By Ivan Eland
August 24, 2010
The American media, and to a lesser extent the world media, focus on symbolism at the expense of underlying reality. And sometimes they can’t even make sense of the symbolism.
Read on.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Turning Iraqi Cities into Slums
Fiddling While the US Economy Burns
By Danny Schechter
August 23, 2010
We know we live in hard times that are on the verge of getting harder with 500,000 new claims for unemployment last week, a recent record.
Read on.
August 23, 2010
We know we live in hard times that are on the verge of getting harder with 500,000 new claims for unemployment last week, a recent record.
Read on.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Transocean Questioned on Burma Deal
By Thomas Maung Shwe
August 20, 2010
U.S.-Swiss drilling company Tranoscean has admitted it is under investigation by the U.S. Treasury over its “operations in Myanmar [Burma]”. The probe comes amid intense public scrutiny since its rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
August 20, 2010
U.S.-Swiss drilling company Tranoscean has admitted it is under investigation by the U.S. Treasury over its “operations in Myanmar [Burma]”. The probe comes amid intense public scrutiny since its rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
Spinning the US Failure in Iraq
By Robert Parry
August 20, 2010
When I watched the last U.S. combat battalions leave Iraq on Wednesday night, I couldn’t help but recall the scene when the last Soviet troops departed Afghanistan on Feb. 15, 1989. In both cases, the two governments soft-pedaled the hard truth about the strategic defeats that the withdrawals represented.
Read on.
August 20, 2010
When I watched the last U.S. combat battalions leave Iraq on Wednesday night, I couldn’t help but recall the scene when the last Soviet troops departed Afghanistan on Feb. 15, 1989. In both cases, the two governments soft-pedaled the hard truth about the strategic defeats that the withdrawals represented.
Read on.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tea Partiers' Historical Fictions
By Jada Thacker
August 18, 2010
Today’s adherents to the Tea Party movement claim to share common cause with American “Sons of Liberty” rowdies who, on Dec. 16, 1773, dumped about 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.
Read on.
August 18, 2010
Today’s adherents to the Tea Party movement claim to share common cause with American “Sons of Liberty” rowdies who, on Dec. 16, 1773, dumped about 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.
Read on.
Do Religions Reject Gay Marriage?
By Daniel C. Maguire
August 18, 2010
Through much of history, especially prior to the Fourteenth Century, many Christians did not share the view that marriage was a reward for being heterosexual, nor that a same-sex union was objectionable.
Read on.
August 18, 2010
Through much of history, especially prior to the Fourteenth Century, many Christians did not share the view that marriage was a reward for being heterosexual, nor that a same-sex union was objectionable.
Read on.
Mosque Furor Endangers US Troops
By Robert Parry
August 18, 2010
For years, the American Right and neocons have been quick to accuse critics of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars of endangering American troops – by causing disunity, exposing counter-terror techniques, etc. – but these war enthusiasts are now the ones putting the lives of U.S. soldiers in jeopardy.
Read on.
August 18, 2010
For years, the American Right and neocons have been quick to accuse critics of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars of endangering American troops – by causing disunity, exposing counter-terror techniques, etc. – but these war enthusiasts are now the ones putting the lives of U.S. soldiers in jeopardy.
Read on.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Letting the Banksters 'Settle'
By Danny Schechter
August 17, 2010
Another day, another bank in the news -- with the settlement blues.
Read on.
August 17, 2010
Another day, another bank in the news -- with the settlement blues.
Read on.
Making the US Look Small to the World
By Alvaro Vargas Llosa
August 17, 2010
New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission was right not to designate the building at 45 Park Place, two blocks from Ground Zero, a historical landmark.
Read on.
August 17, 2010
New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission was right not to designate the building at 45 Park Place, two blocks from Ground Zero, a historical landmark.
Read on.
Old-Time Bigotry Alive in America
By Michael Winship
August 17, 2010
As citizens of the nation continue through the summer, distracting themselves from difficult truths by howling at the moon and one another, I spent this past weekend in Manhattan seeing revivals of two classic period pieces of American theater.
Read on.
August 17, 2010
As citizens of the nation continue through the summer, distracting themselves from difficult truths by howling at the moon and one another, I spent this past weekend in Manhattan seeing revivals of two classic period pieces of American theater.
Read on.
The Truth about Pat Tillman's Death
By Rory O'Connor
August 17, 2010
Of the many lies George W. Bush told us about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some were larger but none worse than that told about the death of Pat Tillman.
Read on.
August 17, 2010
Of the many lies George W. Bush told us about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some were larger but none worse than that told about the death of Pat Tillman.
Read on.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Behind a Lethal Israel-Lebanon Clash
By Lawrence Davidson
August 16, 2010
August 16, 2010
On Aug. 3, violence erupted along Lebanon’s southern frontier, followed almost simultaneously by verbal assaults against Lebanon from the U.S. House of Representatives. Lebanon soon lost, at least temporarily, $100 million in U.S. military aid. What is this all about?
Read on.Sunday, August 15, 2010
How Truth Can Save Lives
By Ray McGovern
August 15, 2010
If independent-minded Web sites, like WikiLeaks or, say, Consortiumnews.com, existed 43 years ago, I might have risen to the occasion and helped save the lives of some 25,000 U.S. soldiers, and a million Vietnamese, by exposing the lies contained in just one SECRET/EYES ONLY cable from Saigon.
Read on.
August 15, 2010
If independent-minded Web sites, like WikiLeaks or, say, Consortiumnews.com, existed 43 years ago, I might have risen to the occasion and helped save the lives of some 25,000 U.S. soldiers, and a million Vietnamese, by exposing the lies contained in just one SECRET/EYES ONLY cable from Saigon.
Read on.
Friday, August 13, 2010
US Staggers Toward Dysfunction
By Danny Schechter
August 14, 2010
Financial journalist Charles Gasparino whose career trajectory took him from Newsweek to CNBC to Fox News was on with Bill O’ Reilly doing what the host of the fact-less Factor likes to do the most: promote Fox News.
Read on.
August 14, 2010
Financial journalist Charles Gasparino whose career trajectory took him from Newsweek to CNBC to Fox News was on with Bill O’ Reilly doing what the host of the fact-less Factor likes to do the most: promote Fox News.
Read on.
Gut-Check Time for Progressives
By Don Monkerud
August 13, 2010
Hopes for change are turning to disappointment as Congress fails to meet goals for a progressive agenda.
August 13, 2010
Hopes for change are turning to disappointment as Congress fails to meet goals for a progressive agenda.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Neocon Preps US for War with Iran
By Ray McGovern
August 12, 2010
I guess I was naïve in thinking that The Atlantic and its American-Israeli writer Jeffrey Goldberg might shy away from arguing for yet another war — this one with Iran — while the cauldrons are still boiling in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Read on.
August 12, 2010
I guess I was naïve in thinking that The Atlantic and its American-Israeli writer Jeffrey Goldberg might shy away from arguing for yet another war — this one with Iran — while the cauldrons are still boiling in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Read on.
Why Israel Wants a US War with Iran
By Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett
August 12, 2010
Amid widespread skepticism that sanctions will stop Tehran's nuclear development and grudging, belated recognition that the Green Movement will not deliver a more pliable Iranian government, a growing number of commentators are asking the question, "What does President Obama do next on Iran?"
Read on.
August 12, 2010
Amid widespread skepticism that sanctions will stop Tehran's nuclear development and grudging, belated recognition that the Green Movement will not deliver a more pliable Iranian government, a growing number of commentators are asking the question, "What does President Obama do next on Iran?"
Read on.
Don't Try These GOP Alibis at Home
By Robert Parry
August 12, 2010
Unless you’re a member of the Bush Family or some other well-connected Republican, it’s not advised that you try the alibis that cleared Ronald Reagan’s campaign in the 1980 October Surprise case. You also would need to make sure that the “investigators” were lame-brained or weak-kneed Democrats.
Read on.
August 12, 2010
Unless you’re a member of the Bush Family or some other well-connected Republican, it’s not advised that you try the alibis that cleared Ronald Reagan’s campaign in the 1980 October Surprise case. You also would need to make sure that the “investigators” were lame-brained or weak-kneed Democrats.
Read on.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Manning, Khadr: Cases of Conscience
By Lawrence Davidson
August 11, 2010
At present there are two young men sitting in prison who have never met but are nonetheless intimately connected.
Read on.
August 11, 2010
At present there are two young men sitting in prison who have never met but are nonetheless intimately connected.
Read on.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Mosque, the Wall, and America
By Michael Winship
August 10, 2010
The current fight over the building of an Islamic study center near Ground Zero in Manhattan is reminiscent of another battle nearly 30 years ago. Then, too, ignorance, rage and prejudice threatened to destroy the creation of something intended to help mend a grievous wound and foster understanding and reconciliation.
Read on.
August 10, 2010
The current fight over the building of an Islamic study center near Ground Zero in Manhattan is reminiscent of another battle nearly 30 years ago. Then, too, ignorance, rage and prejudice threatened to destroy the creation of something intended to help mend a grievous wound and foster understanding and reconciliation.
Read on.
The Dual Realities of Israel/Palestine
By Lawrence Davidson
August 10, 2010
On Aug. 5, 2010 Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, citing a Fars (Iran) news service story, reported that a non-governmental organization in Iran had "launched a Website with cartoons on the Holocaust aimed at undermining the historic dimensions of the mass murder of Jews."
Read on.
August 10, 2010
On Aug. 5, 2010 Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, citing a Fars (Iran) news service story, reported that a non-governmental organization in Iran had "launched a Website with cartoons on the Holocaust aimed at undermining the historic dimensions of the mass murder of Jews."
Read on.
Hard Choices in Iraq and Afghanistan
By Ivan Eland
August 10, 2010
As President Obama pooh-poohed as old news the many WikiLeaks documents showing the sad state of the conflict in Afghanistan, the chief executive also began an entire month of crowing about keeping his campaign promise to “bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end.”
Read on.
August 10, 2010
As President Obama pooh-poohed as old news the many WikiLeaks documents showing the sad state of the conflict in Afghanistan, the chief executive also began an entire month of crowing about keeping his campaign promise to “bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end.”
Read on.
Monday, August 09, 2010
Is Anti-Tax Rage Fueled by Racism?
By Jay Diamond
August 9, 2010
The momentum, the mass and the driving force behind the anti-tax, anti-government cult of the last 30 years has been RACISM.
Read on.
August 9, 2010
The momentum, the mass and the driving force behind the anti-tax, anti-government cult of the last 30 years has been RACISM.
Read on.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Lack of Jobs Kills Hope of Recovery
By Danny Schechter
August 9, 2010
August 9, 2010
In Washington, the Obama economic team has sprung a leak. First, Budget Director Peter Orszag, the calculating numbers savant, bailed. And now, “distinguished” economist Christina Romer, the only woman in that inner circle boys club has quit too.
Reflections on the Ninth of August
By Gary G. Kohls
August 8, 2010
On the 9th of August 1945, an all-Christian B-29 bomber crew took off from Tinian Island in the South Pacific with the blessings of Catholic and Protestant chaplains.
Read on.
August 8, 2010
On the 9th of August 1945, an all-Christian B-29 bomber crew took off from Tinian Island in the South Pacific with the blessings of Catholic and Protestant chaplains.
Read on.
Pfc. Manning and the Value of Truth
By Ray McGovern
August 8, 2010
August 8, 2010
We are living in a liminal time, that is to say we live on the threshold. So much that we have taken for granted is passing.
Read on.Friday, August 06, 2010
Letting Torturers Go Free
By Sherwood Ross
August 6, 2010
Although U.S. officials have attributed the torture of Muslim prisoners in American custody to a handful of maverick guards or limited to a few “high-value detainees,” such criminal acts were widely perpetrated, likely involving large numbers of military personnel, a book by a survivor suggests.
Read on.
August 6, 2010
Although U.S. officials have attributed the torture of Muslim prisoners in American custody to a handful of maverick guards or limited to a few “high-value detainees,” such criminal acts were widely perpetrated, likely involving large numbers of military personnel, a book by a survivor suggests.
Read on.
October Surprise Cover-up Unravels
By Robert Parry
August 6, 2010
Not to belabor a point, but some die-hard defenders of the October Surprise cover-up continue to insist that there is real evidence debunking the now overwhelming case that Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign interfered with President Jimmy Carter’s negotiations to free 52 American hostages then held in Iran.
Read on.
August 6, 2010
Not to belabor a point, but some die-hard defenders of the October Surprise cover-up continue to insist that there is real evidence debunking the now overwhelming case that Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign interfered with President Jimmy Carter’s negotiations to free 52 American hostages then held in Iran.
Read on.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
The Pleasantly Surprising 'Green Zone'
By David Swanson
August 5, 2010
August 5, 2010
I expected to be disappointed by "Green Zone.” I mean the movie, not the chunk of Baghdad we've spent seven years and trillions of dollars killing over a million people to steal for an "embassy" containing 21 buildings on 104 acres.
Read on.Accusation of October Surprise Lying
By Robert Parry
August 5, 2010
August 5, 2010
Lawrence Barcella, who was chief counsel of the October Surprise investigation, has accused me of lying about him when I wrote that he decided to “hide” a report from the Russian government that contradicted his conclusion of “no credible evidence” that Ronald Reagan’s campaign sabotaged President Jimmy Carter’s attempts to free 52 Americans held hostage in Iran in 1980.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Is Iran, like Iraq, 'Asking for War'?
By William Blum
August 4, 2010
August 4, 2010
If and when the United States and Israel bomb Iran (marking the sixth country so blessed by Barack Obama) – and this sad old world has a new daily horror show to look at on their TV sets – and we then discover that Iran was not actually building nuclear weapons after all, the American mainstream media and the benighted American mind will ask: "Why didn't they tell us that? Did they want us to bomb them?"
Palin, Summers and the Crisis of Kitsch
By Phil Rockstroh
August 4, 2010
Given the level of cultural absurdity at large, both the commercially tormented landscape and the mass media dominated mindscape of the United States seem a Gogol goof-take.
Read on.
August 4, 2010
Given the level of cultural absurdity at large, both the commercially tormented landscape and the mass media dominated mindscape of the United States seem a Gogol goof-take.
Read on.
George Shultz's Counterfeit 'Coin'
By Robert Parry
August 4, 2010
Official Washington’s favorite quote from the Iran-Contra scandal was from Secretary of State George Shultz who famously assured congressional investigators that “trust is the coin of the realm.” What is never acknowledged is that Shultz's coin was counterfeit, that he then lied through his teeth.
Read on.
August 4, 2010
Official Washington’s favorite quote from the Iran-Contra scandal was from Secretary of State George Shultz who famously assured congressional investigators that “trust is the coin of the realm.” What is never acknowledged is that Shultz's coin was counterfeit, that he then lied through his teeth.
Read on.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
GOP Eyes Big Gains Over the Economy
By Stephen Crockett
August 3, 2010
It seems like the Republicans in Congress have decided that sabotaging economic recovery and employment growth is their best tactic for electoral gains in the November elections.
Read on.
August 3, 2010
It seems like the Republicans in Congress have decided that sabotaging economic recovery and employment growth is their best tactic for electoral gains in the November elections.
Read on.
Obama Warned Israel May Bomb Iran
By Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (to President Obama)
August 3, 2010
We write to alert you to the likelihood that Israel will attack Iran as early as this month. This would likely lead to a wider war.
Read on.
August 3, 2010
We write to alert you to the likelihood that Israel will attack Iran as early as this month. This would likely lead to a wider war.
Read on.
Can US Live with a Taliban Revival?
By Ivan Eland
August 3, 2010
The 92,000 classified U.S. government documents leaked to WikiLeaks.org didn’t reveal many new shocking truths about the U.S. military quagmire in Afghanistan.
Read on.
August 3, 2010
The 92,000 classified U.S. government documents leaked to WikiLeaks.org didn’t reveal many new shocking truths about the U.S. military quagmire in Afghanistan.
Read on.
Wall Street's Collapse, 3 Years Later
By Danny Schechter
August 3, 2010
We live in the United States of Amnesia and selective memory. As we debate the breaking news, we easily forget the sequence of events that broke the banks and left us broke.
Read on.
August 3, 2010
We live in the United States of Amnesia and selective memory. As we debate the breaking news, we easily forget the sequence of events that broke the banks and left us broke.
Read on.
Monday, August 02, 2010
WikiLeaks Filled a Journalistic Void
By Mort Rosenblum
August 2, 2010
"Vietraqistan," the chapter on war reporting in Little Bunch of Madmen, explains why WikiLeaks.org is so dangerous and yet - given the Pentagon's news management - also so necessary.
Read on.
August 2, 2010
"Vietraqistan," the chapter on war reporting in Little Bunch of Madmen, explains why WikiLeaks.org is so dangerous and yet - given the Pentagon's news management - also so necessary.
Read on.
Washington's Ethical Double Standard
By Robert Parry
August 2, 2010
August 2, 2010
As two longtime members of the Congressional Black Caucus – Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters – are dragged into the public square to be punished for alleged ethical indiscretions, it may be worth remembering how Official Washington responded to evidence that President George W. Bush aided and abetted his corrupt benefactors at Enron.
Read on.Sunday, August 01, 2010
Jesus's Unsettling Lessons for America
By Rev. Howard Bess
August 1, 2010
Typical Christians are very selective in their Bible reading. The parts in which believers find affirmation, they are quick to quote. Bible portions that confront them and their chosen lifestyles are conveniently ignored.
Read on.
August 1, 2010
Typical Christians are very selective in their Bible reading. The parts in which believers find affirmation, they are quick to quote. Bible portions that confront them and their chosen lifestyles are conveniently ignored.
Read on.
Making an Example of Charlie Rangel
By Danny Schechter
August 1, 2010
Charles Rangel must die, politically that is. He has become an embarrassment to a House Speaker who vowed to “clean the swamp” of congressional corruption.
Read on.
August 1, 2010
Charles Rangel must die, politically that is. He has become an embarrassment to a House Speaker who vowed to “clean the swamp” of congressional corruption.
Read on.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Neocons Still Angle for War with Iran
By Gareth Porter
July 31, 2010
Reuel Marc Gerecht's screed justifying a prospective Israeli bombing attack on Iran coincides with the opening of the new Israel lobby campaign marked by the introduction of House Resolution 1553 expressing full support for such an Israeli attack.
Read on.
July 31, 2010
Reuel Marc Gerecht's screed justifying a prospective Israeli bombing attack on Iran coincides with the opening of the new Israel lobby campaign marked by the introduction of House Resolution 1553 expressing full support for such an Israeli attack.
Read on.
A Neocon Re-write of American History
By Robert Parry
July 31, 2010
On Friday, the Washington Post offered up its typical balance on the “Washington FORUM” page – two articles by former Bush administration officials (Hank Paulson and Michael Gerson) and two articles by prominent neocons (Robert Kagan and Max Boot). But Boot’s opinion piece – advocating never-ending largesse for the U.S. military – was perhaps the most insidious.
Read on.
July 31, 2010
On Friday, the Washington Post offered up its typical balance on the “Washington FORUM” page – two articles by former Bush administration officials (Hank Paulson and Michael Gerson) and two articles by prominent neocons (Robert Kagan and Max Boot). But Boot’s opinion piece – advocating never-ending largesse for the U.S. military – was perhaps the most insidious.
Read on.
Friday, July 30, 2010
To Publish Official Secrets -- or Not
By Robert Parry
July 30, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and top Pentagon brass are claiming that the lives of Afghan civilians and U.S. soldiers have been put at risk by the leak of some 92,000 classified documents about the Afghan War, waving the bloody shirt (even if they don’t yet have one).
Read on.
July 30, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and top Pentagon brass are claiming that the lives of Afghan civilians and U.S. soldiers have been put at risk by the leak of some 92,000 classified documents about the Afghan War, waving the bloody shirt (even if they don’t yet have one).
Read on.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Truth Behind the Tea Parties
By Don Monkerud
July 29, 2010
Current attempts to revive that Boston Tea Party of 1773 are marketing gimmicks to masquerade conservative forces bent on defeating Obama and destroying any attempt to reform the present
gridlock political system.
Read on.
July 29, 2010
Current attempts to revive that Boston Tea Party of 1773 are marketing gimmicks to masquerade conservative forces bent on defeating Obama and destroying any attempt to reform the present
gridlock political system.
Read on.
The Intellectual Mystery of 'Inception'
By Lisa Pease
July 29, 2010
“Inception” is a frontrunner for awards this year, for a number of factors. The film exists primarily in dream worlds, so the visuals are stunning and surprising. The acting is superb across the board. The story is both intellectually complex and emotionally engaging.
Read on.
July 29, 2010
“Inception” is a frontrunner for awards this year, for a number of factors. The film exists primarily in dream worlds, so the visuals are stunning and surprising. The acting is superb across the board. The story is both intellectually complex and emotionally engaging.
Read on.
Hiroshima and the Myths of Empire
By Gary G. Kohls
July 29, 2010
July 29, 2010
Since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, millions of Americans have not wanted to address honestly the horror of that moment. Many were willing to swallow the post-war propaganda about the destruction of the city as necessary to avert the even worse death and devastation from a full-scale U.S. invasion of Japan.
Read on.Wednesday, July 28, 2010
US Grows Isolated on Aggressive War
By Peter Dyer
July 28, 2010
Though the U.S. political/media establishment remains in denial, an international consensus is building that the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was a crime -- a profound and catastrophic violation of international law.
Read on.
July 28, 2010
Though the U.S. political/media establishment remains in denial, an international consensus is building that the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was a crime -- a profound and catastrophic violation of international law.
Read on.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
LAPD Unit Breaks Up a Birthday Party
By Dennis Bernstein
July 27, 2010
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division, made famous by the videotaped beating of Rodney King almost two decades ago, has been caught in action again – this time on a cell-phone video – breaking up a family birthday party in Pacoima, California.
Read on.
July 27, 2010
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division, made famous by the videotaped beating of Rodney King almost two decades ago, has been caught in action again – this time on a cell-phone video – breaking up a family birthday party in Pacoima, California.
Read on.
Stumbling Toward a Bleak Horizon
By Danny Schechter
July 27, 2010
As we move into the dog days of summer and a coming congressional recess, the Obama administration has shifted its focus back to the economy and wants to convince one and all that an economic recovery is just around the corner.
Read on.
July 27, 2010
As we move into the dog days of summer and a coming congressional recess, the Obama administration has shifted its focus back to the economy and wants to convince one and all that an economic recovery is just around the corner.
Read on.
Israel's Self-Defeating Gaza Embargo
By Ivan Eland
July 27, 2010
In the wake of Israel’s botched attack on a Turkish ship bringing relief to Gazans from Israel’s (and Egypt’s) economic blockade of Gaza, the Israelis have responded to intensely negative world opinion by relaxing the blockade. That move may help Israel as much as Gazans.
Read on.
July 27, 2010
In the wake of Israel’s botched attack on a Turkish ship bringing relief to Gazans from Israel’s (and Egypt’s) economic blockade of Gaza, the Israelis have responded to intensely negative world opinion by relaxing the blockade. That move may help Israel as much as Gazans.
Read on.
Monday, July 26, 2010
How Bush Botched the Afghan War
By Robert Parry
July 26, 2010
The 75,000 classified Afghan War reports, which were just published by Wikileaks, provide a troubling narrative of that conflict’s downward spiral as President George W. Bush concentrated the American military on the neoconservative target of choice, Iraq.
Read on.
July 26, 2010
The 75,000 classified Afghan War reports, which were just published by Wikileaks, provide a troubling narrative of that conflict’s downward spiral as President George W. Bush concentrated the American military on the neoconservative target of choice, Iraq.
Read on.
Afghan War Leaks Expose Costly Folly
By Ray McGovern
July 26, 2010
The brutality and fecklessness of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan have been laid bare in an undisputable way just days before the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on whether to throw $33.5 billion more into the Afghan quagmire, when that money is badly needed at home.
Read on.
July 26, 2010
The brutality and fecklessness of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan have been laid bare in an undisputable way just days before the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on whether to throw $33.5 billion more into the Afghan quagmire, when that money is badly needed at home.
Read on.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
BP Oil Spill Threatens Bayou Tribes
By Dennis Bernstein
July 25, 2010
For unlucky residents of the Gulf States, the BP oil-spill disaster, coming up on 100 days, could take another turn for the worst if one of the storms churning up tropical waters in the Atlantic Ocean blossoms into a full-blown hurricane and heads into the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
July 25, 2010
For unlucky residents of the Gulf States, the BP oil-spill disaster, coming up on 100 days, could take another turn for the worst if one of the storms churning up tropical waters in the Atlantic Ocean blossoms into a full-blown hurricane and heads into the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Other 'Top Secret America'
By Douglas Valentine
July 24, 2010
After Dana Priest’s and William M. Arkin's three-part series, “Top-Secret America,” appeared in the Washington Post, pundits began falling all over themselves in a rush to describe the size and implications of the elephant in the living room, though few saw fit to even notice the elephant before.
Read on.
July 24, 2010
After Dana Priest’s and William M. Arkin's three-part series, “Top-Secret America,” appeared in the Washington Post, pundits began falling all over themselves in a rush to describe the size and implications of the elephant in the living room, though few saw fit to even notice the elephant before.
Read on.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Terror's Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone
By Ray McGovern
July 23, 2010
A recent exposé in the Washington Post shows that if you have a security clearance and are comfortable being part of a lucrative “self-licking ice cream cone” – a process that offers few if any benefits while perpetuating its own existence – then the “war on terror” is definitely for you!
Read on.
July 23, 2010
A recent exposé in the Washington Post shows that if you have a security clearance and are comfortable being part of a lucrative “self-licking ice cream cone” – a process that offers few if any benefits while perpetuating its own existence – then the “war on terror” is definitely for you!
Read on.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
'Loyal Bushies' Spared Prosecution
By Jason Leopold
July 22, 2010
A special prosecutor, who spent nearly two years investigating whether former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and other Bush administration officials committed crimes in connection with the firing of a U.S. Attorney, has ended her probe, saying she found "insufficient evidence" to file charges.
Read on.
July 22, 2010
A special prosecutor, who spent nearly two years investigating whether former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and other Bush administration officials committed crimes in connection with the firing of a U.S. Attorney, has ended her probe, saying she found "insufficient evidence" to file charges.
Read on.
New Fin-Reg Law Only a Half-Measure
By Danny Schechter
July 22, 2010
With eleven pens for souvenirs, President Obama signed the financial reform bill in a rare celebratory moment.
Read on.
July 22, 2010
With eleven pens for souvenirs, President Obama signed the financial reform bill in a rare celebratory moment.
Read on.
Pentagon's Robots Transform Warfare
By Sherwood Ross
July 22, 2010
The Pentagon is rapidly improving its ability to fight wars with robots, a capability “bringing about the most profound transformation of warfare since the advent of the atom bomb” and raising “a host of ethical and legal issues,” says Scientific American.
Read on.
July 22, 2010
The Pentagon is rapidly improving its ability to fight wars with robots, a capability “bringing about the most profound transformation of warfare since the advent of the atom bomb” and raising “a host of ethical and legal issues,” says Scientific American.
Read on.
The Fight to Protect Social Security
By Kevin Zeese
July 22, 2010
The bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which was created by President Barack Obama earlier this year, is using exaggerated rhetoric to heighten deficit fears at a time when many economists say more government spending is needed to spur hiring and avert a second dip in the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Read on.
July 22, 2010
The bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which was created by President Barack Obama earlier this year, is using exaggerated rhetoric to heighten deficit fears at a time when many economists say more government spending is needed to spur hiring and avert a second dip in the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Read on.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Vanunu's Ongoing Persecution in Israel
By Eileen Fleming
July 21, 2010
On May 23, 2010, Mordechai Vanunu began a three-month sentence in solitary confinement on charges of speaking to foreign media in 2004. On Sunday, July 11, 2010, his brother Meir was allowed to visit him for 30 minutes.
Read on.
July 21, 2010
On May 23, 2010, Mordechai Vanunu began a three-month sentence in solitary confinement on charges of speaking to foreign media in 2004. On Sunday, July 11, 2010, his brother Meir was allowed to visit him for 30 minutes.
Read on.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Right's Power of Infrastructure
By Robert Parry
July 20, 2010
Dwight Eisenhower, after commanding Allied forces in World War II and serving eight years as U.S. President, came to appreciate the power of political and economic infrastructure, leading to his famous warning about the threat to the American Republic from a “military-industrial complex.”
Read on.
July 20, 2010
Dwight Eisenhower, after commanding Allied forces in World War II and serving eight years as U.S. President, came to appreciate the power of political and economic infrastructure, leading to his famous warning about the threat to the American Republic from a “military-industrial complex.”
Read on.
No One Wants to Admit Afghan Failure
By Michael Winship
July 20, 2010
A recent headline on the New York Daily News Web site was blunt: "In case you’ve forgotten," it read, "we’re at war."
Read on.
July 20, 2010
A recent headline on the New York Daily News Web site was blunt: "In case you’ve forgotten," it read, "we’re at war."
Read on.
Does Christian Charity Reach 'Illegals'?
By the Rev. Howard Bess
July 20, 2010
When the early Christians faced the challenge of bowing down to Caesar and obeying the Roman government or living by the teachings of Jesus, they followed the teachings of Jesus, becoming a persecuted people. Many lost their lives because of their commitment to their Christ.
Read on.
July 20, 2010
When the early Christians faced the challenge of bowing down to Caesar and obeying the Roman government or living by the teachings of Jesus, they followed the teachings of Jesus, becoming a persecuted people. Many lost their lives because of their commitment to their Christ.
Read on.
The Ever-Expanding 'War on Terror'
By Ivan Eland
July 20, 2010
July 20, 2010
The synchronized and unconscionable bombings by the Somali group al-Shabab — of people doing nothing more than watching soccer games in Kampala, Uganda — counter-intuitively illustrates why the United States should not be fighting Islamic militancy worldwide.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Another Police Killing in Oakland, CA
By Dennis Bernstein
July 18, 2010
This weekend, police killed another man at the same rail transit station in Oakland, California, where 22-year-old Oscar Grant was shot in the back last year, a case that resulted in violent clashes this month when the police officer responsible was convicted of only involuntary manslaughter.
Read on.
July 18, 2010
This weekend, police killed another man at the same rail transit station in Oakland, California, where 22-year-old Oscar Grant was shot in the back last year, a case that resulted in violent clashes this month when the police officer responsible was convicted of only involuntary manslaughter.
Read on.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Oliver Stone Under Assault Again
By Lisa Pease
July 17, 2010
Oliver Stone is under attack again, which isn’t a surprise, given that no other filmmaker has been so willing to challenge the “conventional wisdom” in an effort to uncover the facts about important events.
Read on.
July 17, 2010
Oliver Stone is under attack again, which isn’t a surprise, given that no other filmmaker has been so willing to challenge the “conventional wisdom” in an effort to uncover the facts about important events.
Read on.
Iranian Scientist, a Different Curveball
By Ray McGovern
July 17, 2010
Useful insights often must be seen through a glass darkly. But some can be pulled through the smoke and mirrors shrouding the wanderings of Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri, who is now back home in Iran after 14 months in the U.S. as guest of the CIA.
Read on.
July 17, 2010
Useful insights often must be seen through a glass darkly. But some can be pulled through the smoke and mirrors shrouding the wanderings of Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri, who is now back home in Iran after 14 months in the U.S. as guest of the CIA.
Read on.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Why I am a Jew
By Daniel C. Maguire
July 16, 2010
My coming out as a Jew would certainly surprise my Irish Catholic parents who produced a brood of seven Irish Catholics, including me, three of whom became priests, including me.
Read on.
July 16, 2010
My coming out as a Jew would certainly surprise my Irish Catholic parents who produced a brood of seven Irish Catholics, including me, three of whom became priests, including me.
Read on.
Dying Sea Turtles Warn of Toxic Gulf
By Dennis Bernstein
July 16, 2010
July 16, 2010
Many of Nature’s most ardent defenders are gathered in the Gulf of Mexico, engaged in a desperate rescue mission, trying to save not only the wildlife directly endangered by BP’s massive oil spill but the ecosystem’s viability for sustaining future animal life as well as the economic life of coastal communities.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Bybee Faults CIA on Torture Excesses
By Jason Leopold
July 15, 2010
Jay Bybee, who as a senior Justice Department lawyer signed two memos in 2002 authorizing CIA interrogators to torture “war on terror” prisoners, told a congressional panel that more than a half dozen other brutal methods were used by the CIA without legal approval.
Read on.
July 15, 2010
Jay Bybee, who as a senior Justice Department lawyer signed two memos in 2002 authorizing CIA interrogators to torture “war on terror” prisoners, told a congressional panel that more than a half dozen other brutal methods were used by the CIA without legal approval.
Read on.
Obama Frees CIA from Its Watchdog
By Melvin A. Goodman
July 15, 2010
President Barack Obama has been a major disappointment to a liberal community that rallied to his call for genuine change.
Read on.
July 15, 2010
President Barack Obama has been a major disappointment to a liberal community that rallied to his call for genuine change.
Read on.
Some Hard Truths about America
By Robert Parry
July 15, 2010
July 15, 2010
A hard truth about the U.S. economy is that corporations don’t need as many of us as workers but still need us as consumers. That dilemma helps explain why unemployment is stuck near 10 percent and why the economic recovery is stumbling toward a double dip.
Read on.Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Oakland Reels after Killer-Cop Verdict
By Dennis Bernstein
July 14, 2010
Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums had a chance to shine last Thursday after the verdict was announced in the murder trial of transit cop, Johannes Mehserle, for the Jan. 1, 2009, killing of a 22-year-old, unarmed black man, Oscar Grant.
Read on.
July 14, 2010
Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums had a chance to shine last Thursday after the verdict was announced in the murder trial of transit cop, Johannes Mehserle, for the Jan. 1, 2009, killing of a 22-year-old, unarmed black man, Oscar Grant.
Read on.
PanAm 103 Verdict: Justice or Politics?
By William Blum
July 14, 2010 (Originally published Feb, 5, 2001)
The newspapers were filled with pictures of happy relatives of the victims of the 1988 bombing of PanAm 103.
Read on.
July 14, 2010 (Originally published Feb, 5, 2001)
The newspapers were filled with pictures of happy relatives of the victims of the 1988 bombing of PanAm 103.
Read on.
How James Meredith Beat the Racists
By Sherwood Ross
July 14, 2010
July 14, 2010
The inscription on the life-sized bronze statue of James Meredith on the campus of the University of Mississippi at Oxford reads “courage,” “perseverance,” “opportunity,” and “knowledge.”
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Wasteland of Social Media
By Phil Rockstroh
July 13, 2010
In an age, when nature is besieged and the political landscape blighted, and one stands, stoop shouldered and wincing into the howling wasteland of epic-scale idiocy extant in the era, a solitary person can feel lost ... marooned inside an increasingly isolated sense of self.
July 13, 2010
In an age, when nature is besieged and the political landscape blighted, and one stands, stoop shouldered and wincing into the howling wasteland of epic-scale idiocy extant in the era, a solitary person can feel lost ... marooned inside an increasingly isolated sense of self.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Rich Work Around the Recession
By Michael Winship
July 12, 2010
July 12, 2010
I may be one of the only Manhattan residents not disappointed with LeBron James’s televised announcement that, “This fall, I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat.”
Valentine's 'Pack' Traces Real Drug War
By Adam Engel
July 12, 2010
Relentless is the pack in search of prey, relentless are the wolves. Meticulous is the disclosure of truth about the real“war on drugs,” as chronicled by Douglas Valentine in The Strength of the Pack (“PACK”).
Read on.
July 12, 2010
Relentless is the pack in search of prey, relentless are the wolves. Meticulous is the disclosure of truth about the real“war on drugs,” as chronicled by Douglas Valentine in The Strength of the Pack (“PACK”).
Read on.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Baker's Misfocused 'Family of Secrets'
By James DiEugenio
July 11, 2010
Russ Baker's Family of Secrets has a rather deceptive title. In two ways.
Read on.
July 11, 2010
Russ Baker's Family of Secrets has a rather deceptive title. In two ways.
Read on.
Who Goes to Jail? BP CEO or Shrimper
By Dennis Bernstein
July 11, 2010
On June 17, after watching BP’s oil blowout pollute the Gulf of Mexico for nearly two months, environmental campaigner and fourth-generation Texas shrimp boat captain, Diane Wilson, had had more than enough.
Read on.
July 11, 2010
On June 17, after watching BP’s oil blowout pollute the Gulf of Mexico for nearly two months, environmental campaigner and fourth-generation Texas shrimp boat captain, Diane Wilson, had had more than enough.
Read on.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Speaking Up for the Expendables
By the Rev. Howard Bess
July 10, 2010
I serve on the Board of Directors of Palmer (Alaska) Arts Council, which every year facilitates dozens of events featuring music, drama, poetry, films and art, including popular summer programs for children theatre culminating in the presentation of plays.
Read on.
July 10, 2010
I serve on the Board of Directors of Palmer (Alaska) Arts Council, which every year facilitates dozens of events featuring music, drama, poetry, films and art, including popular summer programs for children theatre culminating in the presentation of plays.
Read on.
Speedy Justice for Spies, Not Wall St.
By Danny Schechter
July 10, 2010
We just witnessed justice on steroids. Ten Russian “spies” — even if we still don’t know what they were spying on or why — were brought to court, copped a plea, and were on their way out of the country by midnight.
Read on.
July 10, 2010
We just witnessed justice on steroids. Ten Russian “spies” — even if we still don’t know what they were spying on or why — were brought to court, copped a plea, and were on their way out of the country by midnight.
Read on.
Friday, July 09, 2010
The Second Coming of Petraeus
By Ivan Eland
July 9, 2010
With the justified firing of Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his replacement with Iraq water-walker David Petraeus, it’s as if people are hoping for a second coming of Jesus in Afghanistan.
Read on.
July 9, 2010
With the justified firing of Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his replacement with Iraq water-walker David Petraeus, it’s as if people are hoping for a second coming of Jesus in Afghanistan.
Read on.
BP Ruined a Mississippi Way of Life
By Dennis Bernstein
July 9, 2010
Eleven weeks into the BP oil catastrophe, millions of gallons of thick black crude continue to gush into the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
July 9, 2010
Eleven weeks into the BP oil catastrophe, millions of gallons of thick black crude continue to gush into the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Neocons, Likud Conquer DC, Again
By Robert Parry
July 8, 2010
The clout of Washington’s neoconservatives and the political fear induced by Israel’s Likud hardliners were on display again with recently released e-mails in which Gen. David Petraeus grovels before a key neocon and in White House meetings at which President Obama pandered to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Read on.
July 8, 2010
The clout of Washington’s neoconservatives and the political fear induced by Israel’s Likud hardliners were on display again with recently released e-mails in which Gen. David Petraeus grovels before a key neocon and in White House meetings at which President Obama pandered to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Read on.
McGovern, Parry Speak in Washington
By Michael Collins
July 8, 2010
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and investigative journalist Robert Parry spoke at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, Wednesday night. They were guests of The McClendon Group which holds periodic meetings at the press club featuring investigative reporters and newsmakers.
Read on.
July 8, 2010
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and investigative journalist Robert Parry spoke at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, Wednesday night. They were guests of The McClendon Group which holds periodic meetings at the press club featuring investigative reporters and newsmakers.
Read on.
Obama's Bungled Military Strategies
By Melvin A. Goodman
July 8, 2010
President Barack Obama inherited a difficult national security situation — wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; an exaggerated and counterproductive war on terror; debilitating deficits and rising debt; an obstructionist Congress; and a corporate media that has abandoned its watchdog ethos.
Read on.
July 8, 2010
President Barack Obama inherited a difficult national security situation — wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; an exaggerated and counterproductive war on terror; debilitating deficits and rising debt; an obstructionist Congress; and a corporate media that has abandoned its watchdog ethos.
Read on.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Oil Firms May Fuel Burma's Nuke Plans
By Dennis Bernstein
July 7, 2010
U.S. oil giant Chevron, along with the French energy giant, Total, and PTTEP in Thailand “are financing the world’s newest nuclear threat with multi-billion dollar payments, and have refused to practice financial transparency, despite calls by the Burmese and international community,” according to a newly released report from EarthRights International.
Read on.
July 7, 2010
U.S. oil giant Chevron, along with the French energy giant, Total, and PTTEP in Thailand “are financing the world’s newest nuclear threat with multi-billion dollar payments, and have refused to practice financial transparency, despite calls by the Burmese and international community,” according to a newly released report from EarthRights International.
Read on.
Losing in Afghanistan
By Marjorie Cohn
July 7, 2010
Last week, the House of Representatives voted 215-210 for $33 billion to fund Barack Obama’s troop increase in Afghanistan. But there was considerable opposition to giving the President a blank check.
Read on.
July 7, 2010
Last week, the House of Representatives voted 215-210 for $33 billion to fund Barack Obama’s troop increase in Afghanistan. But there was considerable opposition to giving the President a blank check.
Read on.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
The Military-Industrial Complex's Win
By Melvin A. Goodman
July 7, 2010
Barack Obama’s crippling inheritance as President of the United States is the near-five-decade failure of the nation’s political leadership to heed President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s warning that “in the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
Read on.
July 7, 2010
Barack Obama’s crippling inheritance as President of the United States is the near-five-decade failure of the nation’s political leadership to heed President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s warning that “in the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
Read on.
Mississippi Gov. Barbour Fronts for BP
By Dennis Bernstein
July 6, 2010
Louie Miller, state director of the Sierra Club in Mississippi, is burning up. And its not the sweltering heat typical of Mississippi summers that’s getting to him: It’s Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and his kid-glove treatment of BP over its oil blow-out disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
July 6, 2010
Louie Miller, state director of the Sierra Club in Mississippi, is burning up. And its not the sweltering heat typical of Mississippi summers that’s getting to him: It’s Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and his kid-glove treatment of BP over its oil blow-out disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Read on.
Cheery Fireworks, Depressing Reality
By Danny Schechter
July 6, 2010
On the Fourth of July, two days after a jobs report showed how many Americans are down, the nation was looking up -- at fireworks signaling the anniversary of American independence (even as the BP disaster shows how dependent we’ve become).
Read on.
July 6, 2010
On the Fourth of July, two days after a jobs report showed how many Americans are down, the nation was looking up -- at fireworks signaling the anniversary of American independence (even as the BP disaster shows how dependent we’ve become).
Read on.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Thoughts on Patriotism on July Fourth
By William Blum
July 5, 2010
Most important thought: I'm sick and tired of this thing called "patriotism."
Read on.
July 5, 2010
Most important thought: I'm sick and tired of this thing called "patriotism."
Read on.
How Reagan Charted a Dismal Future
By Gray Brechin
July 5, 2010
Novelist Arthur C. Clarke and director Peter Hyams proved less than prophetic in the optimistic vision presented in the movie 2010, but they gave the audiences of 1984 what they wanted to hear.
Read on.
July 5, 2010
Novelist Arthur C. Clarke and director Peter Hyams proved less than prophetic in the optimistic vision presented in the movie 2010, but they gave the audiences of 1984 what they wanted to hear.
Read on.
What Eisenhower Could Teach Obama
By Melvin A. Goodman
July 5, 2010
Fifty years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower told his senior advisers in the Oval Office of the White House, “God help this country when someone sits in this chair who doesn’t know the military as well as I do.” Several months later, he issued his famous warning about the military-industrial complex.
Read on.
July 5, 2010
Fifty years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower told his senior advisers in the Oval Office of the White House, “God help this country when someone sits in this chair who doesn’t know the military as well as I do.” Several months later, he issued his famous warning about the military-industrial complex.
Read on.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
America's First Spymaster
By Robert Parry
July 4, 2010
July 4, 2010
Having grown up in eastern Massachusetts not far from Lexington and Concord, I always found the Revolutionary War’s heroes familiar and fascinating, including some whose names are little remembered except by historians.
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