other,37%, but only because the 3 allied independence parties ran separately, Junts and ERC who got over 21% each, plus CUP (the ‘anarcho-republicans’) with 4.2%. Nearly all the media nevertheless proclaim that the right-wing Citizens ”won” the election.) Continue reading “Tabarnia: A not-so-funny Joke on Catalan Democracy”

Boycott Turkey: 449 Twitter and Facebook users Arrested for opposing Afrin Slaughter

Demonstrators shout anti-government slogans as one of them carry a placard with a picture of Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan during a protest against internet censorship in Istanbul May 15, 2011. Thousands of people marched in central Istanbul to protest against the government’s plan to filter the internet. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY – Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) TEMPLATE OUT – RTR2MG6M

Turkish anti riot police officers block People’ Democracy Party’s (HDP) headquarter as HDP members call a protest against Turkey’s “Olive Branch” operation in Syria on January 21, 2018 in Diyarbakir. Turkey on January 20 launched operation “Olive Branch”

(ANTIWAR.COM) — As Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria continues, so too does their policy of arresting anyone seen as even sort of opposed to the attack. The Turkish Interior Ministry now says 449 people have been detained for criticizing the war on social media, and 124 more detained for taking part in actual protests.

Independent media is under attack — and we need your help to save it! Continue reading “Boycott Turkey: 449 Twitter and Facebook users Arrested for opposing Afrin Slaughter”

What Next? US Bans All Russian Nukes? Pentagon Flirts With Armageddon

UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM

By Finian Cunningham

February 07, 2018 “Information Clearing House” – Provocatively and recklessly, the American Pentagon has recently accused Russia of threatening European allies with nuclear weapons. On the basis of this deplorable accusation, the US is embarking on a $1 trillion upgrade of its nuclear arsenal.

The American nuclear revamp not only puts it in potential violation of disarmament agreements; the move is also destabilizing nuclear forces and increases the risk of catastrophic global war.

If ever Washington’s reckless power politics were in doubt, this is surely the touchstone issue.

As with so many other allegations leveled by Washington against Russia – from election hacking to Olympic sports doping – the claim that Moscow is engaging in nuclear threats is far from evidenced. Indeed, one could say, it’s in the realm of fantasy.

But the insane claim is then used to justify Washington’s own reprehensible behavior.

In the Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) published last week, US Defense Secretary James Mattis states in the…

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