The Global War on Terror (GWOT) declared by United States President George W. Bush in 2001 has been a bonanza for the military-industrial complex and foreign intervention supporters over the last two and a half decades. It has also been the bringer of poverty, destruction, and death in parts of the world targeted by the sanctions, drone strikes, all-out wars and other interventions the US government has pursued in the name of advancing the imperial enterprise.
Continue readingHundreds of thousands of “ultra-Orthodox” men protested this week in the Israel city of Jerusalem in opposition to the Israel government enforcing a military draft of members of their communities. You may not hear much about the protest from American media, but a Thursday Times of Israel report provides a rundown of some of the protest activities in Jerusalem. The report also includes video and photographs of the protest.
Continue readingArgentina President Javier Milei, since taking office nearly two years ago, has been one of the foreign government leaders most prominent in celebrating United States government interventions across the world, including US-aided wars of Ukraine and Israel and the US going to war against Venezuela. And earlier this month Milei secured a tens of billions of dollars bailout for his government from his chum US President Donald Trump, with the bailout only set to happen if Milei’s party came out on top in the election held on Sunday, which it did.
Continue readingPro-war propaganda often maligns the people in a place targeted for attack. That characterization spread far and wide in the country from which an attack is planned to emanate can help temper opposition to and enhance support for the attack and ensuing war.
Continue readingDonald Trump seems to be following through in his second term as president on the threat of a United States war on Venezuela he made in his first term. Significant US military force has been recently placed near Venezuela ready for attack, the US has already destroyed several boats near Venezuela and killed most the people on them in a claimed effort to counter “narco-terrorism,” and Trump last week said he has authorized Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operation and is considering attacks on land in Venezuela.
Continue readingOn Wednesday, Seth Moulton, a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts, announced he is running for the US Senate in a Democratic primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). The next day, Moulton made another announcement — that he is returning all contributions he has received from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and refusing to accept any more AIPAC donations or support.
Continue readingThe United States government has over the last couple years provided weapons hand over fist to support the Israel government in it bringing a great amount of death and destruction to Gaza. In answer to a reporter’s question Tuesday at the White House, Trump suggested the US government may soon take things to the next level — directly engaging in war in Gaza.
Continue readingEight years ago this month I commented that “I would not be surprised to see the US government legalize marijuana within the next five years.” That conclusion came upon my consideration of the then 64 percent nationwide support for legalization among Americans who had been recently polled by Gallup, plus — for the first time — majority support among Republicans.
Continue readingMentions of “the Jewish state” are common in media as a stand-in for the Israel government. Sometimes the phrase is just thrown in to mix things up by using something other than a repeated mention of Israel or to make communication come across as more interesting, refined, or erudite.
Continue readingSome critics of government overreach have regularly welcomed United States government shutdowns, arguing that they provide relief — if only temporarily — from spending and bossing around by government that threatens both freedom and prosperity. For them, the announcement from the Donald Trump administration that the government shutdown that started this week could lead to the cancelation of billions of dollars in spending on “clean energy” authorized during the preceding presidential administration could seem a welcome relief.
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