2019

By Asa Winstanley | @AsaWinstanley | – Nelson Mandela’s church, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, this month endorsed Palestine’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS). At a recent conference in Cape Town, the church denounced “Israel’s ongoing ill-treatment and oppression of Palestinian people, and the historic prophetic role played by the church and international […]

Inequality

We Know Exactly Where to Get the Money to Fix Inequality

Jim Hightower

By Jim Hightower | – (Otherwords) – Jesse Jackson ran a strong populist campaign for president in 1988, advocating bold new policies and programs to address inequality. This prompted establishment skeptics to scoff, “Where ‘ya gonna get the money?” It’s no secret where America’s wealth has gone in recent decades: upwards. Jackson answered directly: We’ll […]

Climate Crisis

Climate Crisis Stress is already Killing Us: this Chaos Map shows Where

The Conversation

By Aled Jones, Davide Natalini,Anglia Ruskin, and Imelda Phadtare | – Over 12 days at the start of October 2019 eight people were killed, more than 1,300 injured and nearly 1,200 arrested after demonstrations became violent in Ecuador. The demonstrations focused on reversing the ending of fuel subsidies, which had been brought in as part […]

Donald Trump

Iran seeks to Take advantage of Trump’s Exit from Syria to become Diplomatic Power Broker

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – How has Trump’s impetuous invitation to Turkey to invade Syria and displace America’s allies against ISIL, the Syrian Kurds, issued nearly two weeks ago, been taken advantage of by Iran? It should be noted in the first instance that Iran has its own restive Kurdish province and is no more […]

Inequality

How Much in ‘Inequality Tax’ Are You Paying?

Sam Pizzigati

(Inequality.org) – The hidden burden America’s top-heavy distribution of income and wealth places on people of modest means What nation ranks as the world’s richest? A simple question to answer, right. Well, not so much, suggests the just-released tenth annual Global Wealth Report from the banking giant Credit Suisse. Everything turns out to depend on […]

Displaced and Refugees

Erdogan’s Plan to Resettle Arabs in Syrian Kurdish Zone is dangerous and expensive

Middle East Monitor

By Stasa Salacanin | – Although the Turkish offensive in north-east Syria has ceased for five days, concerns are mounting over the humanitarian impact of the operation to push Kurdish-led forces, which Turkey regards as terrorists, out of the area. Ankara’s plan to resettle millions of refugees into the area and its president’s threat to […]

Donald Trump

New War for Oil? Trump to Occupy Oil-Rich Syrian Province with Tank Corps, Asks for Kurdish Displacement There

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Trump said he talked to Syrian Democratic Forces leader Gen. Mazloum Abdi on Thursday. As usual, Trump’s report of the conversation is marred by outright lies and bizarre allegations. He said, I really enjoyed my conversation with General @MazloumAbdi. He appreciates what we have done, and I appreciate what the […]

Militarization

Killing Me Softly with Militarism: The Decay of Democracy in America

William J. Astore

(Tomdispatch.com) – When Americans think of militarism, they may imagine jackbooted soldiers goose-stepping through the streets as flag-waving crowds exult; or, like our president, they may think of enormous parades featuring troops and missiles and tanks, with warplanes soaring overhead. Or nationalist dictators wearing military uniforms encrusted with medals, ribbons, and badges like so many […]