I think if Rubio would actually, like, read a book about Middle Eastern history, he’d find that there were past radical movements rather more impressive than Daesh (just as there were in Christian Europe).
Rubio is probably too busy reading instructions from Sheldon Adelson and his other puppet masters to read books.
Rand Paul did inject some sanity about cutting back funding from the military and not getting in more wars. It's a pity he drank so much Ayn Rand Kool-Aid in his formative years so that he now talks so much meretricious nonsense about miniscule government.
Presumably, their campaign managers have told them (explained to them?) that there are more ignorant people than informed people in the Republican Party.
Shapiro had addressed a conference earlier this week in which he said that the Obama administration now questions the commitment of Netanyahu’s government to peace with the Palestinians.
Can this be a sign that Obama and his advisers finally realize that he, the office of the presidency, his administration and the American people can no longer continue to be incessantly insulted and humiliated by Netanyahu and his government?
Three questions: Will the Palin sign-up knock some people off the fence towards or away from Trump? Did Palin owe Trump as he claimed Hillary owed him for her attendance at his wedding? Did the casting director for Trump's television shows join his campaign with a mission to get bigger audiences?
Judging by your report of this latest "debate" you were able to endure much more of this meretricious claptrap than I could. When "The Decline and Fall of the US Empire" is eventually written, the 2016 presidential campaign may be revealed as the tipping point of no return to a civilized society.
These British petitioners have apparently forgotten the old saw about people in glass houses throwing stones. They would be better served by a petition calling for Tony Blair and other British national figures to stand trial along the lines of the Nuremberg Trials for their part in the war on Iraq. Anyone interested in making up a rap sheet for Donald Trump will find many charges to list against him but none, yet, for waging a war of choice against another country that was no threat. To the contrary, Trump opposed the war on Iraq.
In the spirit of paying more attention to what people do rather than what they say consider this: Who is the Arch Racist: Hillary or the Donald? by John V. Walsh - link to counterpunch.org
This argument doesn't make an angel of Donald Trump, but it does make a case that he will be the lesser evil in a contest with Hillary.
One of the more ominous threats is policy towards Russia. Hillary's neocon friends look like they are on a march to Stalingrad after their Ukraine coup while Trump appears to be more inclined to make a deal.
What a prospect for the vote in November! Again choosing the lesser evil when the evils are becoming progressively more so.
We all saw what happened when Ike Eisenhower was hesitant to take on the McCarthyites directly. President Obama has to ask himself, what would the Rev. Martin Luther King say in these circumstances? And then say it.
It is probably too late now. Obama appears to have a serious credibility problem.
Obama can simply instruct Samantha Powers not to veto resolutions passed on the Palestine issue by the overwhelming majority of the UNSC; Washington does not even have to sign on to the resolution or acknowledge the imperatives of the Geneva Conventions and other instruments of international law. It can just declare neutrality. It is a simple matter but would change everything, and it is wholly in Obama’s arena of authority.
There is nothing simple in Washington where Israel and the Israel Lobby are involved and there is an absence of moral courage.
I am for Bernie but for the life of me I don’t see how the Democratic party has any influence over me whatsoever
But as several knowledgeable observers believe if Bernie becomes a threat to Hillary the DNC and Hillary-friendly media will do what they can to defeat Bernie, and Hillary and the DNC will make a deal for Bernie to surrender his supporters to Hillary.
While people paying attention to Hillary may find Trump the lesser evil, your column is a good reminder to not go too far is raising any opinion they might have of Trump. Among Trump's very few saving graces is that he appears less inclined to go to war than the Democrats' Dragon Lady. This is probably due, in part, to her neocons not having any influence with Trump who seems more inclined to talk with Putin than go to war with Russia.
A recent poll - link to commondreams.org - shows Sanders would beat Trump by a larger margin than would Hillary, but the Democratic Party oligarchy will make sure Sanders doesn't get a chance to prove that.
Where? Wherever they choose to operate. Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Yemen, North Africa. Perhaps not in fixed and enduring geographical terms, but they existed before 9/11 and are still around. And a threat. Like a virus.
With regard to the territory, Daesh has already seen its best days and is now in decline.
People were saying the same thing about al-Qaeda a few years ago and they are still around. It could be that al-Qaeda and Daesh will be eventually eliminated as entities, but the motivating factors that inspired them and possibly others in the future are another proposition.
I should have added Honduras to Hillary's resume. She endorsed the overthrow of the elected President Zelaya by a right-wing government and now Honduras is a homicidal basket case.
It is highly unlikely there will be any "better" to choose. Picking the lesser evil will, as usual, very likely be the choice, and a difficult one at that. Considering Hillary's resume from the time she was co-director at the White House Theater of the Absurd with hubby Bill, a case could be made Trump might be the lesser evil. Highlights of the Clinton era: Signing the end of Glass-Steagall, wars in the Balkans, sanctions on Iraq that cost an estimated half million Iraqi children their lives. Madeline Albright said, "We thought it was worth it." "We" presumably included Hillary and Al Gore. Voting for the war on Iraq that Senator Robert Byrd said would be a violation of the Constitution and others forecast as causing chaos in the Middle East, etc.
If appears CNN is supporting Clinton. They had a continual posting of a banner noting that Sanders had apologized to Clinton for the data breach as if that were they main event of the debate.
I don’t understand Sec. Clinton’s idea of supporting dictators and also working to promote democracy. I think she just means we should support the pro-American dictators. When she had a chance to support a transition to democracy, she sided with Mubarak. At what point does she “promote democracy?”
Nothing to understand there because it isn't intended to be understandable. The purpose is to persuade the uninformed with some line of, if necessary, BS. We would do well to recall that this Democratic Dragon Lady wanted General Suleiman to replace Mubarak. General Suleiman, as I understand it, was in charge of the torture program in Egypt.
What has happened to this country? Has there always been this many ignorant people in the USA?
The centuries of American history when a sizable portion of the people supported or were tolerant of slavery, ethnic cleansing of Native Americans, hostility towards immigrants, slavery by other names, wars of choice and overthrow of foreign governments were not exactly periods of enlightenment.
The poll seems to me to demonstrate that some significant proportion of Americans, and roughly 30% of Republicans, are so anxious, scared and angry that they would pretty much bomb anything at all at the drop of a hat.
Given the steady diet of violence proffered as a means for retaliating against the "enemy" that Americans have been fed from childhood a higher percentage of bomb-'em-all-to-hell Americans would not have been surprising. If John Wayne were alive today and ran for president he would be a shoo-in.
For those of us who have been around a while, it is interesting to note how young women are now being given pro-violence women as role models and equal rights to be as thuggish and barbaric as men.
There is an old saying attributed to the Chinese that comes in a variety of translations, the essence of which suggests that people who lack the intelligence necessary to solve a problem resort to violence.
Your opening features a good question from Wolf Blitzer. Too bad he let Cruz get away with dodging the key point.
He (Cruz) shouldn’t be in charge of the Pentagon. He shouldn’t be in charge of a henhouse.
And what does that say about his being a member of the US senate** and a leading contender among Republicans for president? And what does it say about the audience in Las Vegas that cheered him?
The thing I worry most about is that one of our two major parties is now regularly throwing up demagogues and psychopaths, warmongers and fascists.
The thing I worry about is that both parties remain the two right wings on the corporate bird of prey and when it comes time to choose between one or the other for president there will be no lesser evil.
**The US senate - the world's greatest deliberative body. Who ever came up with that crock of feces?
but what is much worse is the number of Americans who endorse Trump's messages and those of his opponents with high polling - Cruz, Rubio, Jeb!, Fiorina and Hillary.
At one time Hitler would get on his soap box in Vienna and be regarded as a crackpot. With bigger audiences his same message became the platform that raised him to Fuehrer, and we all (except, perhaps, Trump supporters) know where that led.
The American future certainly has a dystopian prospect and the on-going political charade looks more like a Greek tragedy every day. But there could be a silver lining. America might follow Germany's example. After the collapse of the Third Reich a vibrant democracy was developed in Germany with excellent leaders such as, among others, Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt. So, if the United States continues on its current path towards a neocon/neoliberal/fascist state we can look forward to its inevitable collapse and a restoration of a democratic society. Unfortunately, with US influence democracy in Germany might again be a temporary event which might also mean restoration of a democracy in the United States might also be temporary, but at least it will help keep the concept alive.
But it isn't just the US. Britain's decadent upper class and its sycophants in the media are trying to do to Jeremy Corbyn what our hacks are doing to Bernie Sanders.
How times have changed. At one time in Europe and Japan if high-ranking officials and other prominent people were exposed in some scandal they either resigned in shame or were forced from office. In extreme cases, suicide was called for. Now America's moral wretches have changed the rules. Hire morally-bankrupt public relations charlatans to prove that the crook is basically a very nice person and not a crook. Even if by the terms of the Nuremberg Trials he/she is a war criminal.
The current presidential polls appear to provide supporting evidence for your point. According to the latest more than half of adults would like to see one of this sorry lot as president: Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Carson, Bush and Hillary.
How about the oaths of office to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States that have become meaningless to all but a miniscule number of politicians?
How about the millions of American "citizens" who re-elect politicians guilty of being complicit in criminal conspiracies and crimes against humanity?
How about "the business of American is business" and "morality has nothing to do with business decisions"?
How about ... heck I don't have all weekend to list other possible examples so check this out:
It seems to me that there’s no army that can survive if the American military truly goes to war against it.
You might want to think that one over, Ben, unless by "truly going to war" you mean resorting to nukes. Our military stopped short of nukes in Vietnam and, to put it euphemistically, didn't win there. Except for Panama, Grenada and the "turkey shoot" in southern Iraq during Desert Storm our military hasn't won anywhere since WW2.
... why isn’t Ramadi Campaign all we’re talking about?
Probably for some reason similar to corporate media making an enormous issue about Trump's exclusion of Syrian refugees while say next to nothing about the warmongers running for president who are apparently prepared to add another decade or two of war to our 240-year history of almost continuous war.
the GOP will eventually need to be outlawed as a White Supremist Hate Group.
They are not only hostile to non-Whites. They can be just as vicious towards fellow-whites who happen to be below their economic and social status. Nor are certain Democrats innocent in this regard.
That's another myth. Members of his intelligence staff revealed on "60 Minutes" they knew Powell was talking hogwash when he made his craven speech before the UN, so Powell must have known it too. Robert Fisk ripped his speech apart within a few hours of Powell's delivery.
Consider this: Many, if not most, of the Republicans (and Hillary) criticizing Trump for excluding Muslims from entry into the US approved the mass murder, mayhem and dislocation of millions of Iraqis and the Israeli attacks on Gaza that resulted in consequences worse than not reaching the US. This doesn't make Trump's demagoguery OK, but let's not overlook people who are worse.
But wait, it gets worse: "Cruz Threatens to Nuke ISIS Targets: Exclusive: Republican presidential campaign rhetoric is red-hot regarding Islamic terrorism, with Sen. Cruz suggesting the use of nuclear weapons to see “if sand can glow in the dark,” a threat even more troubling than Donald Trump’s call to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the U.S.", writes Robert Parry. - link to consortiumnews.com
One of the problems with Trump and his rhetoric is the snowballing effect. Going over the top of his previous preposterous statement appears to be Trump's modus operandum. Another problem is the support he gets from a significant portion of the American people for a variety of reasons, one of which is a habit of speaking the truth on occasions that probably encourages people to believe anything he says is the truth. How often do we get truthful statements out of Jeb!, Cruz, Rubio, Carson, Hillary, etc? Voters who go for the lesser evil will have a tough choice if it is Hillary vs. The Donald or Cruz or Rubio or Carson.
It is completely clear that the US is addicted to lying. The only question is, "Is the US a pathological or a congenital liar?" Probably the latter if we consider the hypocrisy of the Christian refugees who first colonized the eastern seaboard. They were most notably followed by the slave owners who declared in 1776 that all men ... had a right to life and liberty.
Not to be outdone, the Pentagon that lied to get the ball rolling in Vietnam is now engaged in a multi-million charade to put an honorable fig leaf on our war machine's debacle there. "Whitewashing Militarism, Vietnam-War Edition" by Robert Fantina - link to counterpunch.org
Yet Roof was not charged with terrorism. One of the reasons was that white supremacist organizations, in material support of which he may have acted, are not typically designated “terrorists” by the US government.
Kind of like many past and present US administrations and Congresses.
This article suggests that Erdogan probably wasn't as smart as he believed himself to be. Our national leadership and their neocon instigators would do well to, but probably won't, consider a similar defect in their overcharged hubris. Hamlet was only half-right when he said, "Frailty, thy name is woman." Frailty, thy name is humankind.
One of the more ludicrous justifications for the possession of guns comes from the self-styled "Patriots Against Tyranny." They claim they need their guns to oppose tyranny if it should ever threaten the people. Well, what the hell are they waiting for? Can't make up their minds about which tyranny to oppose? How about when small groups of people across the nation under the banner of Occupy Wall Street rose against the tyranny of Wall Street and Establishment thugs abused peaceful protesters? Where were these windbags then?
The other aspect of this BS is, if they were serious, they would be talking about a civil war. Given the numbers of people who can't be bothered getting out to vote, it would be highly unlikely there would be much of a turnout for Civil War II.
The business of America is business and morality has nothing to do with it. But if we are, as alleged, the greatest nation in history, the world, etc. why do tens of millions of people live in such fear that they feel a need for guns to protect themselves?
Our secretary for war (aka defense) wants to send in troops to capture the jihadi leaders and free the hostages after which we will all live happily ever after with fast-food franchises all over the Islamic State. It'll be another cakewalk.
In response, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan said that if any proof could be brought forward that Turkey shot down the Russian plane because of Daesh petroleum, he would resign.
If you believe that, let me give you a tip on a great piece of real estate. It's a tropical plantation at the top of Mount Everest. Going real cheap. Check with your real estate agent before someone beats you to it.
As far as America is concerned much of the blame lies with Native Americans in the 17th Century for their failure to impose strict immigration rules refusing entry to Christian refugees from Europe.
Islam is one of the world’s great religions and it is one of Russia’s traditional religions. We support Islam and will continue to do so. But the problem here is one of support for more radical currents, which creates an unfavourable environment that is not so evident at first glance.
Putin has a point here. Consider the Pequot Massacre of 1637 as described by then Governor Bradford:
"Of this event, Governor Bradford said,
Those that escaped the fire were slain with the sword; some hewed to pieces, others run through with their rapiers, so that they were quickly dispatched and very few escaped. It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400 at this time. It was a fearful sight to see them thus frying in the fire…horrible was the stink and scent thereof, but the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice, and they gave the prayers thereof to God, who had wrought so wonderfully for them." - link to counterpunch.org In other words, "God is great."
Who would have thought then that that religion-obsessed mob, every bit as fanatical and barbarous as ISIS, would be one of the seeds that would help give birth to the United States and continual war ever since in the pursuit of Empire. And, we ain't done yet, folks.
The Turkish government decision to down a Russian jet operating in the north of the Syrian province of Latakia is breathtaking in its boldness.
I'm not sure "boldness" is the right word. This action may prove to be similar to the "boldness" of Gavrilo Princip's assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria just before the outbreak of the First World War.
As a student of World Wars One and Two, Trump and his attendant mobs remind me of some people in Germany in the 1930s. Given the old and true adage about absolute power corrupting absolutely, it would be a good bet that if Trump becomes president he'll go the whole route and become an outright fascist.
Trump and his supporters show the shallowness of their understanding of the refugee crises emanating from Iraq, Syria and Central America in their rants and cheers. These three areas have something in common. The United States was complicit in the degradation of their homelands. Honduras is a particularly horrid example of US complicity thanks in great part to Obama and Hillary. By their callousness towards these refugees, Trump and his supporters show no sense of responsibility to the victims of American foreign policies. But then, racists never do, do they?
"Trump and Carson back use of waterboarding in fight against Isis: Technique widely denounced as torture is ‘peanuts compared with what they are doing to us’, says real estate mogul as he does not rule out independent run" - link to theguardian.com
During the altercation, Trump said from the podium, “Yeah, you can get him out. Yeah, get him out. Get him the hell out of here.”
At which point the would-be emperor tossed his clown's mask aside and revealed himself naked. But it pleased the crowd that reveled in their shared fear and hatred.
In 2002 and 2003 a majority of Americans bought into the fear mongering that led to the Iraq war. Opponents warned this could destabilize the Middle East. Time has proved the war did that and more. American policy expanded to ensure destabilization of Syria. Now we have millions of Iraqis and Syrians seeking refuge from the chaos we helped to create, but apparently the majority of Americans who bear some responsibility don't want to do so. The arrogance of power apparently means never having to say, "Sorry" or "Welcome" or "Porte Ouverte" as some courageous French announced. As in the past racism and fear remain an American tradition.
Muslims do have an option to end this discrimination, but it would probably be very difficult to put into effect. Outbid the Israel Lobby when it comes to purchasing courtesans in Congress and the White House.
Given Hillary's pro-war and pro-Wall Street inclinations Trump could get the lesser evil vote. Even though he might do it inadvertently Trump might occasionally tell the American people the truth, something HRC will be less likely to do. One certainty for 2016 appears to be lesser-evil voters will have their toughest test ever.
Having read, among others, two articles by Robert Fisk and Pepe Escobar I'm persuaded the less France, especially under its current leadership, has to do with the ISIS/Syria chaos, the better.
The Shadow of Algeria: the Lost Context of the Paris Attacks by Robert Fisk - link to counterpunch.org
Paris terror attacks — who profits?: By Pepe Escobar - link to atimes.com
Thanks to the NRA and its accomplices, ISIS will find getting guns will be a much easier proposition in the USA than in France or any other part of Europe.
The supposedly Christian Bible Belt is well represented in the states refusing to accept refugees. Presumably, the parable of the Good Samaritan is no longer operative there.
How about Sheldon Adelson and other pro-Israel billionaires donating that extra $2 billion a year? Oh, I forgot. We are in the era of bleeding the people to help the obscenely wealthy become more obscene and more wealthy.
Craig: Presumably, you see Hillary as the lesser evil and voting for the lesser evil is another topic that will get a lot of attention between now and next November. There are two sides to this neither of which can claim supremacy, but one factor seems to be constant: The more we vote for the lesser evil the more evil the choices become.
As for the GOP candidates, Rand Paul could be a disaster domestically, but at least he is opposed to more wars at this time. Similarly, Trump has big negatives, but I have a hunch he would be much less likely to wage war than Hillary.
And Professor Cole didn’t even mention the torture regime which will forever be a stain on US history.
Stains on American history have a way of fading with time. The slavery side of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, et al, have been whitewashed and the heroics of pioneering the West have been a screen blocking the attendant genocide of Native Americans. How many people are aware of the unconscionable racism and slaughter in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War that inspired Mark Twain's War Prayer - link to warprayer.org Then there was ... well you get the idea.
The neocons are getting a well-deserved bashing in Poppy's book, here and elsewhere, but let's not forget Hillary and other neoliberals and Democrats who also endorsed and pushed for the war on Iraq and more in Iran, Libya and Syria.
One thing you take away from these remarks by George H. W. Bush is that he is nowadays basically a Democrat.
GHW has shown some signs of class in the past, and this book appears to show more, but let's not forget there is another side to him. For example: Iran-Contra and the illegal invasion of Panama to name just two. Becoming a Democrat is no Damascene conversion. That would be like changing dirty linen for something slightly less dirty.
There’s no question Colin Powell’s low moment was his speech before the UN and he has admitted it several times.
When it was a respected program on CBS, "60 Minutes" interviewed members of Powell's staff at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the State Department. They revealed they knew at the time Powell spoke at the UN he was not telling the truth. Robert Fisk, one of the more distinguished Middle East correspondents, wrote a piece a few hours after Powell's selling of what was left of his soul ripping Powell apart. Clearly, another case of an insider passing up the chance to be a profile in courage that might have prevented this war. But no surprise there.
And Hillary's coronation as the Democratic (?) Party's choice for president in 2016 will prove its membership is as craven and immoral as the Republicans. Given we are talking about around two thirds of the US electorate, what does that say about this nation?
And now we have Former Senator and Secretary of State and Clinton running for the Dem Presidential candidate. She voted for that 2002 Iraq war resolution. She was complicit. Her colleague Senator Dick Durbin who I believe was Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee at the time voted against that resolution.
If I recall correctly, Jay Rockefeller was chair of the senate intelligence (sic) committee, but more importantly I recall listening to Dick Durbin make a speech on the senate floor stating that the intelligence given to the committee contradicted the "intelligence" propagated for public consumption. That is why he voted against the war. So what does that say about the other members of the committee who knew the truth and the lies but still voted for the war? link to search.yahoo.com
Unfortunately for the victims of the Iraq war, Durbin turned down an opportunity to become a profile in courage and kept silent using the excuse he was sworn to secrecy.
Whether the decline and fall of Israel is inevitable or wishful thinking remains to be seen, but it is a safe bet that things will get much worse for the Palestinians before they improve. It also looks like a safe bet that politicians in the White House and Congress will continue to be complicit in this immoral and illegal tragedy. And that is regardless of who becomes the next president.
... special ops troops at an HQ of the Kurdish YPG in northeast Syria for the purposes of training and strategic counseling ...
According to the White House these troops won't be engaged in combat. I wonder how that form of reasoning would hold up if Bradley/Chelsea Manning had only shown someone else how to copy and send the files to Wikileaks. Sorry, Chelsea. Guilt by association applies in your case but not in the case of special ops.
That the Neocons were mostly 98-pound weaklings ...
And what does that say about the White House if its decision-makers submitted to the bullying of these "98-lb weaklings"?
If it can be agreed that al-Assad himself (who made himself a war criminal by barrel-bombing civilian neighborhoods) must be eased out in favor of someone who does not have so much blood on his hands, maybe the negotiations really can be fruitful.
Perhaps, Dubya and Cheney can invite al-Assad to their ranches and compare notes. Or maybe, Saudi Arabia can offer him Idi Amin's old digs now that he is no longer around.
“When it comes to the operational level, we are helping brigade commanders for example…People who engage in physical confrontation with the enemies on the field…This is why a number of our commanders are there and are helping in planning and devising operational strategies in order to gain victory over the enemies.”
It would be interesting to know how much it cost for this effort in comparison to the $500 million spent for five Syrian defenders.
If nothing else this plan should be more cost-effective than the recently closed $500 million training of five Syrian fighters. That is, if we don't factor in the costs of escalation. Who knows what they will be?
Chilcot is now the big question regarding Britain's criminal participation in the war on Iraq. Will this inquiry produce an authoritative and honest report, or will the commission render homage to the Establishment as lawyers in a Dickensian novel might have done? At least the Brits have sufficient decency to elect a Jeremy Corbyn to high office. We in the US have many people of similarly high caliber and integrity but not enough people with the sense to elect them to high office.
As vile and squalid as your suggested villains might be, there is a greater problem in how people in the United States and Europe have failed to apply the Nuremberg principles to the United States and the United Kingdom in the same way their forefathers - the so-called Greatest Generation - defined those principles 70 years ago. Not only do we have people guilty of crimes similar to those that got the Nazis in court but they walk free, propose more wars in the mainstream media and have countless admirers. If that is not evidence of moral corruption, what more do we need?
Joe: I'm a retired mariner so I take this betrayal of the crew of the Liberty seriously, but as a student of history the great tragedy is that this betrayal is a comparatively minor event. Consider the 4,000-plus Americans killed and tens of thousands maimed physically and mentally who were betrayed by the White House, the Pentagon and Congress. (And those are only American numbers.) Then multiply that many times for Vietnam. Then there were the Brits, the French and the Germans in WWI who sacrificed tens of millions of soldiers and collateral damage to gain a few yards one day only to lose them the next. Then there are the tobacco and other corporations that sacrifice the lives and well-being of millions of people around the world in pursuit of profit.
To go back to Iraq, we are now seeing the consequences of that crime against humanity bringing the score up to millions dead, maimed and displaced.
Joe: There isn't much chance of an honest investigation into the Liberty. Admiral McCain's son in the senate would lead the challenge against such an investigation in the highly unlikely event Congress got some spine and integrity to investigate. Consider the USS Stark that was shot up by an Iraqi plane in the Mediterranean. The crew on that ship was sold down the Arabian Gulf the same as the Liberty's crew was sold down the Mediterranean. link to theguardian.com
But first, Congress should investigate itself in an attempt to recognize how morally and ethically bankrupt it has become and what the consequences might be for this nation, one of which is likely to be the continued decline and probable fall of the American Empire. But I presume that such an exercise would be like an addict not ready to face reality contemplating his next fix.
Nor did CNN lead with civilian casualties when it covered Israeli PM Netanyahu’s bombardment of defenseless little Gaza in summer of 2014.
But CNN is doing a thorough job of informing its listeners of the comparatively minuscule numbers of Israeli victims in the latest outbreak of violence. Good PR for Netanyahu to get a 50% boost in military aid when he submits his shopping list to Obama at their next meeting.
But in the great sordid scheme of things, 9/11 is overshadowed by the events it was used to bring into play. Three thousand dead on 9/11 plus victims among the first responders who were betrayed by the EPA. But, how many killed and maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many millions displaced in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many dead, maimed and displaced since then in the ongoing chaos that the anti-war minority warned could happen in other parts of the Middle East?
And the perpetrators not only go free, they are given platforms to promote more wars.
Given the moral bankruptcy of this nation's "leaders," the corruption in government and the corporate world and the apathy of the majority of the American people it is difficult to see how the decline of the American empire can be halted before its probable collapse.
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I think if Rubio would actually, like, read a book about Middle Eastern history, he’d find that there were past radical movements rather more impressive than Daesh (just as there were in Christian Europe).
Rubio is probably too busy reading instructions from Sheldon Adelson and his other puppet masters to read books.
Rand Paul did inject some sanity about cutting back funding from the military and not getting in more wars. It's a pity he drank so much Ayn Rand Kool-Aid in his formative years so that he now talks so much meretricious nonsense about miniscule government.
Presumably, their campaign managers have told them (explained to them?) that there are more ignorant people than informed people in the Republican Party.
Meanwhile "Silk Dragon Takes Persian Road" by Pepe Escobar - link to counterpunch.org. Just diplomacy. No neocon hawks involved.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Iran this weekend, pledging new bilateral of $600 bn. Over 10 years.
In Iranian eyes, how would that $600bn Chinese offer appear when stacked against more sanctions from the US?
Shapiro had addressed a conference earlier this week in which he said that the Obama administration now questions the commitment of Netanyahu’s government to peace with the Palestinians.
Can this be a sign that Obama and his advisers finally realize that he, the office of the presidency, his administration and the American people can no longer continue to be incessantly insulted and humiliated by Netanyahu and his government?
Flint River is full of highly corrosive chemicals and would have needed to have a purification plant operating for it to supply safe tap water.
Who put those pollutants in the river? Government or private enterprise?
Three questions: Will the Palin sign-up knock some people off the fence towards or away from Trump? Did Palin owe Trump as he claimed Hillary owed him for her attendance at his wedding? Did the casting director for Trump's television shows join his campaign with a mission to get bigger audiences?
Judging by your report of this latest "debate" you were able to endure much more of this meretricious claptrap than I could. When "The Decline and Fall of the US Empire" is eventually written, the 2016 presidential campaign may be revealed as the tipping point of no return to a civilized society.
However the farce in the Republican party will allow the dismal Clinton woman and her anachronistic policies to be president.
Could be if the equally dismal Republican candidate doesn't get enough of the anybody-but-Clinton vote.
These British petitioners have apparently forgotten the old saw about people in glass houses throwing stones. They would be better served by a petition calling for Tony Blair and other British national figures to stand trial along the lines of the Nuremberg Trials for their part in the war on Iraq. Anyone interested in making up a rap sheet for Donald Trump will find many charges to list against him but none, yet, for waging a war of choice against another country that was no threat. To the contrary, Trump opposed the war on Iraq.
In the spirit of paying more attention to what people do rather than what they say consider this: Who is the Arch Racist: Hillary or the Donald? by John V. Walsh - link to counterpunch.org
This argument doesn't make an angel of Donald Trump, but it does make a case that he will be the lesser evil in a contest with Hillary.
One of the more ominous threats is policy towards Russia. Hillary's neocon friends look like they are on a march to Stalingrad after their Ukraine coup while Trump appears to be more inclined to make a deal.
What a prospect for the vote in November! Again choosing the lesser evil when the evils are becoming progressively more so.
I agree with you that the United States could achieve more as an honest broker in Syria and the Middle East.
Except the United States' record as an "honest broker" is not encouraging.
We all saw what happened when Ike Eisenhower was hesitant to take on the McCarthyites directly. President Obama has to ask himself, what would the Rev. Martin Luther King say in these circumstances? And then say it.
It is probably too late now. Obama appears to have a serious credibility problem.
Obama can simply instruct Samantha Powers not to veto resolutions passed on the Palestine issue by the overwhelming majority of the UNSC; Washington does not even have to sign on to the resolution or acknowledge the imperatives of the Geneva Conventions and other instruments of international law. It can just declare neutrality. It is a simple matter but would change everything, and it is wholly in Obama’s arena of authority.
There is nothing simple in Washington where Israel and the Israel Lobby are involved and there is an absence of moral courage.
I am for Bernie but for the life of me I don’t see how the Democratic party has any influence over me whatsoever
But as several knowledgeable observers believe if Bernie becomes a threat to Hillary the DNC and Hillary-friendly media will do what they can to defeat Bernie, and Hillary and the DNC will make a deal for Bernie to surrender his supporters to Hillary.
It isn't only the Dems oligarchy ganging up on Sanders. Add the mainstream corporate media:
Poll Scam at TIME: Sanders Wins Online Poll, Gets Snubbed by Editors by Naqi Jaffery - link to counterpunch.org
Trojan Horse? - Is Donald Trump leading the GOP down a death spiral? By George Koo - link to atimes.com
While people paying attention to Hillary may find Trump the lesser evil, your column is a good reminder to not go too far is raising any opinion they might have of Trump. Among Trump's very few saving graces is that he appears less inclined to go to war than the Democrats' Dragon Lady. This is probably due, in part, to her neocons not having any influence with Trump who seems more inclined to talk with Putin than go to war with Russia.
A recent poll - link to commondreams.org - shows Sanders would beat Trump by a larger margin than would Hillary, but the Democratic Party oligarchy will make sure Sanders doesn't get a chance to prove that.
Where? Wherever they choose to operate. Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Yemen, North Africa. Perhaps not in fixed and enduring geographical terms, but they existed before 9/11 and are still around. And a threat. Like a virus.
With regard to the territory, Daesh has already seen its best days and is now in decline.
People were saying the same thing about al-Qaeda a few years ago and they are still around. It could be that al-Qaeda and Daesh will be eventually eliminated as entities, but the motivating factors that inspired them and possibly others in the future are another proposition.
An Idiot’s Guide to Why They Hate Us by Paul Street - link to counterpunch.org
I should have added Honduras to Hillary's resume. She endorsed the overthrow of the elected President Zelaya by a right-wing government and now Honduras is a homicidal basket case.
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the better.
It is highly unlikely there will be any "better" to choose. Picking the lesser evil will, as usual, very likely be the choice, and a difficult one at that. Considering Hillary's resume from the time she was co-director at the White House Theater of the Absurd with hubby Bill, a case could be made Trump might be the lesser evil. Highlights of the Clinton era: Signing the end of Glass-Steagall, wars in the Balkans, sanctions on Iraq that cost an estimated half million Iraqi children their lives. Madeline Albright said, "We thought it was worth it." "We" presumably included Hillary and Al Gore. Voting for the war on Iraq that Senator Robert Byrd said would be a violation of the Constitution and others forecast as causing chaos in the Middle East, etc.
Another version: Donald Trump is America by Andrew Kahn - link to counterpunch.org
Trump may inadvertently be helping Daesh, but unlike Hillary he doesn't appear to have had anything to do with its creation.
If appears CNN is supporting Clinton. They had a continual posting of a banner noting that Sanders had apologized to Clinton for the data breach as if that were they main event of the debate.
I don’t understand Sec. Clinton’s idea of supporting dictators and also working to promote democracy. I think she just means we should support the pro-American dictators. When she had a chance to support a transition to democracy, she sided with Mubarak. At what point does she “promote democracy?”
Nothing to understand there because it isn't intended to be understandable. The purpose is to persuade the uninformed with some line of, if necessary, BS. We would do well to recall that this Democratic Dragon Lady wanted General Suleiman to replace Mubarak. General Suleiman, as I understand it, was in charge of the torture program in Egypt.
What has happened to this country? Has there always been this many ignorant people in the USA?
The centuries of American history when a sizable portion of the people supported or were tolerant of slavery, ethnic cleansing of Native Americans, hostility towards immigrants, slavery by other names, wars of choice and overthrow of foreign governments were not exactly periods of enlightenment.
The poll seems to me to demonstrate that some significant proportion of Americans, and roughly 30% of Republicans, are so anxious, scared and angry that they would pretty much bomb anything at all at the drop of a hat.
Given the steady diet of violence proffered as a means for retaliating against the "enemy" that Americans have been fed from childhood a higher percentage of bomb-'em-all-to-hell Americans would not have been surprising. If John Wayne were alive today and ran for president he would be a shoo-in.
For those of us who have been around a while, it is interesting to note how young women are now being given pro-violence women as role models and equal rights to be as thuggish and barbaric as men.
There is an old saying attributed to the Chinese that comes in a variety of translations, the essence of which suggests that people who lack the intelligence necessary to solve a problem resort to violence.
Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
By Juan Cole
Given the different sects to which Christians and Muslims subscribe we might usefully ask which gods they worship.
Your opening features a good question from Wolf Blitzer. Too bad he let Cruz get away with dodging the key point.
He (Cruz) shouldn’t be in charge of the Pentagon. He shouldn’t be in charge of a henhouse.
And what does that say about his being a member of the US senate** and a leading contender among Republicans for president? And what does it say about the audience in Las Vegas that cheered him?
The thing I worry most about is that one of our two major parties is now regularly throwing up demagogues and psychopaths, warmongers and fascists.
The thing I worry about is that both parties remain the two right wings on the corporate bird of prey and when it comes time to choose between one or the other for president there will be no lesser evil.
**The US senate - the world's greatest deliberative body. Who ever came up with that crock of feces?
This is one of the more alarming developments regarding Trump:
"Failing the Trump Test: Cops for Fascism" by Joseph G. Ramsey - link to counterpunch.org
Good and well-deserved bashing of Trump. Here is more:
"The Insurgent Candidates" by Ralph Nader - link to counterpunch.org
and
"21 Questions For Donald Trump" by David Cay Johnston - link to nationalmemo.com
but what is much worse is the number of Americans who endorse Trump's messages and those of his opponents with high polling - Cruz, Rubio, Jeb!, Fiorina and Hillary.
At one time Hitler would get on his soap box in Vienna and be regarded as a crackpot. With bigger audiences his same message became the platform that raised him to Fuehrer, and we all (except, perhaps, Trump supporters) know where that led.
The BBC's once admired status is history.
The American future certainly has a dystopian prospect and the on-going political charade looks more like a Greek tragedy every day. But there could be a silver lining. America might follow Germany's example. After the collapse of the Third Reich a vibrant democracy was developed in Germany with excellent leaders such as, among others, Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt. So, if the United States continues on its current path towards a neocon/neoliberal/fascist state we can look forward to its inevitable collapse and a restoration of a democratic society. Unfortunately, with US influence democracy in Germany might again be a temporary event which might also mean restoration of a democracy in the United States might also be temporary, but at least it will help keep the concept alive.
But it isn't just the US. Britain's decadent upper class and its sycophants in the media are trying to do to Jeremy Corbyn what our hacks are doing to Bernie Sanders.
How times have changed. At one time in Europe and Japan if high-ranking officials and other prominent people were exposed in some scandal they either resigned in shame or were forced from office. In extreme cases, suicide was called for. Now America's moral wretches have changed the rules. Hire morally-bankrupt public relations charlatans to prove that the crook is basically a very nice person and not a crook. Even if by the terms of the Nuremberg Trials he/she is a war criminal.
The current presidential polls appear to provide supporting evidence for your point. According to the latest more than half of adults would like to see one of this sorry lot as president: Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Carson, Bush and Hillary.
How about the oaths of office to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States that have become meaningless to all but a miniscule number of politicians?
How about the millions of American "citizens" who re-elect politicians guilty of being complicit in criminal conspiracies and crimes against humanity?
How about "the business of American is business" and "morality has nothing to do with business decisions"?
How about ... heck I don't have all weekend to list other possible examples so check this out:
"Donald Trump is America" by Andrew Kahn - link to counterpunch.org
It seems to me that there’s no army that can survive if the American military truly goes to war against it.
You might want to think that one over, Ben, unless by "truly going to war" you mean resorting to nukes. Our military stopped short of nukes in Vietnam and, to put it euphemistically, didn't win there. Except for Panama, Grenada and the "turkey shoot" in southern Iraq during Desert Storm our military hasn't won anywhere since WW2.
... why isn’t Ramadi Campaign all we’re talking about?
Probably for some reason similar to corporate media making an enormous issue about Trump's exclusion of Syrian refugees while say next to nothing about the warmongers running for president who are apparently prepared to add another decade or two of war to our 240-year history of almost continuous war.
the GOP will eventually need to be outlawed as a White Supremist Hate Group.
They are not only hostile to non-Whites. They can be just as vicious towards fellow-whites who happen to be below their economic and social status. Nor are certain Democrats innocent in this regard.
Poor Colin Powell taken in.
That's another myth. Members of his intelligence staff revealed on "60 Minutes" they knew Powell was talking hogwash when he made his craven speech before the UN, so Powell must have known it too. Robert Fisk ripped his speech apart within a few hours of Powell's delivery.
Consider this: Many, if not most, of the Republicans (and Hillary) criticizing Trump for excluding Muslims from entry into the US approved the mass murder, mayhem and dislocation of millions of Iraqis and the Israeli attacks on Gaza that resulted in consequences worse than not reaching the US. This doesn't make Trump's demagoguery OK, but let's not overlook people who are worse.
But wait, it gets worse: "Cruz Threatens to Nuke ISIS Targets: Exclusive: Republican presidential campaign rhetoric is red-hot regarding Islamic terrorism, with Sen. Cruz suggesting the use of nuclear weapons to see “if sand can glow in the dark,” a threat even more troubling than Donald Trump’s call to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the U.S.", writes Robert Parry. - link to consortiumnews.com
One of the problems with Trump and his rhetoric is the snowballing effect. Going over the top of his previous preposterous statement appears to be Trump's modus operandum. Another problem is the support he gets from a significant portion of the American people for a variety of reasons, one of which is a habit of speaking the truth on occasions that probably encourages people to believe anything he says is the truth. How often do we get truthful statements out of Jeb!, Cruz, Rubio, Carson, Hillary, etc? Voters who go for the lesser evil will have a tough choice if it is Hillary vs. The Donald or Cruz or Rubio or Carson.
A timely and essential reminder of key elements that have largely been ignored if not forgotten.
How about the "Christian" organizations that support Israel's right-wing government?
It is completely clear that the US is addicted to lying. The only question is, "Is the US a pathological or a congenital liar?" Probably the latter if we consider the hypocrisy of the Christian refugees who first colonized the eastern seaboard. They were most notably followed by the slave owners who declared in 1776 that all men ... had a right to life and liberty.
Not to be outdone, the Pentagon that lied to get the ball rolling in Vietnam is now engaged in a multi-million charade to put an honorable fig leaf on our war machine's debacle there. "Whitewashing Militarism, Vietnam-War Edition" by Robert Fantina - link to counterpunch.org
Yet Roof was not charged with terrorism. One of the reasons was that white supremacist organizations, in material support of which he may have acted, are not typically designated “terrorists” by the US government.
Kind of like many past and present US administrations and Congresses.
This article suggests that Erdogan probably wasn't as smart as he believed himself to be. Our national leadership and their neocon instigators would do well to, but probably won't, consider a similar defect in their overcharged hubris. Hamlet was only half-right when he said, "Frailty, thy name is woman." Frailty, thy name is humankind.
One of the more ludicrous justifications for the possession of guns comes from the self-styled "Patriots Against Tyranny." They claim they need their guns to oppose tyranny if it should ever threaten the people. Well, what the hell are they waiting for? Can't make up their minds about which tyranny to oppose? How about when small groups of people across the nation under the banner of Occupy Wall Street rose against the tyranny of Wall Street and Establishment thugs abused peaceful protesters? Where were these windbags then?
The other aspect of this BS is, if they were serious, they would be talking about a civil war. Given the numbers of people who can't be bothered getting out to vote, it would be highly unlikely there would be much of a turnout for Civil War II.
The business of America is business and morality has nothing to do with it. But if we are, as alleged, the greatest nation in history, the world, etc. why do tens of millions of people live in such fear that they feel a need for guns to protect themselves?
An incomprehensible proliferation of guns + many people with homicidal tendencies = inevitable mass killings.
Another data resource: link to theguardian.com
Our secretary for war (aka defense) wants to send in troops to capture the jihadi leaders and free the hostages after which we will all live happily ever after with fast-food franchises all over the Islamic State. It'll be another cakewalk.
The US needs to get out of the Middle East completely, so that it can act as an honest broker ...
As it was in the Israel-Palestine tragedy?
In response, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan said that if any proof could be brought forward that Turkey shot down the Russian plane because of Daesh petroleum, he would resign.
If you believe that, let me give you a tip on a great piece of real estate. It's a tropical plantation at the top of Mount Everest. Going real cheap. Check with your real estate agent before someone beats you to it.
So why is the AKP government waging a war on the press and its own generals to cover up this activity?
Next question: Why is the United States allied with this supporter of ISIS?
As far as America is concerned much of the blame lies with Native Americans in the 17th Century for their failure to impose strict immigration rules refusing entry to Christian refugees from Europe.
Islam is one of the world’s great religions and it is one of Russia’s traditional religions. We support Islam and will continue to do so. But the problem here is one of support for more radical currents, which creates an unfavourable environment that is not so evident at first glance.
Putin has a point here. Consider the Pequot Massacre of 1637 as described by then Governor Bradford:
"Of this event, Governor Bradford said,
Those that escaped the fire were slain with the sword; some hewed to pieces, others run through with their rapiers, so that they were quickly dispatched and very few escaped. It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400 at this time. It was a fearful sight to see them thus frying in the fire…horrible was the stink and scent thereof, but the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice, and they gave the prayers thereof to God, who had wrought so wonderfully for them." - link to counterpunch.org In other words, "God is great."
Who would have thought then that that religion-obsessed mob, every bit as fanatical and barbarous as ISIS, would be one of the seeds that would help give birth to the United States and continual war ever since in the pursuit of Empire. And, we ain't done yet, folks.
it’s the moderates who are actually applying pressure on Assad.
What moderates? Perhaps comparing others, anyone else, to ISIS are "moderates" but that takes a lot of stretching of the term.
The Turkish government decision to down a Russian jet operating in the north of the Syrian province of Latakia is breathtaking in its boldness.
I'm not sure "boldness" is the right word. This action may prove to be similar to the "boldness" of Gavrilo Princip's assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria just before the outbreak of the First World War.
As a student of World Wars One and Two, Trump and his attendant mobs remind me of some people in Germany in the 1930s. Given the old and true adage about absolute power corrupting absolutely, it would be a good bet that if Trump becomes president he'll go the whole route and become an outright fascist.
Trump and his supporters show the shallowness of their understanding of the refugee crises emanating from Iraq, Syria and Central America in their rants and cheers. These three areas have something in common. The United States was complicit in the degradation of their homelands. Honduras is a particularly horrid example of US complicity thanks in great part to Obama and Hillary. By their callousness towards these refugees, Trump and his supporters show no sense of responsibility to the victims of American foreign policies. But then, racists never do, do they?
But wait, there's more:
"Trump and Carson back use of waterboarding in fight against Isis: Technique widely denounced as torture is ‘peanuts compared with what they are doing to us’, says real estate mogul as he does not rule out independent run" - link to theguardian.com
During the altercation, Trump said from the podium, “Yeah, you can get him out. Yeah, get him out. Get him the hell out of here.”
At which point the would-be emperor tossed his clown's mask aside and revealed himself naked. But it pleased the crowd that reveled in their shared fear and hatred.
In 2002 and 2003 a majority of Americans bought into the fear mongering that led to the Iraq war. Opponents warned this could destabilize the Middle East. Time has proved the war did that and more. American policy expanded to ensure destabilization of Syria. Now we have millions of Iraqis and Syrians seeking refuge from the chaos we helped to create, but apparently the majority of Americans who bear some responsibility don't want to do so. The arrogance of power apparently means never having to say, "Sorry" or "Welcome" or "Porte Ouverte" as some courageous French announced. As in the past racism and fear remain an American tradition.
Muslims do have an option to end this discrimination, but it would probably be very difficult to put into effect. Outbid the Israel Lobby when it comes to purchasing courtesans in Congress and the White House.
Given Hillary's pro-war and pro-Wall Street inclinations Trump could get the lesser evil vote. Even though he might do it inadvertently Trump might occasionally tell the American people the truth, something HRC will be less likely to do. One certainty for 2016 appears to be lesser-evil voters will have their toughest test ever.
President Obama is still correctly demanding that al-Assad step down (he has loads of blood on his hands), ...
Suggestion for a future column: "Top 10 Friends of Obama with blood on their hands."
Having read, among others, two articles by Robert Fisk and Pepe Escobar I'm persuaded the less France, especially under its current leadership, has to do with the ISIS/Syria chaos, the better.
The Shadow of Algeria: the Lost Context of the Paris Attacks by Robert Fisk - link to counterpunch.org
Paris terror attacks — who profits?: By Pepe Escobar - link to atimes.com
The refugee part is a new observation, but the hypocrisy aspects were obvious to me probably before you were born.
Thanks to the NRA and its accomplices, ISIS will find getting guns will be a much easier proposition in the USA than in France or any other part of Europe.
The supposedly Christian Bible Belt is well represented in the states refusing to accept refugees. Presumably, the parable of the Good Samaritan is no longer operative there.
One reason why governors should refuse to accept Syrian refugees: Pandering to the lowest common denominator that forms their base.
As for “8. The US owes these refugees” when it comes to debts and other obligations double standards will apply.
There is also a precedent for refusing asylum to refugees - the SS St. Louis and its Jewish passengers. link to en.wikipedia.org
How about Sheldon Adelson and other pro-Israel billionaires donating that extra $2 billion a year? Oh, I forgot. We are in the era of bleeding the people to help the obscenely wealthy become more obscene and more wealthy.
Then there is the Pentagon's attempt to sanitize the war on Vietnam that, for example, revised the My Lai Massacre to an "incident" at My Lai.
Craig: Presumably, you see Hillary as the lesser evil and voting for the lesser evil is another topic that will get a lot of attention between now and next November. There are two sides to this neither of which can claim supremacy, but one factor seems to be constant: The more we vote for the lesser evil the more evil the choices become.
As for the GOP candidates, Rand Paul could be a disaster domestically, but at least he is opposed to more wars at this time. Similarly, Trump has big negatives, but I have a hunch he would be much less likely to wage war than Hillary.
And Professor Cole didn’t even mention the torture regime which will forever be a stain on US history.
Stains on American history have a way of fading with time. The slavery side of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, et al, have been whitewashed and the heroics of pioneering the West have been a screen blocking the attendant genocide of Native Americans. How many people are aware of the unconscionable racism and slaughter in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War that inspired Mark Twain's War Prayer - link to warprayer.org Then there was ... well you get the idea.
The neocons are getting a well-deserved bashing in Poppy's book, here and elsewhere, but let's not forget Hillary and other neoliberals and Democrats who also endorsed and pushed for the war on Iraq and more in Iran, Libya and Syria.
One thing you take away from these remarks by George H. W. Bush is that he is nowadays basically a Democrat.
GHW has shown some signs of class in the past, and this book appears to show more, but let's not forget there is another side to him. For example: Iran-Contra and the illegal invasion of Panama to name just two. Becoming a Democrat is no Damascene conversion. That would be like changing dirty linen for something slightly less dirty.
There’s no question Colin Powell’s low moment was his speech before the UN and he has admitted it several times.
When it was a respected program on CBS, "60 Minutes" interviewed members of Powell's staff at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the State Department. They revealed they knew at the time Powell spoke at the UN he was not telling the truth. Robert Fisk, one of the more distinguished Middle East correspondents, wrote a piece a few hours after Powell's selling of what was left of his soul ripping Powell apart. Clearly, another case of an insider passing up the chance to be a profile in courage that might have prevented this war. But no surprise there.
And Hillary's coronation as the Democratic (?) Party's choice for president in 2016 will prove its membership is as craven and immoral as the Republicans. Given we are talking about around two thirds of the US electorate, what does that say about this nation?
And all those villains remain in positions of influence to foment more war and destruction.
And now we have Former Senator and Secretary of State and Clinton running for the Dem Presidential candidate. She voted for that 2002 Iraq war resolution. She was complicit. Her colleague Senator Dick Durbin who I believe was Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee at the time voted against that resolution.
If I recall correctly, Jay Rockefeller was chair of the senate intelligence (sic) committee, but more importantly I recall listening to Dick Durbin make a speech on the senate floor stating that the intelligence given to the committee contradicted the "intelligence" propagated for public consumption. That is why he voted against the war. So what does that say about the other members of the committee who knew the truth and the lies but still voted for the war? link to search.yahoo.com
Unfortunately for the victims of the Iraq war, Durbin turned down an opportunity to become a profile in courage and kept silent using the excuse he was sworn to secrecy.
Whether the decline and fall of Israel is inevitable or wishful thinking remains to be seen, but it is a safe bet that things will get much worse for the Palestinians before they improve. It also looks like a safe bet that politicians in the White House and Congress will continue to be complicit in this immoral and illegal tragedy. And that is regardless of who becomes the next president.
Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) in the Sinai Peninsula made a big deal of claiming they shot down a Russian airliner Saturday morning. They did not. ....
This kind of grandstanding is typical of the radical vigilantes in this tiny organization.
And people who hang large "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" banners on aircraft carriers.
... special ops troops at an HQ of the Kurdish YPG in northeast Syria for the purposes of training and strategic counseling ...
According to the White House these troops won't be engaged in combat. I wonder how that form of reasoning would hold up if Bradley/Chelsea Manning had only shown someone else how to copy and send the files to Wikileaks. Sorry, Chelsea. Guilt by association applies in your case but not in the case of special ops.
That the Neocons were mostly 98-pound weaklings ...
And what does that say about the White House if its decision-makers submitted to the bullying of these "98-lb weaklings"?
If it can be agreed that al-Assad himself (who made himself a war criminal by barrel-bombing civilian neighborhoods) must be eased out in favor of someone who does not have so much blood on his hands, maybe the negotiations really can be fruitful.
Perhaps, Dubya and Cheney can invite al-Assad to their ranches and compare notes. Or maybe, Saudi Arabia can offer him Idi Amin's old digs now that he is no longer around.
“When it comes to the operational level, we are helping brigade commanders for example…People who engage in physical confrontation with the enemies on the field…This is why a number of our commanders are there and are helping in planning and devising operational strategies in order to gain victory over the enemies.”
It would be interesting to know how much it cost for this effort in comparison to the $500 million spent for five Syrian defenders.
If nothing else this plan should be more cost-effective than the recently closed $500 million training of five Syrian fighters. That is, if we don't factor in the costs of escalation. Who knows what they will be?
Chilcot is now the big question regarding Britain's criminal participation in the war on Iraq. Will this inquiry produce an authoritative and honest report, or will the commission render homage to the Establishment as lawyers in a Dickensian novel might have done? At least the Brits have sufficient decency to elect a Jeremy Corbyn to high office. We in the US have many people of similarly high caliber and integrity but not enough people with the sense to elect them to high office.
As vile and squalid as your suggested villains might be, there is a greater problem in how people in the United States and Europe have failed to apply the Nuremberg principles to the United States and the United Kingdom in the same way their forefathers - the so-called Greatest Generation - defined those principles 70 years ago. Not only do we have people guilty of crimes similar to those that got the Nazis in court but they walk free, propose more wars in the mainstream media and have countless admirers. If that is not evidence of moral corruption, what more do we need?
Joe: I'm a retired mariner so I take this betrayal of the crew of the Liberty seriously, but as a student of history the great tragedy is that this betrayal is a comparatively minor event. Consider the 4,000-plus Americans killed and tens of thousands maimed physically and mentally who were betrayed by the White House, the Pentagon and Congress. (And those are only American numbers.) Then multiply that many times for Vietnam. Then there were the Brits, the French and the Germans in WWI who sacrificed tens of millions of soldiers and collateral damage to gain a few yards one day only to lose them the next. Then there are the tobacco and other corporations that sacrifice the lives and well-being of millions of people around the world in pursuit of profit.
To go back to Iraq, we are now seeing the consequences of that crime against humanity bringing the score up to millions dead, maimed and displaced.
Joe: There isn't much chance of an honest investigation into the Liberty. Admiral McCain's son in the senate would lead the challenge against such an investigation in the highly unlikely event Congress got some spine and integrity to investigate. Consider the USS Stark that was shot up by an Iraqi plane in the Mediterranean. The crew on that ship was sold down the Arabian Gulf the same as the Liberty's crew was sold down the Mediterranean. link to theguardian.com
But first, Congress should investigate itself in an attempt to recognize how morally and ethically bankrupt it has become and what the consequences might be for this nation, one of which is likely to be the continued decline and probable fall of the American Empire. But I presume that such an exercise would be like an addict not ready to face reality contemplating his next fix.
The same delusion of finding “moderates” in Syria is afflicting the State and Defense Depts. ...
People who have so much hubris as to feel "exceptional" often tend to be delusional.
And this anecdote suggests why the US may be unwise to try to claim Iraq as a sphere of influence in this way.
If Iraq does not become part of the US sphere of influence, does that mean the Bush/Cheney/Neocon/Clinton/Biden war on Iraq was in vain?
Nor did CNN lead with civilian casualties when it covered Israeli PM Netanyahu’s bombardment of defenseless little Gaza in summer of 2014.
But CNN is doing a thorough job of informing its listeners of the comparatively minuscule numbers of Israeli victims in the latest outbreak of violence. Good PR for Netanyahu to get a 50% boost in military aid when he submits his shopping list to Obama at their next meeting.
But in the great sordid scheme of things, 9/11 is overshadowed by the events it was used to bring into play. Three thousand dead on 9/11 plus victims among the first responders who were betrayed by the EPA. But, how many killed and maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many millions displaced in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many dead, maimed and displaced since then in the ongoing chaos that the anti-war minority warned could happen in other parts of the Middle East?
And the perpetrators not only go free, they are given platforms to promote more wars.
Given the moral bankruptcy of this nation's "leaders," the corruption in government and the corporate world and the apathy of the majority of the American people it is difficult to see how the decline of the American empire can be halted before its probable collapse.
Peter Lee disputes a point Hillary made at the debate:
"The truth behind Hillary’s ‘China hunt’ at Copenhagen climate conference" By Peter Lee - link to atimes.com