To me it is a great mystery why anyone would have voted for HRC over Bernie in the primaries. Bernie's platform may be limited -- it is a great disappointment to me that he didn't include scaling American militarism way back and using the enormous savings that would result to build American infrastructure -- but at least he comes across as a real and decent human being. In contrast, HRC comes across as a totally inauthentic power-hungry person. She had the rug
pulled out from under her by Obama and is determined not to let it happen again. Little wonder she refuses to publish the transcripts of her speeches to Goldman Sachs. It would
cost her the election if people really knew what she said. The only principles she apparently really has other than a dermination to be elected have to do with her wholehearted embrace of the principles of American
exceptionalism and the dreadful militarism that goes along with it. A vote for HRC is a vote for four more years of war
anywhere the possibility exists. I totally agree with all the comments expressing conviction that any seeming turn of her positions to the left because of Sanders will go out the window as soon as she no longer has to contend with him.
It is absolutely outrageous how organizations like AIPAC and the World Jewish Congress have convinced Congress that they are the spokesmen for Jews in this country, whereas in fact there are thousands of Jews like myself who hold diametrically opposite views, and are utterly appalled at the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, the inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza, and the dreadful current Israeli massacre of Gazans. Tikkun recently quoted an American rabbi who said that his congregation would have no problem if he criticized God in addressing them, but that he would lose his job if he dared say one word critical of Israel. Our Congress has been sold a bill of goods to the effect that poor Israel wants nothing more than peace and now has to fight for its survival against the Hamas terrorist onslaught, necessitating the slaughter of hundreds of Gazan civilians and unbelievable destruction of the impoverished and barely functioning Gazan infrastructure including hospitals and water supply. What an utterly shameful state of affairs. Our heartfelt thanks to Juan Cole for his efforts to present a truthful view.
Following up on your writing today, "Avigdor Lieberman, the Moldovan night club bouncer, is now foreign minister of Israel. [The charge against Iran that it threatened to wipe Israel off the map is untrue.]", would you consider writing a brief letter to the New York Times refuting this charge which keeps coming up over and over again even though it has been pointed out numerous times that it was a mistranslation (perhaps intentional) of a statement by Ahmandinejad. In today's NYT here is Roger Cohen writing: "For a country like Iran that has threatened Israel with destruction and engaged in international terrorism, the bar must be much higher on the right to low-level, highly monitored, peaceful enrichment." Please consider writing such a letter. It would be doing a great service.
What I can't understand is if the Pakistani government really does not condone the drone strikes why doesn't Pakistan do something about them? Surely the Pakistan army or airforce is capable of shooting down drones. It's very difficult for me to believe that Pakistan isn't complicit in the drone strikes which clearly violate Pakistan sovereignty.
Tom Giesen states ten cogent and completely valid reasons why so little is being done to counter the enormous threat to the world posed by the inexorable rise in emissions of greenhouse gases. I have no argument whatsoever with these rational explanations. To them, however, I would like to suggest the existence of irrational forces at work in our psyches that may also play a role. There is a a strange kind of desire to witness, for example, an increasing frequency of extreme weather conditions and coastal flooding of increasing magnitude, a kind of fascination and excitement in contemplating a coming global catastrophe of enormous proportions. One reason for this may be the horror we all have of our own deaths and the closing of the small windows in time in which we are conscious, with the world continuing on in its richness without our being here to experience it. Some of this horror may be reduced if the world as we know it will be coming to an end. We won't be missing so much by not being alive. These are speculations, of course. I don't know how big a role, if any, these irrational forces may play in making it more difficult for concerted action to be taken in countering global warming. But I sense them at work in myself and would not be surprised to know that they are present in many of us although we may not want to admit to ourselves that they are there.
This is not directly related to your splendid piece on the Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla. The online SundayTimes (not the NYT) reported that Israel is stationing three submarines armed with nuclear cruise missiles off the coast of Iran (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7140282.ece). This is truly horrifying if true. I've not seen this reported elsewhere and wanted to ask you if the article is verifiable.
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To me it is a great mystery why anyone would have voted for HRC over Bernie in the primaries. Bernie's platform may be limited -- it is a great disappointment to me that he didn't include scaling American militarism way back and using the enormous savings that would result to build American infrastructure -- but at least he comes across as a real and decent human being. In contrast, HRC comes across as a totally inauthentic power-hungry person. She had the rug
pulled out from under her by Obama and is determined not to let it happen again. Little wonder she refuses to publish the transcripts of her speeches to Goldman Sachs. It would
cost her the election if people really knew what she said. The only principles she apparently really has other than a dermination to be elected have to do with her wholehearted embrace of the principles of American
exceptionalism and the dreadful militarism that goes along with it. A vote for HRC is a vote for four more years of war
anywhere the possibility exists. I totally agree with all the comments expressing conviction that any seeming turn of her positions to the left because of Sanders will go out the window as soon as she no longer has to contend with him.
Glenn Greenwald has related comments. See
link to firstlook.org
It is absolutely outrageous how organizations like AIPAC and the World Jewish Congress have convinced Congress that they are the spokesmen for Jews in this country, whereas in fact there are thousands of Jews like myself who hold diametrically opposite views, and are utterly appalled at the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, the inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza, and the dreadful current Israeli massacre of Gazans. Tikkun recently quoted an American rabbi who said that his congregation would have no problem if he criticized God in addressing them, but that he would lose his job if he dared say one word critical of Israel. Our Congress has been sold a bill of goods to the effect that poor Israel wants nothing more than peace and now has to fight for its survival against the Hamas terrorist onslaught, necessitating the slaughter of hundreds of Gazan civilians and unbelievable destruction of the impoverished and barely functioning Gazan infrastructure including hospitals and water supply. What an utterly shameful state of affairs. Our heartfelt thanks to Juan Cole for his efforts to present a truthful view.
Dear Juan,
Following up on your writing today, "Avigdor Lieberman, the Moldovan night club bouncer, is now foreign minister of Israel. [The charge against Iran that it threatened to wipe Israel off the map is untrue.]", would you consider writing a brief letter to the New York Times refuting this charge which keeps coming up over and over again even though it has been pointed out numerous times that it was a mistranslation (perhaps intentional) of a statement by Ahmandinejad. In today's NYT here is Roger Cohen writing: "For a country like Iran that has threatened Israel with destruction and engaged in international terrorism, the bar must be much higher on the right to low-level, highly monitored, peaceful enrichment." Please consider writing such a letter. It would be doing a great service.
My thanks and best regards,
Robert
What I can't understand is if the Pakistani government really does not condone the drone strikes why doesn't Pakistan do something about them? Surely the Pakistan army or airforce is capable of shooting down drones. It's very difficult for me to believe that Pakistan isn't complicit in the drone strikes which clearly violate Pakistan sovereignty.
Robert Shore
Bravo, Juan. Well said indeed! Thank you.
Robert Shore
Tom Giesen states ten cogent and completely valid reasons why so little is being done to counter the enormous threat to the world posed by the inexorable rise in emissions of greenhouse gases. I have no argument whatsoever with these rational explanations. To them, however, I would like to suggest the existence of irrational forces at work in our psyches that may also play a role. There is a a strange kind of desire to witness, for example, an increasing frequency of extreme weather conditions and coastal flooding of increasing magnitude, a kind of fascination and excitement in contemplating a coming global catastrophe of enormous proportions. One reason for this may be the horror we all have of our own deaths and the closing of the small windows in time in which we are conscious, with the world continuing on in its richness without our being here to experience it. Some of this horror may be reduced if the world as we know it will be coming to an end. We won't be missing so much by not being alive. These are speculations, of course. I don't know how big a role, if any, these irrational forces may play in making it more difficult for concerted action to be taken in countering global warming. But I sense them at work in myself and would not be surprised to know that they are present in many of us although we may not want to admit to ourselves that they are there.
World Body Demands release of Aid Activists, Ships
Dear Mr. Cole,
This is not directly related to your splendid piece on the Israeli attack on the Gaza-aid flotilla. The online SundayTimes (not the NYT) reported that Israel is stationing three submarines armed with nuclear cruise missiles off the coast of Iran (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7140282.ece). This is truly horrifying if true. I've not seen this reported elsewhere and wanted to ask you if the article is verifiable.
Many thanks.
Best regards,
Robert Shore