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Deflating the Strategy of Tension
Peter Chamberlin
The flexibility of Western pipeline plans makes it difficult to pin-down exactly where the lines are drawn between the US and the former USSR, especially since the so-called “reset” in relations has supposedly taken effect. The merger of American and Russian development plans for the Central Asian region should mean that the lines of division have all been erased. But that is impossible, simply because the differences between systems that have been made prominent by human rights concerns, makes it necessary to maintain at least the illusion that the authoritarian and democratic positions are not identical.
On the surface, the problems associated with such a “reset” would seem to explain the remaining divisions between East and West, but there are hidden considerations. The sinking of the American economic position, in contrast to the rising Russian status, brews strong temptations for the Russian side to seek permanent advantage over their former nemesis and for the American side, strong impetus to deny the “Russkies” their moment of schadenfreude [I always swore that I would never use that word]. The merger of the two sides’ interests probably accounts for the sudden threat of “Islamists” all over the former Soviet territory. The unknown factor is whether America’s “Islamists” are still serving America’s anti-Russian agenda, or whether their mission has been compromised so that their violence serves both American and Russian plans.
Avigdor Lieberman: A Profile in Ultranationalist Extremism
by Stephen Lendman
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Lieberman represents the worst of Israel's lunatic fringe, sort of a combination Dick Cheney/John McCain/Joe Lieberman, too extremist to be entrusted with power, but he's got it.
On March 18, 2008 in the London Independent, Robert Fisk headlined, "Why Avigdor Lieberman is the worst thing that could happen to the Middle East," saying:
"....Israelis have exalted a man....who out-Sharons even Ariel Sharon. A few Palestinians (said) the West will see the 'true face' of Israel. (He's) talked of drowning Palestinians in the Dead Sea or executing Israeli Palestinians who talked to Hamas. (His) incendiary language (promotes) executions....drownings....hell and loyalty oaths," perfect for the role he's assumed, allied with Israel's most extremist ever Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who also out-Sharons Sharon, no easy feat by any means.
The Ecuadorian Coup: Its Larger Meaning
James Petras
The abortive military-police coup in Ecuador, which took place on September 30, has raised numerous questions about the role of the US and its allies among the traditional oligarchy and the leftist social movements, Indian organizations and their political parties.
While President Correa and all governments in Latin America, and significant sectors of the Ecuadorian public described the violent actions as a coup, the principle organ of Wall Street – The Wall Street Journal – described it as a “police protest”. Spoke persons for Goldman Sachs and the Council of Foreign Relations referred to the police and military power grab against the democratically elected government as a self-induced “political crises” of the President. While the coup was underway the “Indian” movement CONAIE, launched a manifesto condemning the government, while the “Indian” party Pachakutik supported the ouster of the President and backed the police coup as a “just act of public servants”.
Loud Talk, Small Minds
Joel S. Hirschhorn
In trying to understand how so many Americans adore people like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh I have come to this critical understanding: Poorly educated, terribly informed, intellectually deficient and downright stupid people need idols. They feel angry, frustrated, ignored, cheated and disillusioned by so much going on in American society. They find the emotional, political and philosophical rants by talk show, loud mouth celebrities matching and justifying their feelings. Of course, those celebrities work hard to fan the flames of all that unhappiness and discontent, and also perpetuate ignorance and hate. They sell stupidity to gullible dummies, teaching them who to blame for their misery.
America's War on Food Not Bombs
by Stephen Lendman
Food Not Bombs (FNB) is "one of the fastest growing revolutionary movements and is gaining momentum throughout the world." Access its story on:
Through hundreds of autonomous chapters globally, it shares free vegetarian food to relieve hunger besides protesting against war, poverty, and social injustice. FNB isn't a charity. Through grassroots activism, it advocates peace and liberation of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. In addition, for 30 years, it's worked to end hunger and backs efforts against globalization, free movement restrictions, exploitation, and environmental destruction.
The real problem with Obama's religion
Mary Shaw
At a September town hall meeting in New Mexico, a citizen asked President Obama the question "Why are you a Christian?"
Obama replied that he is "a Christian by choice," noting that his family didn't regularly attend church. He explained that he became a Christian later in life "because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead -- being my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper, treating others as they would treat me." Etc.
Some might see this as a defense against all the hysterical right-wing assertions that Obama is a "secret Muslim". I see it as an honest and reasonable answer to a question. But I question the validity of the question.
As I see it, the real problem with Obama's religion is that it is an issue at all.
It shouldn't matter whether Obama is a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Scientologist, or a Zoroastrian. (Here come more rumors now.)
Hungary Toxic Sludge Catastrophe Reminiscent of BP Gulf Oil Spill Disaster
Here’s the top headline on Yahoo! News on Thursday, October 7, 2010 regarding the Toxic Sludge Disaster in Hungary:
Scientists say heavy metal in sludge not dangerous (AP)
And here’s the proof for those who are as incredulous as we were about such an irresponsible and utterly uninformed scientific proclamation:
To The Rank and File
By Timothy V. Gatto
We all need to take a realistic look at what is really going on in this country and what we are truly capable of doing about it. Rhetoric aside, what are the truly pragmatic ways that we can force the government of the United States to work in the interests of the people instead of the corporate world that get these politicians elected and supply them with never-ending “perks” to influence them to do their bidding? Short of a revolution, there doesn’t seem to be anyway to wrest control of our government away from the corporations that control it.
After watching the largest transfer of wealth move from the American taxpayer’s hands to the banks and financial institutions of Wall Street, it should become apparent just where our government’s interests lie. Watching the median income sink by thousands of dollars each year for the past five years without as much as a peep from our elected representatives is another dead giveaway to where our government’s interests lie. When the Corprocrats in Washington bailed out GM and Chrysler, who were the ones that really took it on the chin, was it the shareholders? No, it was the union rank and file that had to step up to the plate and giveback concessions that took so much time to earn.
Atlanta to premier 'What in the World Are they Spraying?' 10/23
By Rady Ananda
One technique of atmospheric geoengineering uses aircraft to spray the sky with metals and chemicals. These pollutants affect the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we grow. Crops genetically engineered for immunity to aluminum, which is toxic to natural plants (and humans), are unaffected.
Addressing these issues, a new film, What in the World Are They Spraying, will have its world premier in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, October 23, 8 pm, at the Atlanta History Center.
Producers G. Edward Griffin, Michael Murphy and Paul Wittenberger will give a 30-minute presentation before the film, and will be at the catered reception following it.
As 10th Year of Longest War Begins the Flood of Bad News in Afghanistan Continues
Kevin Zeese
Obama Should End the War or He Will Pay a Heavy Political Price
Today, the 10th year of the Afghanistan War begins.
The longest American war continues amidst a flood of bad news from the war front – supply routes cut, oil tankers burning, record deaths of soldiers and Afghan civilians, U.S. funding the Taliban to protect U.S. troops . . . on and on, the war failure stares the United States in the face.
If Obama thinks he is having a hard time with the “enthusiasm gap” in 2010, in 2012 if these wars continue, he will be unable to wake up his anti-war base no matter how much he chides them and tries to scare them with extremist Republicans.
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