Why France Believes the Strauss-Kahn Plot

by Roland Michel Tremblay

Fifty-seven per cent of people in France believe the head of the IMF was framed on sexual assault charges.

Le Monde confirmed in a poll conducted by CSA that for 57 per cent of the French population, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is the victim of a plot. Reviewing the French press reveals that most of the mass media in France published articles quoting political figures, including political rivals, stating that they do not believe that the sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn – allegedly involving a chambermaid at a New York hotel – are genuine.

In the meantime, the career of the former head of the International Monetary Fund and potential future French president, who was seen to be more favourable to people than to global corporations, is over – unless somehow public belief in his innocence could be turned to his advantage, even if found guilty by “forged” evidence.

Here is a review of some of the articles in the French press about this case.
On May 16, Le Figaro published an article entitled, “The thesis of the plot flowers on the web and with politicians,” in which the newspaper argues that the seeds of the conspiracy theory were planted when a “militant” in the UMP, a rival political party to Strauss-Kahn’s Socialists, tweeted news of Strauss-Kahn’s arrest before the press got wind of it. “Denuded of any element of proof, it has nevertheless been evoked by responsible politicians,” the paper reported.

It reported how the website Le Post questioned certain troubling facts in an article “DSK arrested: a young UMP first on the info”: “The promptness with which Jonathan Pinet relayed the information of the arrest of DSK, the fact that Arnaud Dassier, one of the investors of the site Atlantico, already author of revelations about the Porsche, would have been one of the first to have re-tweeted the information, the fact that the site 24heuresactu, reputed close to the right, was the first French site to publish the information.” Le Post mentions that Dassier was responsible for the internet campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007. (The Porsche incident stems from when Strauss-Kahn, a socialist, and his wife came out of the said car in Paris in front of their home. At the time, the right took the opportunity to tarnish his image in the media.)

From Le Figaro: “Was [this] the right way of getting rid of a chief of the IMF [who was] too independent in order to instead place someone better adapted to the American economic and financial situation?”, asks Bertrand Neveu on lefigaro.fr. Interrogations linked to the inconsistencies concerning DSK’s schedule were assembled in an article in Les Echos called “Several inconsistencies remain in the DSK timeline.” The article discusses how New York police changed the facts and time of the event after it was shown that Strauss-Kahn was having lunch with his daughter at the time of the alleged offence.

However, this point is of no importance now, since the issue is becoming if sex was consensual. Supporters of Strauss-Kahn wonder why he would contact the hotel to ensure that his mobile phone, which he left behind, could be returned. This does not fit with someone who was trying to flee the scene of a crime, especially since this is apparently how the NYPD found out where they could arrest Strauss-Kahn, on a plane at JFK airport.

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http://www.themarknews.com/

Huckabee NOT running for President in 2012. Shocked, that's what I am, shocked!

 

From the Huffington Post:

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Saturday he will not run for the Republican presidential nomination, a significant development that removes one of the potential front-runners from contention and brings the slow-moving GOP primary process into sharper focus.

“All the factors say go, but my heart says no and that’s the decision I have made,” Huckabee said at the end of his hour-long weekly television program on Fox News.

No surprise there, pretty much everybody knew that Huckabee was not interested in leaving his cushy job at Fox News to mount a doomed campaign against Presidenet Obama, now the only question remaining is how long can Palin play the tease before she ultimately has to admit that she has no intention, and no hope, of ever taking on the man who makes the GOP look like a bunch of squalling ill-mannered toddlers.

Justin Bieber: American healthcare is evil

Justin Bieber

Canadian musician Justin Bieber (AFP Photo / Ben Stansall)

Pop sensation Justin Bieber may only be 16-years old, but he knows he has no interest in becoming an American.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine the Canadian declared he had no interest in trading in to become an American.
“Canada's the best country in the world. We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you're broke because of medical bills. My bodyguard's baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby's premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home,” he said. “You guys are evil.”
Bieber further explained his opposition to dictatorships, highlighting “whatever they have in Korea” as “bad.”
While he may be out of touch with American Republicans on healthcare, he is not on abortion.
"I really don't believe in abortion. It's like killing a baby,” Bieber said.
Even in the case of rape, Bieber opposes abortions.
“Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason,” he explained.
It is unclear if Bieber’s stance will have any impact on US healthcare policy. But, unlike most Americans, let alone most 16-year olds, Bieber has met with US President Barack Obama on at least two occasions.
Apparently, Obama’s daughters Sasha and Malia are big fans.

On Bin Laden's Lingering Face

Morgan Meis being characteristically wise, over at The Smart Set:

The most surprising thing about the death of Osama bin Laden was his funeral. Islamic law declares that a person must be buried within 24 hours of death. "We are ensuring that it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition," Time reported a U.S. official as saying, "This is something that we take very seriously. And so therefore, this is being handled in an appropriate manner."

Bin Laden was buried at sea, presumably so that there will be no burial site, no country that owns him, no place on Earth could be associated with him ever after. The sea gets him, being the only place capacious enough to take on the burden. There is dignity in having done it this way. Not dignity for him, but dignity for us. It is understandable that people want to celebrate the death of a man who scared us, who was the author of a traumatizing act of violence, who plotted the deaths of thousands and dreamed of the deaths of thousands upon thousands more. But I am not sure that celebrating death ever does anything very good for the one who celebrates.

I shuddered for the souls of the men at Saddam Hussein's execution. The footage is, now, widely available on the Internet. It was captured surreptitiously on a cell phone video camera. Saddam is brought into a dingy room in what looks like a basement. He is bustled toward a noose and begins praying. Some of the people standing below begin to shout. They are calling out, "Muqtada," in reference to Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia religious and political leader. Saddam says the name Muqtada back to them and then asks, "Do you call this courage?" Another person yells at Saddam to go to hell. He replies, "the hell that is Iraq?" Then he goes back to praying. All of a sudden, the trap door beneath Saddam opens and he plummets. He is gone. It is impossible to watch that footage without feeling that Saddam stole his dignity back in those final moments. The people in the room gave Saddam the opportunity to do it. They gave him a moment to be the honorable one in death. It lessened those men, those witnesses. They became small in the face of the ultimate thing, the death of a human being.

The last few days have seen a lot of talk about whether or not it is appropriate to celebrate the killing of Osama bin Laden. I would phrase the question in a different way. What does it do to one human being to celebrate the killing of another human being, whatever the circumstances? What happens inside you, how does it make you feel? Is that something you want to feel? Is it a way you want to be?

By http://www.3quarksdaily.com/

President Bush Speaks About Bin Laden’s Death

Well GW, it was your idea, so what do you have to say about the death of Osama Bin Laden after a successful mission orchestrated by President Obama.

The Former Presidents Bush and Clinton were both briefed by President Obama of the news before his press conference to the nation, and Bush shortly released the following statement of his own.

“This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”
Clinton, who had originally started the Bin Laden search back in the early 90′s had this to say,
“This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaida’s other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and cooperation for our children. I congratulate the President, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaida attacks.”

During his address to the nation, Obama said, “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity. Justice has been served.”

by Charley Been

Was The Killing Of Osama Bin Laden Legal?

International intrigue.

The use of deadly force against Bin Laden is unlikely to be challenged in an American court. But the White House’s account of the operation suggests it is mindful of legal issues. The al-Qaeda leader is said to have “resisted during the raid” – although it is not clear how he did so, as he is also said to have been unarmed.

Assassinations are banned under both US and international law. Extrajudicial killings are only allowed in an armed conflict.

According to British law professor Philippe Sands QC, of University College London, much will turn on what Pakistan knew and authorised, what the US objectives were, and what happened when they confronted Bin Laden.

Until the facts are established, it is unclear whether the raid and its consequences were legal or not, Mr Sands adds.

The US can certainly argue that it was entitled to take action to protect its citizens against a deadly enemy.

“Even if the use of deadly force was unlawful, international law recognises that there are exceptional circumstances where necessity precludes wrongfulness, and this will be said to be one of those case,” Mr Sands told the BBC.

by dekerivers

NFL star upset at Osama bin Laden’s death

You decide.

Rashard Mendenhall,  running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was in the news a while back for his support of Adrian Peterson’s claim that the NFL treatment of their players was like slavery.  Now, he lets loose some new thoughts regarding the killing of Osama Bin Laden.  Damn!  The truthers are everywhere.
So, I assume Mendenhall will not be voting for Obama in 2012.

From Yahoo Sports

Rashard Mendenhall isn’t convinced bin Laden was involved in 9/11

By Chris Chase

Fresh on the heels of his support of Adrian Peterson’s “NFL as slavery” analogy, Rashard Mendenhall(notes) has taken what’s certain to be another popular position: defending Osama bin Laden.
Let’s go to the Tweets:


 Is it really amazing that people can hate someone they’ve never heard talk? Was there no hatred before radio? Were people in the U.S. in 1865 ambivalent about John Wilkes Booth because they’d never been to one of his plays and/or didn’t have DVD players? There’s an intellectual conversation at the root of Mendenhall’s initial point — how much should we celebrate the death of a terrorist? — but judging by his other comments, let’s chalk that up to accident. (Plus, who hasn’t heard bin Laden’s voice? His videos have been played countless times in the past decade.)

No, no, Rashard, I think you’re confusing the destruction of the Twin Towers with the end of “The Sopranos.” We all know how the World Trade Center building came down. Two huge planes were flown directly into them and started fires that compromised the structural integrity of the building’s steel thus leading to each to collapse on itself.

Mendenhall wrote another Tweet that cast doubt on whether bin Laden was even involved in 9/11. “I’m not convinced he was even behind the attacks we have really seen no evidence to prove it other than the gov telling us,” he wrote.

by Ginger