2020

Committee on Academic Freedom, Middle East Studies Association Letter regarding ongoing denial of Palestinians in Gaza right to study abroad Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Fax: +972-2-5664838 pm_eng@pmo.gov.il Minister of Education Yoav Galant Fax: +972-2-5602390 yoavg@knesset.gov.il Minister of Higher Education Ze’ev Elkin Fax: +972-2-2649438 zelkin@knesset.gov.il Minister of Justice Avi Nissenkorn Fax: +972-2-6285438 mancal@justice.gov.il Brigadier General Rasan […]

Banking

How the concentration of property rights within corporations has led to a rejection of democracy and a rise in inequality

British Policy and Politics

By Jean-Philippe Robé | – Jean-Philippe Robé discusses how multinational enterprises morphed into political organisations with global reach and power, but without the corresponding responsibilities. He argues that the concentration of property rights within corporations has led to the rejection of democracy as an ineffective system of government and to the rise in inequality. ( […]

Afghanistan

Is Trump leaving 2500 Troops in Iraq and in Afghanistan as a Poison Pill for Biden?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Dustin Jones at NPR reports that Trump has instructed the Pentagon to bring most US troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan by January 15, 2021. Some 2,500 would remain in each country. The announcement was made, WaPo reports, by acting secretary of defense Christopher C. Miller. Miller was apparently brought […]

Climate Crisis

We only need $1.5 Trillion to meet Paris climate goals, a fraction of what Gov’ts are spending on Pandemic Relief

The Conversation

By David L. McCollum | – As of late summer, governments around the world had pledged US$12.2 trillion of relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic. That’s around 15% of global GDP, three times larger than government spending put forward during and after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis and enough for every adult in the […]

Democratic Party

The Federal Gov’t owns 92% of Student Debt. Will Biden Wipe it Out?

Inequality.org

By Sarah Anderson and Margot Rathke | – ( Inequality.org) – Washington is abuzz with ideas for actions the Biden-Harris administration could take that would not require Congressional approval. One of the buzziest: cancellation of student debts owed to the federal government. The U.S. Department of Education owns about 92 percent of the $1.6 trillion […]

Democratic Party

The Other America: The New Politics of the Poor in Joe Biden’s (and Mitch McConnell’s) USA

Liz Theoharis

( Tomdispatch.com) – In the two weeks since Election 2020, the country has oscillated between joy and anger, hope and dread in an era of polarization sharpened by the forces of racism, nativism, and hate. Still, truth be told, though the divisive tone of this moment may only be sharpening, division in the United States […]

Donald Trump

Trump Bruited Strike on Iran Civilian Nuclear Facilities, which may kill as many as did Nuclear Bombing of Hiroshima

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Eric Schmitt, Maggie Haberman, David E. Sanger, Helene Cooper and Lara Jakes at the New York Times get the scoop. Their sources in the White House tell them that last Thursday, in a meeting with his senior advisers, Trump abruptly asked them if there were options for a US strike […]

Donald Trump

Republicans Aren’t Just Bad Losers — They’re Traitors to Democracy

OtherWords

By Mitchell Zimmerman | – Trump’s insidious rhetoric on the election won’t stop Biden from taking office, but it’s not harmless either. ( Otherwords.org) – Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the judgment of the American people might just seem like denial. But in denying the legitimacy of over 77 million votes against him, Trump and […]

Donald Trump

After the Erratic Trump, can America Rejoin the World?

John Feffer

By John Feffer | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – It simply doesn’t make a lot of sense to entrust leadership to a country with a severe personality disorder. America may well be divided about Donald Trump, but the rest of the world isn’t. The soon-to-be-former president has gotten high marks in the Philippines […]

Archives for 2020