As of this writing, when you attempt to access the US Agency for International Development (USAID) website or social media pages you are informed that, “This site can’t be reached.” The media reports that the new Trump Administration has not only frozen USAID activities but may be planning on bringing it back under control of … Continue reading “Audit USAID… Then Shut It Down!”
What Does National Security Have To Do With Soaring Defense Spending?
Paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson, the natural progress of things is for prices to yield and for quality to gain ground. Technology is what enables this natural progress. Do televisions cost more now than they did in the early ‘90s? What about mobile phones? Same answer for both questions: both are better and less expensive today than … Continue reading “What Does National Security Have To Do With Soaring Defense Spending?”
Iraq Monthly Roundup: 101 Killed in January
Trump Should End the Ukraine War Now
President Trump had a simple but profound message about the Ukraine war during his campaign: “I want everybody to stop dying. They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying.” About two weeks into his second term in office, Russians and Ukrainians are still dying, and not just soldiers. On January 29, a … Continue reading “Trump Should End the Ukraine War Now”
How the West Hides Its Gaza Genocide Guilt Behind Holocaust Day Remembrance
An entirely mendacious message lay at the heart of this week’s coverage by the BBC of the 80th Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorations. The British state broadcaster asserted throughout the day that the voices of the few remaining survivors of the Nazi extermination programme were still being heard “loud and clear” in western capitals. Those survivors … Continue reading “How the West Hides Its Gaza Genocide Guilt Behind Holocaust Day Remembrance”
Killing the Constitution at Guantánamo
When British kings wanted to dispose of troublesome enemies – real or imagined – they often had them or their colleagues arrested on pretextual charges and then brutally tortured until confessions were extracted. The confessions were then read aloud during so-called trials; and, of course, the defendant was convicted of whatever crime was the subject … Continue reading “Killing the Constitution at Guantánamo”
Dear World: This Is What Palestinian Unity Looks Like
Even those of us who have long emphasized the importance of the Palestinian people’s voice, experience, and collective action in Palestinian history must have been shocked by the cultural revolution resulting from the Israeli war on Gaza. By cultural revolution, I mean the defiant and rebellious narrative evolving in Gaza, where people see themselves as … Continue reading “Dear World: This Is What Palestinian Unity Looks Like”
A Pathway To Avoid Nuclear Catastrophe
Will the world ever be free of the menace of nuclear annihilation? There was a promising start along these lines during the late twentieth century, when – pressed by a popular upsurge against nuclear weapons – the nations of the world adopted a succession of nuclear arms control and disarmament agreements. Starting with the Partial … Continue reading “A Pathway To Avoid Nuclear Catastrophe”
Senators Peddle Debunked Lies To Attack Gabbard for Supporting Snowden Pardon
Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as Director of National Intelligence is one of the more hopeful signs that President Donald Trump will make good on his pledge to be a peacemaker. While Gabbard is not a peacenik, she has fought against some of the worst abuses of the American Empire. She opposed the “regime change” wars in … Continue reading “Senators Peddle Debunked Lies To Attack Gabbard for Supporting Snowden Pardon”
NATO: The Case To Get Out Now
The case for getting out of NATO now encompasses four fundamental propositions: First, the Federal budget has become a self-fueling fiscal doomsday machine, even as the Fed has run out of capacity to monetize the skyrocketing public debt. Second, the only viable starting point for fiscal salvation is slashing the nation’s elephantine Warfare State by … Continue reading “NATO: The Case To Get Out Now”