Medea Benjamin

In what was described as a harsh rebuke of Russia, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties, along with Belarusian human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski and the Russian human rights organization Memorial. While at first glance, the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties might sound like … Continue reading “Who Deserves a Nobel Peace Prize in Ukraine?”

Six months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. The United States, NATO and the European Union (EU) wrapped themselves in the Ukrainian flag, shelled out billions for arms shipments, and imposed draconian sanctions intended to severely punish Russia for its aggression. Since then, the people of Ukraine have been paying a price for this war that few … Continue reading “Peace Talks Essential as War Rages On in Ukraine”

As the Cuban government celebrates the July 26 Day of the National Rebellion – a public holiday commemorating the 1953 attack on the Moncada Barracks that is considered the precursor to the 1959 revolution – U.S. groups are calling on the Biden administration to stop its cruel sanctions that are creating such hardship for the … Continue reading “Biden Should Remove Cuba from the Infamous State Sponsors of Terrorism List”

As NATO holds its Summit in Madrid on June 28-30, the war in Ukraine is taking center stage. During a pre-Summit June 22 talk with Politico, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg bragged about how well-prepared NATO was for this fight because, he said: "This was an invasion that was predicted, foreseen by our intelligence services." … Continue reading “NATO and a War Foretold”

On May 16, the Biden administration announced new measures to "increase support for the Cuban people." They included easing travel restrictions and helping Cuban-Americans support and connect with their families. They mark a step forward but a baby step, given that most U.S. sanctions on Cuba remain in place. Also in place is a ridiculous … Continue reading “For Biden’s Summit of the Americas, Obama’s Handshake With Raúl Castro Shows the Way”

Americans have been shocked by the death and destruction of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, filling our screens with bombed buildings and dead bodies lying in the street. But the United States and its allies have waged war in country after country for decades, carving swathes of destruction through cities, towns and villages on a far … Continue reading “From Mosul to Raqqa to Mariupol, Killing Civilians Is a Crime”

Russian President Putin has claimed that he ordered the invasion of Ukraine to "denazify" its government, while Western officials, such as former U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul, have called this pure propaganda, insisting, "There are no Nazis in Ukraine." In the context of the Russian invasion, the post-2014 Ukrainian government’s problematic relations with extreme … Continue reading “How US Has Empowered and Armed Neo-Nazis in Ukraine”

Every day brings new noise and fury in the crisis over Ukraine, mostly from Washington. But what is really likely to happen? There are three possible scenarios: The first is that Russia will suddenly launch an invasion of Ukraine. The second is that the Ukrainian government in Kyiv will launch an escalation of its civil … Continue reading “What Is Going to Happen in Ukraine?”

While the Biden administration is sending more troops and weapons to inflame the Ukraine conflict and Congress is pouring more fuel on the fire, the American people are on a totally different track. A December 2021 poll found that a plurality of Americans in both political parties prefer to resolve differences over Ukraine through diplomacy. … Continue reading “Memo to Congress: Diplomacy for Ukraine Is Spelled M-i-n-s-k”

The Pentagon has finally published its first Airpower Summary since President Biden took office nearly a year ago. These monthly reports have been published since 2007 to document the number of bombs and missiles dropped by U.S.-led air forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria since 2004. But President Trump stopped publishing them after February 2020, … Continue reading “Hey, Hey, USA! How Many Bombs Did You Drop Today?”