Backtalk, April 16, 2005

The Teetering EmpireGood article, but yet again, not mentioning the WHOLE truth. The truth is simple: a military industrial complex has taken over the U.S. government and is waging wars for the pure and simple reason that wars make money. Not to change countries or to secure oil. Well OK, those are reasons number 2 … Continue reading “Backtalk, April 16, 2005”

Strengthening the NPT?

According to Ambassador Jackie Sanders, the United States proposes to "strengthen" the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the NPT Review Conference being held next month at United Nations headquarters in New York. If Sanders is not intentionally misleading us, either she has never read the Treaty or didn’t understand what she read. … Continue reading “Strengthening the NPT?”

Gaza: The Line of Memory and Despair

I‘ve known of Kassim Kafarneh for many years. His thick, wild beard is now neatly trimmed and his once unruly black hair is combed in an orderly fashion. His spirit, however, is as free as the day I saw him filming in our refugee camp one Friday afternoon, 17 years ago. I know for sure … Continue reading “Gaza: The Line of Memory and Despair”

Paying the Price for Getting It Right

Many have asked how it could be that a comparatively small group of intelligence analysts in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) was able to get it right on several key Iraq-related issues, while larger agencies like CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency – with, literally, a cast of thousands – got … Continue reading “Paying the Price for Getting It Right”

Cashing in on the Bush Doctrine

Don’t worry, say the hegemonists, be happy. Forget that we’re spending far too much on maintaining the biggest military machine the world has ever seen, and throwing multi-billions more into manipulating and managing “spontaneous” movements for “regime change” around the world. Foreign Affairs magazine tells us, in an article with the hubris-laden title of “How … Continue reading “Cashing in on the Bush Doctrine”

Who’s the Real WMD Threat?

News that a U.S. company recently sent vials of a 1957 pandemic flu strain to laboratories across the world by accident is only the latest outrage from the billion-dollar boondoggle called the federal biological weapons program. As you might recall, the Bush administration started its “bio-defense” spending spree following the September 2001 deadly anthrax attacks, … Continue reading “Who’s the Real WMD Threat?”

Support the Troops, Oppose Their Actions

On Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004, U.S. forces pounded Fallujah and razed a civilian hospital. "Witnesses said only a facade remained of a small emergency hospital in the center of the city," reported the BBC News on the day of the military blitz. "A nearby medical supplies storeroom and dozens of houses were also damaged as … Continue reading “Support the Troops, Oppose Their Actions”

Venezuela: Citizen Reserves to Defend Against ‘External Aggression’

CARACAS – Venezuela has begun to train popular defense units to help defend the country in the event of war, although not all of the volunteers will receive weapons training. "Not all of the members of the reserves will be armed," said General Melvin López, secretary of the National Defense Council. "Each person will play … Continue reading “Venezuela: Citizen Reserves to Defend Against ‘External Aggression’”

Billions More for Military Contractors and Permanent Bases

In Baghdad yesterday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters the U.S. has no "exit strategy" for the country – just a "victory strategy." That statement seems in line with the sentiment of most lawmakers on Capitol Hill. They’re posed to approve another $80 billion for American military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included in the … Continue reading “Billions More for Military Contractors and Permanent Bases”