Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Chavez and His Legacy


THE ABSURD TIMES



    This is a collection of contributions on Hugo Chavez over the past 17 hours.  Each has links to articles, videos, photographs, and other forms of documentation.  It is better to consult this material than to take any material from the corporate media.

    Chavez will be missed by a vast majority.




  1. Forget Martin Luther King & Ghandi. They're overrated. And long gone. Embrace the heroes of TODAY :)  

  2. 15 minsAJELive @AJELive

    Hundreds gather at main sq in Caracas to pay their respects | "We want to be close to " 

  3. 19 minsThe Guardian @guardian

    Hugo : coffin moves through Caracas – live updates w/ 

  4. 23 minsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    "A sea of red flags across . People are crying and screaming the name of " - BBC's  LIVE:

  5. 35 minsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    US state department official expresses sympathy to friends and family of , says US ready to support Venezuela - BBC's

  6. 45 minsAJELive @AJELive

    Hundreds of people spent night in front of hospital, waving Venezuelan flags, chanting "we are all !" | 

  7. 48 minsCNN Breaking News @cnnbrk

    Venezuelans line streets for  funeral procession

  8. 1 hrMaximilian Forte @1D4TW

    Applauding a man's life and revolutionary legacy, and going forward:  

  9. 1 hrSlate @Slate

    Why Did Hugo Chavez Hate the United States So Much? EXPLAINED:   

  10. 1 hrMaximilian Forte @1D4TW

     and  top trending worldwide, as they should be.

  11. 1 hrCPJ @pressfreedom

    Before  death, we said his "health, shrouded in mystery, leaves an uncertain political landscape" 

  12. 1 hrPress TV @PressTV

    President Hugo  passed away on March 5, 2013 in Caracas after a long fight with cancer, Venezuelan Vice Pre

  13. 1 hrCNN iReport @cnnireport

    Venezuelans have mobbed a procession taking Hugo Chavez's body through Caracas, are you there? Send images: 

  14. 2 hrsAnonymous 4thEstate @4thAnon

    The US CIA and FBI Had Planned to Assassinate President Hugo  Mission Accomplished!

  15. 2 hrsSyrian for Syria @_syrian4syria_

    They tried to turn his ppl against him, didnt work. So they killed him like how they killed Arafat, Kennedy.. 

  16. 2 hrsHarry Fear @harryfear

    RIP Hugo 

  17. 3 hrsAnonymous 4thEstate @4thAnon

    CIA tries to get rid  at all costs. Stratfor/WikiLeaks

  18. 3 hrsAnonymous 4thEstate @4thAnon

    Goodbye , America Never Knew You 

  19. 4 hrsSophia @les_politiques

    "There are billionaires in London and New York who have a few hundred million less each because of "

  20. 4 hrsAJELive @AJELive

    Dima Khatib, Al Jazeera's former  bureau chief, met with on several occasions. She spoke to us live |

  21. 4 hrsCurrent TV @current

    What do Hugo , Mother Teresa & Chris Christie have in common? WATCH  explain on :

  22. 4 hrsSophia @les_politiques

    Great post from  on : "The incongruity and imbalance of the Chavez demonisation is ridiculous"

  23. 4 hrsSeumas Milne @SeumasMilne

     led 's transformation, delivered to's poor & showed alternatives in 21st century

  24. 5 hrsHuffington Post @HuffingtonPost

    Who will replace Hugo ? 

  25. 5 hrsSherry @SherResistance

    Ahmadinejad: "He is a martyr who lost his life serving the Venezuelan people & preserving human & revolutionary values."  

  26. 5 hrsLindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

    Views on  polarised but both true. He redistributed wealth to the poor AND suppressed freedom of speech. Angel and devil?

  27. 5 hrsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    Actor Sean Penn pays tribute to : "I lost a friend... and poor people around the world lost a champion" 

  28. 6 hrsPress TV @PressTV

     Supporters of  President Hugo gather in front of the Military Hospital 

  29. 6 hrsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    "We are all Chavez" - for many Venezuelans, losing  is "like having lost a family member" says Irene Caselli: 

  30. 6 hrsThe Economist @TheEconomist

    With Hugo 's death Venezuela is now headed for an election that will show if chavismo can outlive its creator

  31. 6 hrsLindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

    Have to report  death today. But worried abt : results dried up bcs 'technical glitches', fear neither side will accept result.

  32. 6 hrsAsteris Masouras @asteris

    Απλά διαβάστε το RT  ’ death: “neither in mourning nor celebration” (/)

  33. 6 hrsLindsey Hilsum @lindseyhilsum

    He became a socialist after reading Les Miserables. Brilliant postscript on  by Jon Lee Anderson in 

  34. 6 hrsEva Golinger @evagolinger

    RT :  in his own words 

  35. 7 hrsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    Devils, donkeys and sulphur - some of Hugo 's memorable moments 

  36. 7 hrsAl Arabiya English @AlArabiya_Eng

    :  fell “martyr” to a “suspect illness”

  37. 8 hrsCNN iReport @cnnireport

    Filipino  says Venezuelans are the ultimate judges of the late Hugo  & his leadership: 

  38. 8 hrsMedia Lens @medialens

    Oil (again). A few reasons why Western corporate elites hated, as corporate media coverage indicates 

  39. 9 hrsMike Prysner @MikePrysner

    Breaking: Investigating Hugo Chávez's death - FOIAs filed seeking info about US gov't assassination attempts 

  40. 10 hrsNein. @NeinQuarterly

    Europe is waking to the news that  will be haunting it for the next day or two.

  41. 10 hrsAJELive @AJELive

    Follow Al Jazeera's extensive coverage on the life of 's Hugo  |  

  42. 10 hrsSyrian for Syria @_syrian4syria_

    This is what I mean by TYRANTS trying to defame HEROES 

  43. 10 hrsAJELive @AJELive

    Follow our Hugo  live blog for real-time updates on reactions to the death of the  president |

  44. 10 hrsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    Hugo 's economic policies helped Venezuela's poor but was money also wasted through incompetence? 

  45. 12 hrsNein. @NeinQuarterly

    You don't have to be a Marxist to mourn Hugo , but it helps.

  46. 12 hrsAl Arabiya English @AlArabiya_Eng

     commenting on ' death: U.S. committed to policies that promote democratic principles. 

  47. 12 hrsPartisangirl @Partisangirl

     sent  oil in the winter, during the shortage. He kept our people warm, was not affraid to face the consequence of US sanctions

  48. 12 hrsAl Arabiya English @AlArabiya_Eng

    World reacts to death of ’s controversial leader Hugo 

  49. 13 hrsashley @Way2Wonderland

    "You are an alcoholic, a drunk, a liar, an immoral person, Mr. Danger. You are the worst ... a psychologically sick man." to G. Bush

  50. 13 hrsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    Cubans worry death of Venezuela President Hugo  could lead to vital oil lifeline being cut -  

  51. 14 hrsAbby Martin @AbbyMartin

    I wish people realized how crucial it is to have leaders/countries opposing the corporate imperialist takeover of the world. 

  52. 14 hrsAbby Martin @AbbyMartin

    Being vilified by the political & media establishment usually signifies you're a threat to US-corporate world hegemony. 

  53. 14 hrsBianca Jagger @BiancaJagger

    Cancer silenced Hugo 's vocal cords. But his voice will resonated among the poor in Venezuela & his influence will live on.

  54. 14 hrsPartisangirl @Partisangirl

    R.I.P Hugo Chavez  My condolences to Venezuela , the light of his resistance will keep burning beyond his death.

  55. 14 hrsBBC News (World) @BBCWorld

    Cuba declares 3 days of mourning for Venezuela President Hugo 

  56. 14 hrsLucy Kafanov @LucyKafanov

    :  supporters wait hours for polls to open to vote. Just a few months later, the president is dead.

  57. 15 hrsMargaret Flowers @MFlowers8

     legacy: Constitution, democracy, education, jobs, healthcare, housing, repelling US Empire: 

  58. 15 hrsCPJ @pressfreedom

    's  has passed away. His record here  and here 

  59. 15 hrsBianca Jagger @BiancaJagger

    RT ‏ Venezuela declares 7 days of mourning for Pres Hugo , with his funeral to be held on Friday. 

  60. 15 hrsThe Public Archive @public_archive

    “The United States appear to be destined by Providence to plague America with misery in the name of liberty” ~Simón Bolívar 

  61. 15 hrsBBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking

    Hugo  death: Venezuela to hold elections within 30 days and Nicolas Maduro to assume temporary presidency

  62. 15 hrsLucy Kafanov @LucyKafanov

    : these cable cars were a  project, and a lifeline for the impoverished barrio residents they serve

  63. 15 hrsLucy Kafanov @LucyKafanov

    : Massive crowds of supporters turn out for the last-ever political rally by Hugo , dead at 58.

  64. 16 hrsAnderson Cooper 360° @AC360

    . on interviewing : "He was very defensive...I found him fascinating." 

  65. 16 hrsBBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking

    Venezuela declares seven days of mourning for President Hugo, with his funeral to be held on Friday. LIVE 

  66. 16 hrsOliver Stone @TheOliverStone

    Watch "South of the Border" on YouTube  

  67. 16 hrsOliver Stone @TheOliverStone

    I mourn a great hero to the majority of his people and those who struggle throughout the world for a place.  1/2

  68. 16 hrsSam Schulman @Sam_Schulman

     was showing : ‘This is how I deal with my Jews.’” via 

  69. 16 hrsashley @Way2Wonderland

    Chavez was one of the biggest supporters of the Palestinian people. We will never forget him. 

  70. 16 hrsAnderson Cooper @andersoncooper

    About to go live on . Latest on death of , trial, new storm warnings, and new allegations about 8p, 10p

  71. 16 hrsBianca Jagger @BiancaJagger

    RT : Hugo 's last tweet -> 

  72. 16 hrsWest Wing Reports @WestWingReport

    White House already looking beyond  - this statement from Pres. Obama:  

  73. 16 hrsPBS @PBS

    Look back on 's rise to power & impact on the world w "The Hugo Chavez Show" 

  74. 16 hrsJim Roberts @nycjim

    RT : Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles calls for unity after death of President Hugo 

  75. 17 hrsAnonymous 4thEstate @4thAnon

    Venezuela VP: 's cancer was an 'attack' by his enemies

  76. 17 hrsLucy Kafanov @LucyKafanov

    's President Hugo  is dead. Our crew was on the ground in Caracas filming feature stories and... 


Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Chavez -- Beware of BULLSHIT

Chavez had just died.  This is just a quick note to beware of idiotic attacks on his legacy.

The fact is that life is better for many Americans, North and South, because of him.

He used his oil resources for the 99%, so expect attacks from the 1% who own the media.

Friday, March 01, 2013

Remember the Anti-War Activist? WWIII comes next


    Here we go again.  This time it's Kerry.  Aren't we supposed to be having a budget problem?  Are you finding it difficult to adjust to Russia and China being the peace advocates?  I'm just going to send this out to you:


Published On: Fri, Mar 1st, 2013

Kerry after Friends of Syria Meeting clarifies, US determined to initiate World War III in Syria

US secretary of State Jogn Kerry. Photo, US Dep. of State

Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) – The new US Secretary of State, John Kerry, has pledged an additional USD 60 million in aid to the foreign-backed Syrian opposition forces. Although Kerry claims that the USA will exclusively grant non-lethal aid, including food and medical supplies, the USA is, according to Russia´s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, to be held accountable for war crimes committed by the insurgents.

While Kerry was meeting international media on his first trip abroad as US Secretary of State, Kerry called the insurgents “the legitimate voice of the Syrian people, who have been trying for almost two years to topple President Bashar Al Assad, who long ago has lost legitimacy and must be put out of power”.

By granting USD 60 million, the Obama Administration has effectively doubled the amount which the US, at least officially, recognizes to having provided to the foreign backed opposition and insurgency so far. The 60 million grant elicits, that the USA, in spite of increased international criticism for its involvement and in spite of growing international tensions, has decided to assert itself and the fact that the USA is committed to its illegitimate “regime change policy” in that it is at least officially, for the first time states, that the USA is committed to funneling some of the aid directly to armed insurgents in Syria. Among the so-called non-lethal aid, there will also be bulletproof vests and armored vehicles.

Although the fact that Russia and China have prevented a direct or overt military intervention, or an act of aggression under the guise of a “no-fly-zone” in Syria, the USA and its allies are obviously committed to a new, major campaign, as the winter in Syria and the Middle East is ending.

Kerry Stated to journalists in Rome, “We express our commitment to helping the Syrian people in order to achieve their goal to live in a free and a safe and a just society. Their goal is our goal”.

Also Italy´s Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, who met the international press together with Kerry, indicated that a new, major campaign against Syria is being planned, when he said that “a game changer was needed to resolve the intractable and bloody conflict in Syria”.

Terzi continued, “The suffering of the Syrian people is forcing us to go above and beyond the efforts that have been made up to now. We must be able to reach a turning point. Seventy thousand victims are a huge weight on the conscience of the international community. We can no longer allow this massacre to continue.” The head of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces,Moaz Khatib repeated his demands, that the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad had to step down.

A Thinly Veiled Declaration of War; Implicit and Explicit Signals

The results of the “Friends of Syria” meeting in Rome and the subsequent statements, are sending both implicit and explicit signals to the international community; all of which imply and aggravation of the illegal aggression, a continuation of the explosion of international law at its very foundations, and ultimately, the signal that the US/NATO, together with its Gulf-Arab allies, Israel, and other, are determined to set the region ablaze as stage no. one of the attempt to wage world war three in manageable stages of low-intensity conflicts.

Even though the Kerry has chosen his words wisely, and even though the Obama administration is doing its utmost to keep up the appearance, that it is not directly waging a war on Syria, the statements of US Secretary of State Kerry are nothing but a thinly veiled declaration of World War III.

The recent assertiveness of Russian Top-Diplomats elicit, that the crisis in Syria has reached several critical points, which have been explained in detail, in part 6/6 of an in-depth analysis of the dynamics of the crisis in Syria. (1

The words of Alexander Grushko, Russia´s Ambassador to NATO, whom the Interfax news agency quoted after a NATO meeting in Brussels:

Someone here in Brussels made a most profound point by saying that if you are holding a hammer, you should not think that every emerging problem is a nail. We think the world has ample opportunity to engage in energy cooperation and to ensure energy security without making use of military-political organizations as an instrument”; (ibid.

The words of Russia´s UN Ambassador Vitali Churkin, to attempts by the foreign-backed opposition to lobby at the UN, to which Churkin said:

“Russia is willing to hold talks with the Syrian opposition in order to encourage dialogue, but Moscow will block any effort by the opposition to send delegates to the UN”; (ibid

The words of Russia´s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said:

Russia opposes the practice of legalizing the replacement of governments in various countries by foreign intervention”… . Contradictory processes that are unfolding in the world mean that resolute action is needed on our part

“We will continue to oppose attempts to legitimize change of regimes under the flag of a `responsibility to protect´ and we will continue to advocate solutions to problems by politico-diplomatic methods, with respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equality of all nations”  (ibid

And finally the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who not only stated that the crisis in Syria had reached a critical point. Lavrov stated, that not delivering weapons to the insurgents dows not exempt the USA for responsibility for the insurgents war crimes, as long as the USA fails to assert its influence over its allies, i.e. Qatar, Saudi-Arabia, Turkey, who would not be able to provide weapons to the insurgents without the active or passive approval from the USA.

These, and many other recent signals from Russian top-diplomats indicate, that Russia has realized, that a critical point had been reached, where failure from the side of the USA to stop the aggression would be identical with an implicit declaration of war on Russia. Kerry´s and Terzi´s satements in Rome are a de-facto declaration of war.

A Return to Barbarism, Tyrrany and Despotism

Since 2001, the USA and NATO have systematically undermined the very foundations of international law. In a 2012 article, the international lawyers Christopher Black and Alexander Mezyaev, Philosopher of Science James Fetzer and Psychologist and Political Consultant Christof Lehmann argue, that the USA/NATO, in their race for global, full-spectrum dominance, have systematically undermined international law to the extend, that the international community has de facto returned to a state of barbarism, tyranny and despotism.( 5

Internationally renown journalist Finian Cunningham about NATO´s Libya intervention “Responsibility to Pretext”.

The principle of non-interference into the domestic affairs of sovereign nations, which is enshrined in the  Treaty of Westphalia and which is at the foundation of the Charter of the United Nations, has been undermined with the principles of humanitarian interventions and the responsibility to protect, or as theinternationally renown Irish journalist Finian Cunningham put it, The Responsibility to Pretext. (6 One of the main players behind the undermining of these principles, and behind the development of the principle of a humanitarian intervention was then UN Secretary General Kofi Anan. The first “humanitarian intervention” was the war on Serbia, leading to questions about Kofi Anan´s role and credibility as Special, Joint AL-UN Envoy to Syria. It can hardly be surprising that Kofi Anan did not achieve a result. It may be that Anan´s successor Brahimi is less tarnished and more of a genuine honest broker, but his real role is, at best, that of a catalyst for an alibi, for the apparent good will of the US/NATO/GCC/Zionist alliance.

The convention against the use of mercenaries is circumvented by the invention of the term Private Contractor. It is circumvented by the use of Al-Qaeda associated organizations, Muslim Brotherhood associated militia and other in Syria. It is circumvented by financing and arming them through Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

US secretary of State Kerry, when he explains that the USA will only provide “non-lethal support to the Syrian opposition” is in fact:

a) admitting that the USA is providing material support to known terrorist organizations

b) admitting that the USA uses known terrorist organizations as paid and funded mercenary corps

c) responsible for the war crimes which these organizations commit in Syria, while using the weapons which are being provided for these organizations through the United States allies Qatar, Saudi-Arabia, and the NATO member state Turkey.

The Geneva Conventions, which among other, regulate the war times rights of both civilian and military prisoners is consequently and systematically undermined by the USA, NATO and their allies. The inventions of the terms “unlawful combatant, enhanced interrogation techniques” and other, are systematic breaches of the Geneva Conventions at its foundations.

In the case of Syria, the USA may be held directly, or at least indirectly accountable for the forced use of prisoners in among other, the following, documented cases

a) the release of convicts, who were sentenced for terrorism charges in the NATO member state Turkey, to fight in Syria. (7

b) Saudi Arabia´s forced use of hundreds of prisoners from Arab and African countries, who had been sentenced to death by decapitation in Saudi-Arabia, to fight as insurgents in Syria. (8

Regardless how much the US-administration of President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry may maintain, that the USA is only providing non-lethal aid to these insurgents, the USA is implicitly and explicitly supporting mercenaries who, have been forced to perform combat roles in Syria.

The abuse of the United Nations Security Council and UNSC Resolution 1973 (2011) on Libya has made it abundantly clear for both Russia, China, and the international community, that the US/NATO does not shy away from abusing UNSC resolutions to wage wars by means of mercenaries, supported by Special Forces and absolute air-superiority brought about by means of a so-called No-Fly Zone, under the pretext of a responsibility to prootect. In fact NATO´s top military and civilian bras, Ivo H. Daalder and James G. Stavridis called the intervention in Libya a “teachable moment and model for future interventions”. (9

The significance of the statements of Secretary of State John Kerry as a de facto declaration of war against Syria and Russia, and as a declaration of stage one of world war three, cannot be understood without detailed analysis and understanding of the geopolitical implications, the implications with regard to the energy security dynamics of the Greater Middle East, and the global economical implications of a respectively successful or unsuccessful subversion of Syria by the USA.

To explain the details would by far exceed the scope of this article. A fast track to understanding the full scope of the factors and dynamics which are involved would be to read the following articles:

Syria, Turkey, Israel and a Greater Middle East Energy War,  by F. William Engdahl

The Dynamics of the Crisis in Syria, Conflict versus Conflict Resolution, Parts 1 – 6, by Christof Lehmann

The volatility of Gas, Geo-Politics and the Greater Middle East. An Interview with Major Agha H. Amin by Christof Lehmann 

A ‘Kurdish Corridor’ to be set up by the US & Israel, By Dr. Doğu Perinçek, Chairman of the Workers’ Party (Turkey).

For those who have the necessary insight into the dynamics of the crisis in Syria already, or for those who have read and understood these articles, it will be abundantly clear, that the statements of US Secretary of State, John Kerry, after the “Friends of Syria” meeting in Rome, were a de facto declaration of war on Syria as well as on Russia and China.

It may be an unconventional world war, a string of pearls with low-intensity conflicts, using terrorist organizations and mercenary forces underneath a nuclear umbrella of missile systems, which have been deployed from eastern Europe, through Turkey, and along the oil-rich underbelly of Russia´s and China´s southern borders. It is non the less, a third world war that has been declared by declaring war on Syria.

Notes:

1) The Dynamics of the Crisis in Syria; Conflict versus Conflict-Resolution (6/6)

2) ibid.

3) ibid.

4) ibid.

5) The US/UN/NATO Race for Global Full Spectrum Dominance.

6) Syria: The New ‘R2P’ – “RESPONSIBILITY TO PRETEXT”: Human Rights, Democratic Reforms, Al Qaeda and now WMD

7)Killing of Journalist Maya Naser in Damascus possibly tied to his investigation into Turkey War Crimes.

8)Saudi Arabia commits War Crime by Forced Use of Prisoners in Syria Insurgency.

9)NATO`s 25th Summit in Chicago in Preparation of Global Full Spectrum Dominance, Interventionism, Possible Preparations for A Regional War Directed against Russia and China, and Developments in Global Security.  

(welcome to the comments underneath the author field, below)

About the Author

 - Dr. Christof Lehmann is the founder and editor of nsnbc. He is a psychologist and independent political consultant on conflict and conflict resolution and a wide range of other political issues. His work with traumatized victims of conflict has led him to also pursue the work as political consultant. He is a lifelong activist for peace and justice, human rights, Palestinians rights to self-determination in Palestine, and he is working on the establishment of international institutions for the prosecution of all war crimes, also those committed by privileged nations. On 28 August 2011 he started his blog nsnbc, appalled by misrepresentations of the aggression against Libya and Syria. In March 2013 he turned nsnbc into a daily, independent, international on-line newspaper.