Ken O'Keefe Exposes BBC Gaza Flotilla Propaganda 'Show'

 by Ken O'Keefe

If you haven’t seen it, look for BBC Panorama’s “Death in the Med” program online, you will be treated to first class propaganda as only the BBC can deliver.

I am one of the passengers/witnesses interviewed for this program and I am very much aware of BBC’s role in justifying war and covering up Israeli crimes.  I am in no way naive about this; to the contrary my motivation for the interview lay largely in the all too likely opportunity to expose the BBC.  A relevant job considering the BBC’s role in the slaughter of over one million Iraqi’s, a direct role by virtue of the war they justified.  BBC from start to present, justifying Iraq, a massive war crime and crime against humanity based entirely on lies (propagated intensely by the BBC).  The British Broadcasting Corporation, synonymous with millions of orphans and refugees and countless lives destroyed in Iraq, beating the drums of war without pause, the ultimate prostitutes of propaganda. {more}


Here's the BBC 'show' which includes some of the faked IDF video.

Stranded in Babylon

The children of Gaza

Music by the late great Nashville/Murfreesboro TN band "Freedom of Expression"

From their early 80's LP "For Lack of a Better Word"

Photos:

Cristina Ruiz Cortina

Gaza War: The Innocent Victims

In Pictures: The slaughter of Gazan children

"They were kicking my wounds and strapping me up"

Very brave Australian Ahmed Luqman speaks about his treatment by Israeli troops after being shot during last week's raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. 




h/t xymphora

Medals and Money for Pirates

Unconfirmed reports the the Israeli sharpshooter (i.e. one that can hit their target in the head and back with automatic gunfire from within two feet) who shot dead several activists on a Gaza-bound international aid convoy may receive a medal of valor.

Rumors are that this and all future 'medals of valor' given to those who murder U.S. citizens and peace supporters will be made from stolen U.S. gold reserves pirated to Israel.

"That we use America's own gold seems fitting. I may even name this medal after myself,"  Netanyahu was reported to have whispered to his agent Rahm Emanuel.   










Back home, AIPAC has released its list of American congressional pirates (i.e. those that subvert the constitution and U.S. laws and put Israel above all other interests of the American people).

Donors (bribers) now have this handy dandy guide, complete with repeatable comments, to show where to funnel their blood money.

At the same time this somewhat incomplete list gives the rest of us a focal point for who need to get their butts not only thrown out of office but imprisoned for treason.

Joe Meadors Interviews

Joe Meadors was on the same Free Gaza boat that Israel seized in the Mediterranean on Monday. He is also a survivor of the 1967 attack by Israel on the US military ship the USS Liberty. Meadors says that the attack on the flotilla was illegal and that Israel needs to be held accountable for its actions.

Designated Dissenters and Traitors

4 shots to the head and 19 year old U.S. citizen Furkan Dogan becomes another footnote in the history of the psychotic actions of Israel and the U.S.

The zionist media is making sure we know he has been  living in Turkey since he was 2 and is a dual citizen to lessen the idea that he was a 'real American.'

We all know that there is only one kind of dual citizen that matters.




I often talk about our two allowable 'designated dissenters' in the House, Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, who sometimes manage to get an opposing viewpoint into congressional debate and the media but who never go far enough and we accept their limitations as 'the best we've got.'

Kucinich (D-OH) is today beginning to circulate to colleagues the following letter concerning the commando raid by Israel upon a Turkish ship in international waters:

Dear Mr. President,

Israeli commandos, acting at the direction of the State of Israel, attacked and seized a Turkish ship in international waters, in the Mediterranean Sea.

At least nine were killed in the incident aboard the Mavi Marmara. Hundreds of civilians were taken into custody and goods were confiscated. Since the United States considers Israel our most important ally in the region, whose survival is a of primary concern, it is incumbent upon the Commander in Chief to call Israel to an accounting for its conduct in planning and executing the deadly military attack in international waters upon a peaceful flotilla carrying citizens from over 50 countries.

The State of Israel's conduct, attacking a Turkish ship in international waters, constitutes an act of belligerence against Turkey, which at one time Israel considered an important ally. It also undermines United States’ troops efforts in Iraq, since your administration's efforts to achieve stability in the region and to withdraw troops from Iraq has depended upon Turkey's cooperation through use of its air bases.

In its violent commando raid on the Mavi Marmara, the government of Israel showed no concern as to how its conduct may affect the lives of defenseless, innocent people, its friends and allies, and in particular the United States. The United States must remind Israel as well as all of our other friends and allies:

It is not acceptable to repeatedly violate international law.

It is not acceptable to shoot and kill innocent civilians.

It is not acceptable to commit an act of aggression against another U.S. ally.

It is not acceptable to continue a blockade which denies humanitarian relief.

It is not acceptable to heighten tensions in a region while the United States continues to put so much blood and treasure on the line.

The State of Israel's action necessitates that the United States, which is Israel's partner in the region, begin to redefine its relationship and to establish such boundaries and conditions which are sufficient for mutual respect and cooperation.

It is incumbent upon Israeli officials to bring forth the truth about the planning for and the attack upon the Mavi Marmara.

No one questions the right of Israel to defend its border, but that defense does not extend to shooting innocent civilians anywhere in the world, anytime it pleases.

Israel must account for our support, for the lives of our soldiers, for the investment of billions from our taxpayers. Israel owes the United States more than reckless, pre-meditated violence waged against innocent people.

The attack on the Mavi Marmara requires consequences for the Netanyahu Administration and for the State of Israel. Those consequences must be dealt by the United States. They must be diplomatic and they must be financial. The U.S. can begin by calling for an independent international inquiry of the Mavi Marmara incident. The integrity of such inquiry necessitates that it not be led by the nation whose conduct is under scrutiny. If our nation fails to act in any substantive way, the United States licenses the violence and we are complicit in it and our own citizens will be forced to pay the consequences.

We the undersigned deeply regret the loss of life. We are also fully aware of the dangers to world security which exist in the region, which is why the United States has been unstinting it its defense of Israel. We have a right to expect that Israel not add to those dangers with military conduct which all people of good will know is neither defensible nor moral. There must be consequences for such conduct. We await your response.

Not bad but that part about Israel's right to defend its border doesn't take into account that Israel refuses to define their borders as they ever seek the expansion of 'greater Israel.'


Paul goes on, of all places, the Don Imus show on Fox to give his first statements on the Israeli massacre. He could have done better.




Moving on to one of the most overt traitors  in our sordid history, John "Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, not a settlement" McCain, the designated loser in the 2008 'race' against Obama and Vietnam POW/MIA cover up front man. He will always back up Israel because he is a blackmailed degenerate puppet.

Of course McCain comes by his traitorous nature just as a nut doesn't fall far from the tree. His old man was a traitor too and an Israel firster.

In 2008 Ralph Nader reminded us about McCain's father and his role in the cover up of Israel's 1967 attack on the USS Liberty. Nader says Israel attacked the Liberty because the spy ship was intercepting Israeli communications but I think it goes deeper than that. Israel wants the US to fight its wars for them. It did in '67 and continues to today.

Arguably the worst of the worst traitors in Congress, Joe Lieberman gives a SOP response. No surprise here.

"We should be very clear about who is responsible for the unfortunate loss of life in the attempt to break the blockade in Gaza," Lieberman said. "Hamas and its allies are the responsible parties for the recent violence and the continued difficulties for the people of Gaza. Israel exercised her legitimate right of self defense."

Truth, justice and the American way.

2010 style .....

The Rachel Corrie to be quietly allowed to dock?

Ask any number of average Americans who Rachel Corrie was and few will know.

As the Gaza aid ship of the same name nears its destination, Israel and the US media want to keep her story as hidden as possible.





Haaratz reports:

A diplomatic solution seems imminent to allow the humanitarian aid vessel the Rachel Corrie to dock without incident at the Ashdod Port. According to European diplomats and senior Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem, quiet messages have been exchanged over the past few days between Israel and the group operating the ship, to allow it to dock.{more}

Reports are the Corrie was sabotaged by Israeli intelligence. As the lead ship in the flotilla, the name itself was viewed by Israel as a potential PR nightmare. Every US main stream media report I have seen on the ship heading to Gaza does not mention its name, only that it is Irish. No need to stir up old wounds or some may begin to question why the media has buried the Rachel Corrie story for so long and why Hollywood has not made the movie.


On the same note, ask Americans about the USS Liberty. Again few will know. The MSM has done its job on that story too.

Joe Meadors was not only a survivor of the Israeli attack on the Liberty but also made it through unharmed from the attack on the Gaza flotilla.

Early reports of Meadors' first comments ...

“There is no doubt that the Israelis were committing piracy on the high seas against the Freedom Flotilla and used deadly force against unarmed humanitarians whose only crime was defending themselves against a sea and airborne invasion by heavily armed aggressors."

"As a survivor of the June 8, 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty," Meadors said, "I am fully aware of the tactics the Israelis are capable of and willing to use with impunity and without remorse. That time they fired machine guns, cannon, rockets, napalm, and torpedoes on us, then deliberately machine-gunned life rafts we had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship. And the only response from the American government was to impose a gag order on the crew of the USS Liberty."

"This time, too," Meadors continued, "the Israelis have shown no remorse, and I fear that the US government is again granting them impunity." {more}

and ...

"All of our cameras and digital media devices were confiscated, the Israelis are controlling the images that people are seeing on TV. Many people seem unaware that one of the ships, the Challenger I, is a U.S.-flagged vessel. ... Talk about an investigation of this brings home to me that the U.S. government still has not conducted an investigation of the USS Liberty attack by Israel which killed 34 Americans in 1967." {more}

I doubt if we're going to see a CNN or Fox interview with Mr. Meadors.



The latest report is that a US citizen was killed, shot 5 times in the Israeli flotilla massacre.

As with Rachel Corrie and the USS Liberty ...

Israel doing what it does best ..... getting by with murder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update from Freegaza via Mantiq

And sabotage happens with more than deeds. It also happens with words. In today's Haaretz, Barak Ravid reported,

"A diplomatic solution seems imminent to allow the humanitarian aid vessel the Rachel Corrie to dock without incident at the Ashdod Port. According to European diplomats and senior Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem, quiet messages have been exchanged over the past few days between Israel and the group operating the ship, to allow it to dock."

This, too, is sabotage in writing. We called Haaretz and the reporter. He did not return our call.
We have no intention nor would we ever have any intention of ever docking in Ashdod. {more}

Insane Israeli ambassador: Attack was "perfectly legal, perfectly humane – and very responsible".

Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, has compared the Gaza flotilla attack with America's fight against Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

He should be expelled .....



From someone who was there .....

The Relationship

h/t Ziofascism 


h/t Wake Up From Your Slumber


A Special Relationship ...

Does Israel Rule the World?

We Are Not Alone

Israeli Massacre on Gaza Peace Flotilla - The World Must Act!

This is the story that matters on this 'Memorial Day'.


This is what the murderous Israeli government is. A zionist land theft death cult hell bent on anything but peace.


The world must take action.


What excuses will Obama and the traitorous US congress make for this  attack?

How will the jewish controlled US media spin this? The massacre happened in international waters.


It's time to put the Zionazis in their place, once and for all.

End the US money and all support for the criminal state of Israel.

Nazi Israel

Zionazis of Israel Murder at Least 19 Peace Activists

Flotilla Massacre

Memorial Day Massacre

Desert Peace reports

Continued Coverage at Uprooted Palestinians 

Israeli troops reportedly killed several people as they lay asleep aboard the Turkish-registered Mavi Marmara, according to eye witensses.

Israel's lying reaction.

Netanyahu won't show at his scheduled White House meeting Tues. Damage control in high gear. 

George Galloway speaks

Arabs & Muslims Called On To Rise Up In Front of Israeli Embassies - video 

A Heinous Crime Committed By Israeli Forces! - video with lying Likud shill

Israeli Butchery at Sea by Gilad Atzmon

"I hope this begins the biggest wave of  'anti-semitism' the world has ever known" How Dare I .....

Stop U.S. Support of Israeli Terrorism

'Aid' to Israel --better described as a 'rogue' or 'terrorist' nation than a 'state' --must end!

The time has come to cut off all 'aid' to Israel.

By supporting Israel, the U.S. is itself in violation of the law, specifically, the 'Symington Amendment' in which aid of any type is forbidden to 'Nuclear states' which are not signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty'. Moreover, 'Dual-citizen' Israelis now serve in U.S. government positions, obvious instances of conflict of interest but worse --allegiance! Clearly --this practice is subversive of U.S. security and should have been considered 'treasonous' if the U.S. had been truly at 'war' against 'terrorist' nations. Rather, a convincing case that Israel itself is a terrorist nation in partnership with the United States. I find it hard to believe that any other nation has allowed any other nation the access allowed Israel by the United States.

It is time that people themselves began to demand an end to the un-holy CIA/Israel partnership even if there is precious little that mere 'people' can do against that other 'terrorist' organization: Mossad. There is, however, tremendous political pressure that might be applied to members of Congress and the various 'consulate' offices that the client state of Israel maintains on U.S. soil. {more - Len Hart}

Obama is a pussy!

Obama should have been the one to cancel tomorrow's meeting.

If Obama were a real man of principles, like Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, or John Kennedy, he would stop being such a pussy with Israel and sever all diplomatic relations with Israel for so misusing the military equipment the US gave them.

Setting aside the recent revelation that Israel attempted to sell a nuclear weapon to South Africa, which means ALL US aid to Israel is illegal, the military aid granted to Israel is specifically to be used for defense. Attacking a humanitarian aid convoy in international waters is not defense; it is piracy. Netenyahu has made the US an accessory to this crime because the US supplied the weapons and equipment used to kill the peace activists.

The longer limp-dick Obama wimps out and "studies the situation" the more obvious it becomes that Israel is indeed blackmailing the United States government with 9-11 to enslave our nation.

Obama is a pussy! {Mike Rivero} 

Rumours about Obama: Blackmail Threat

fork, israel, done

Israel, Haiti and Gaza

Israel airdrops 'aid' to Gaza





The media is giving Israel positive reviews on their humanitarian aid to Haiti but is silent about their continued blockade of aid to Gaza.

Leave it to Haaretz to even mention the disconnect.

Israel's aid to Haiti won't save Gaza 

The Israeli newspaper reader knows about the baby pulled from the wreckage in Port-au-Prince. Few have heard about the infants who sleep in the ruins of their families' homes in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces prohibition of reporters entering the Gaza Strip is an excellent excuse for burying our heads in the sand of Tel Aviv's beaches; on a good day, the sobering reports compiled by human rights organizations such as B'Tselem, Gisha - Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel on the situation in Gaza are pushed to the newspapers' back pages. To get an idea of what life is like in the world's largest prison, one must forgo "Big Brother" and switch to one of the foreign networks. 

The disaster in Haiti is a natural one; the one in Gaza is the unproud handiwork of man. Our handiwork. The IDF does not send cargo planes stuffed with medicines and medical equipment to Gaza. The missiles that Israel Air Force combat aircraft fired there a year ago hit nearly 60,000 homes and factories, turning 3,500 of them into rubble. Since then, 10,000 people have been living without running water, 40,000 without electricity. Ninety-seven percent of Gaza's factories are idle due to Israeli government restrictions on the import of raw materials for industry. Soon it will be one year since the international community pledged, at the emergency conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, to donate $4.5 billion for Gaza's reconstruction. Israel's ban on bringing in building materials is causing that money to lose its value.{more}

The alternative media does have a few folks with something to say about the hypocrisy.

Where is the media, the donations, the outrage & support for the people if Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq? Why are we giving the US & Israel applause for helping in Haiti while they are continuing to destroy, occupy and murder millions half a world away? Why are we applauding George W. Bush and putting his name on a donation fund to help Haiti when he should be arrested for war crimes related to torture, invasion of a sovereign nation, use of white phosphorous & targeting civilians in two occupied lands? {more - Political Theatrics}

Two weeks ago, almost 2,000 internationals came to Egypt and Gaza in a massive show of civil society support for the people of Gaza.  1,362 persons representing 44 countries in the Gaza Freedom March and over 500 persons with the Viva Palestina Convoy let the people of Gaza know of their concern for the tragic consequences of the actions of their governments in support of the Israeli and Egyptian blockade.

Yet, two weeks later, with the apparent approval of governments (United States, European Community and Canada) who support the quarantine, blockade and siege of Gaza, Israel and Egypt have tightened the squeeze to wring the lifeblood out of the people of Gaza. {more - Ann Wright}

The US and Israel start wars based on lies, kill and displace millions while stealing resources and profiteering but give us a 'natural' disaster and we'll show the world the great humanitarians we are.

Egypt Is Nothing But Israel's Lackey

Zionist Egypt kisses Israel's ass once again. They send in the storm troopers to physically harass and attack the Viva Palestina humanitarian convey.

The zionist American media is silent.

See Irish 4 Palestine for updates.

Egyptian government halt and attack aid convoy for Gaza

News from the road

55 activists injured in clashes in Egypt

Around 55 people have been injured in clashes between Egyptian riot police and Viva Palestina activists at the Egyptian port of El-Arish.



MP George Galloway In Egyptian Police Riot

Mr Galloway said: "Together with myself and other leaders of the convoy we were in negotiations with the Egyptian authorities about their determination to remove more than 55 of our vehicles and send them to the Israeli checkpoint.

"We refused this because it is a breach of the agreement we reached in Akabar between the government of Egypt and the Turkish side and it completely unconsciounable that 25% of our convoy should go to Israel and never arrive in Gaza.

"Because nothing that ever goes to Israel, ever arrives in Gaza."

The strength to survive

Gaza shows us what Israel and their willing allies would gladly do to you and I, if it suits their purpose and if they think they can get by with it. No one is safe as long as the psychopaths run the asylum.

By our lack of action, we become enablers.

Israel’s contempt for innocent life, for the international community, and for international law is perhaps matched only by the U.S. willingness to support Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people.

Simply stated, without U.S. support, none of this could go on.

Obama in Cairo...Same rhetoric, same lies...

Obama in Cairo June 4, 2009...pointing the finger.

As usual, Obama's speech this morning in Cairo had part consoling words and part lies. Mixing the two is an age old ploy to confuse the issues and perpetuate myths that do nothing to end the wars and occupations.

Excerpts from his speech below in italics:

The Al Qaeda and 9/11 'arabs did it' myth is the most blatant.

Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals, and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued Al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice, we went because of necessity. I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: Al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.

Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

Continuing on, Obama bows to his masters in praising Israel as a "friend" and the distortion of the holocaust and jews as forever victims. That 6 million number must always be in the picture.

The second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world.

America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction - or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews - is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.

Obama throws the Palestinians a bone. The two state solution is the only option with Obama. Will that ever work?

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people - Muslims and Christians - have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations - large and small - that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.

For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers - for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel's founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.

That is in Israel's interest, Palestine's interest, America's interest, and the world's interest. That is why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patience that the task requires. The obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them - and all of us - to live up to our responsibilities.

Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end. It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered.

Now is the time for Palestinians to focus on what they can build. The Palestinian Authority must develop its capacity to govern, with institutions that serve the needs of its people. Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have responsibilities. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist.

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.

Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society. And just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security; neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank. Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be part of a road to peace, and Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress.

The Iran nuclear program is once again a topic. Nuclear weapons and the Non-Proliferation Treaty are talked about in the context of Iran but absent is any mention of Israel and their nuclear stranglehold over the middle east.

The third source of tension is our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons.

This issue has been a source of tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically-elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question, now, is not what Iran is against, but rather what future it wants to build.

It will be hard to overcome decades of mistrust, but we will proceed with courage, rectitude and resolve. There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect. But it is clear to all concerned that when it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point. This is not simply about America's interests. It is about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.

I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons.

And any nation - including Iran - should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the Treaty, and it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

On democracy...Obama needs to start at home before he can speak to the world. Rule of law, transparency and government that doesn't steal from the people are fine words but are not backed up here in our own country. The U.S. government stealing is the rule and not the exception. Freedom of speech is diminishing and rule of law doesn't extend to war criminals.

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.

But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere

Once again Obama speaks some fine words but will he back them up or bow to special interests, Israel foremost, and corporations that seek to continue their profiteering at the expense of millions of lives.

The issues that I have described will not be easy to address. But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek - a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God's children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together.

The entire transcript is here.

video here.

After his speech, Obama visited the pyramids and Sphinx.

Perhaps he could reflect on the fact that no matter how great an empire and its accomplishments are.....without truth, honesty, freedom and rights for all people, the sands of time will wear away at the monuments of empire and leave only vague memories of what once was.

_____________

also see: Obama's Speech in Cairo {from aangirfan}