UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has warned that 12,000 or so civilians still in or near Kobane, including 700 mainly elderly people in Kobane's center, "will most likely be massacred" by ISIS if the town falls to ISIS jihadists. De Mistura called on Turkey "to support the deterrent actions of the coalition through whatever means from their own territory," and appealed to Turkey to "allow the flow of volunteers at least, and their equipment to be able to enter the city to contribute to a self-defense operation." Urge President Obama and Members of Congress to do everything in their power to pressure Turkey to stop the massacre of Syrian Kurdish civilians in Kobane by signing our petition.

To call on the coalition forces against the IS and the broader international community to take immediate action to prevent an impending disaster by supporting the Kurds in their fight for self-defense in Kobani.

[TYPO correction to sentence above- corroborate not collaborate] On 21 April 2004, Vanunu was released from 18 years behind bars [convicted of treason and espionage for providing photographic proof of Israel's WMD Facility to London's SUNDAY TIMES in 1986] to 24/7 surveillance and ten years of struggle through the Supreme Court appealing for his right to leave Israel. Vanunu said, “When Johnson became president, he made an agreement with Israel that two senators would come every year to inspect. Before the senators would visit, the Israelis would build a wall to block the underground elevators and stairways. From 1963 to ’69, the senators came, but they never knew about the wall that hid the rest of the Dimona from them. “Nixon stopped the inspections and agreed to ignore the situation. As a result, Israel increased production. In 1986, there were over two hundred bombs. Today, they may have enough plutonium for ten bombs a year.” https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/479363 In April 1999, thirty-six members of the US House of Representatives signed a letter calling for Mordechai Vanunu's release from prison because they believed "we have a duty to stand up for men and women like Mordechai Vanunu who dare to articulate a brighter vision for humanity." President Clinton responded with a public statement expressing concern for Vanunu and the need for Israel and other non-parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to adhere to it and accept IAEA safeguards. http://www.eileenfleming.org/index.php/vanunus-freedom-of-speech A few weeks after his Freedom of Speech Trial began in March 2006, Vanunu taped this message to then Senator Hillary Clinton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Omq-QG7isA In September 2014, TNT’s Petition To Israel: “We are not free until Vanunu is FREE” was mailed to Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Rivlin, Supreme Court President, Interior Minister and enshrined in “The Vanunu Legend Israel’s Nuclear Whistleblower’s Struggle for Freedom” https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/479363 We encourage you, your staff, FBI, CIA, NSA for reading it in hope for audacious leadership. "HOPE has two children. The first is ANGER at the way things are. The second is COURAGE to DO SOMETHING about it."-St. Augustine END Israel’s Nuclear Deceptions Free Vanunu 2014! Petition ENDS and will be delivered to President Obama on November 4--- election day in the USA. The Petition to World Media and Israel: We are not free, until Vanunu is FREE remains open for signatures: https://www.causes.com/actions/1765266-a-petition-to-world-media-and-israel-we-are-not-free-until-vanunu-is-free

CNN host Chris Cuomo just said he thinks that Reza Aslan, a prominent Iranian-American author and commentator who's frequently appeared on CNN, FOX, The Daily Show and elsewhere is 'angry' and demonstrates ‘the hostility’ that makes people afraid of Islam. Here’s the story. During a CNN interview with Reza Aslan on September 29th Alisyn Camerota and Don Lemon discussed what they called the "primitive treatment in Muslim countries of women and other minorities" and asked Aslan if Islam as a religion inherently promotes violence. He answered by saying that the treatment of women and minorities differed in various Muslim countries and that such broad generalizations of a religion with over 1.5 billion people are not only unfair but the definition of bigotry. The interview went viral. That's when CNN host Chris Cuomo referred to Reza Aslan as 'angry' and said Aslan "wound up kind of demonstrating what people are fearful about when they think of the faith, which is the hostility of it." Chris Cuomo is someone who cares deeply about his reputation and has previously responded to criticism - that’s why we think that us coming together to ask for his apology will make him reconsider his words and actions. Will you sign the petition to Chris Cuomo and ask him to apologize? No one denies that there are a those using the name of Islam to commit horrendous crimes. Here’s the thing though. Over the last few years we’ve seen people in this country go on shooting rampages in theaters, in schools and in our streets. Yet no journalist has ever asked ‘does being caucasian or Christian promote violence?’ There is no doubt that there are many troubling crisis happening in numerous places across the world. And that some of the most troubling are taking place in predominantly Muslim countries. However, we’ll never be able to work together as a global community to solve those challenges if our media outlets don’t report the news accurately and instead perpetuate harmful stereotypes. After all, the challenges in Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Morocco and Tunisia – all predominantly Muslim countries – vary greatly from one country to another. Yes, I’ll add my name to the petition asking Chris Cuomo to apologize on the right. Everyday people like us play a very important role in foreign policy decisions. We’ve seen our power over and over again when it comes to supporting diplomacy with Iran. What happens in the Middle East is often complex as countries and cultures are different from one another. Journalism is crucial to our democracy and public debate - without an informed citizenry America’s democracy doesn’t function. When it comes to foreign policy discussions, there are literally lives on the line. It’s time we demand more. +++++ References: Watch the original interview (with fact checking) here: http://www.upworthy.com/cnn-asks-an-expert-a-dumb-question-his-answer-kills-it?g=2&c=upw1 Read the media matters report here: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/10/03/cnn-host-reza-aslans-tone-demonstrated-why-peop/201008

Three Members of Congress have publicly called for an end to the blockade of Gaza: Reps. Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee, and Danny Davis —and we want more Congressional representatives to to join them. This is a critical moment. Israeli and Palestinian officials are scheduled to resume talks on Gaza at the end of October. Hamas has already agreed to hand control of the Gaza crossings to the Palestinian Authority. European countries are ready to help monitor the crossings. European donors want the blockade to be lifted with a diplomatic agreement before committing reconstruction aid, so they can be sure to get materials into Gaza in a timely way and so things they build won’t later be destroyed. The political and diplomatic situation is ripe to finally end the blockade with a diplomatic agreement. Last month, beloved actor and social justice activist Danny Glover publicly called on Members of Congress to stand with Ellison and Lee in speaking out for an end to the blockade. [1] United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said, “The blockade of Gaza must end; Israel’s legitimate security concerns must be addressed.” He has warned, “Any peace effort that does not tackle the root causes of the crisis will do little more than set the stage for the next cycle of violence.” [2] Palestinian civilians in Gaza need and deserve to live a normal life: free to travel, free to work, free to study, free to trade. Urge your representatives in Congress to speak out now by signing and sharing our petition. References: 1. http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/moc-end-blockade 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-strip-conflict.html

I have heard Peter Kassig recount tales of his aid given to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and I know his dedication to the cause to be above and beyond basic volunteering. Kassig has dedicated his life to helping devise peace and community in the world and we would all be incredibly remiss to see his life cut so short by these oppressors.

Today, Israel is led by the most pro-settlement, pro-occupation government since 1967. Israel’s leaders openly prioritize land over peace, settlements over security, hegemony over healthy democracy, and Greater Israel over a greater position for Israel in the community of nations. Israel’s government has a right to defend its citizens, but it does not have a right to compel them to pay the price of a perpetual occupation, neither does it have the right to keep millions of Palestinians under military rule. Ending the occupation is a national security interest of the United States, of its international allies, and – first and foremost – of the people of Israel and friends of Israel worldwide. If Israel is to exist in the future as a Jewish state and a democracy, it must rid itself of the occupation. Successive Israeli governments have for years talked about wanting peace, but their policies of deepening and expanding Israel's hold on lands occupied in 1967 tell a very different story. If the Obama administration is serious about resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is time for it to apply constructive pressure that would prompt Israel, in concrete ways, to roll back settlements and end the occupation – or get out of the way as others take the lead. After 47+ years of consequences-free pro-occupation policies, and two decades of failed US-led diplomacy, this pressure may be the only thing left that can convince Israel and its leaders to change course.

If we don't begin a Utopian Democracy - They will give us HELL! http://UtopiaTheBook.com for more.

We are being bombarded by their rhetoric daily. This has to stop.

A new U.S. war has begun in Iraq and Syria—without Congressional authorization. Congress is likely to vote on an authorization, sooner or later; whatever they eventually vote on will almost certainly pass. What is in the authorization they vote on is something that we can still influence. In the process, we can help put a quick end to this war, preventing it from becoming another endless quagmire. The Congressional Progressive Caucus Resolution, H.Con.Res.114, establishes a set of four key principles that we can organize around. The resolution says that Congress: - should debate and vote on whether the U.S. should be involved in sustained combat in Iraq or Syria; - does not support the deployment of ground combat troops in Iraq or Syria; - should ensure that any grant of authority for force is narrowly tailored and limited; and - should ensure that any grant of authority for force includes robust reporting requirements. Key progressive leaders in Congress supporting H.Con.Res.114 include: Reps. Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee, Jim McGovern, Alan Grayson, Peter DeFazio, Peter Welch, Mark Pocan, Jim McDermott, John Conyers, Katherine Clark, Beto O'Rourke, Janice Hahn, Richard Nolan, Hank Johnson, Charlie Rangel, Michael Honda, Chellie Pingree, Niki Tsongas, Mark Takano, Sam Farr, John Lewis, Jose Serrano. https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/114/cosponsors Show your support for H.Con.Res.114 and these principles by signing our petition.

American military around the world is the greatest stronghold of liberty and peace in the world. As the American leader actively abandons the role of the “world’s policeman” taking on a new role of “world’s janitor” should not be the next destiny of men and women in uniform.

If we haven't learned something significant from previous mistakes in our strategy toward global terrorism, then why continue putting military personnel and citizens at risk waging an ineffective war?