One of George Orwell’s keenest insights in 1984 is the kaleidoscopic character of modern state-to-state relations, wherein countries go from being allies to enemies and back again, and government spokesmen and the press report on each situation (friendship or enmity) as though it was eternal. As the US prepares a possible missile attack on Syria, […]
NSA Spying: Indian Gov’t Bans Employee Google Use as Euro Parliament Weighs Law Fining Cooperative Firms
The rest of the world is much more appalled at the spying of the National Security Agency on telephone, email, web browsers and other personal information than is the US public. As new revelations come out almost daily about the cavalier way in which the NSA has spied on the world’s presidents, parliaments and ordinary […]
American Jews Divided on Syria Strike, Many Oppose AIPAC
That the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is pushing Congress toward attacking Syria is no secret. As usual, however, AIPAC is out of touch with Jewish Americans. There is a good reason for which the proper diction for AIPAC is “an Israel lobby” rather than “a Jewish lobby.” AIPAC doesn’t represent the views of […]
On Obama’s attack on Syria: Donohue/ Bacevich
At Bill Moyers’ site, Phil Donohue interviews military historian Andrew Bacevich about President Obama’s plans to attack Syria: From the transcript: “PHIL DONAHUE: Welcome. I’m Phil Donahue. Bill Moyers is away this week and I am pleased to be sitting in for him. Our subject is Syria. What began there two and a half years […]
A New Red-Green Alliance: Why Workers should Join the Climate Fight (Klein)
The following remarks were delivered by Naomi Klein on September 1, 2013 at the founding convention of UNIFOR, a new mega union created by the Canadian Autoworkers and the Canadian Energy and Paper Workers Union, and provided to Common Dreams by the author for publication. I’m so very happy and honoured to be able to […]
Obama Isolated at G20 on Syria, No ‘Coalition of the Willing’
President Obama found himself isolated on the Syria issue at the G20 conference in St. Petersburg on Thursday. Among the world’s largest 20 economies, only France agreed with his plan for a military attack on Damascus. China expressed fears that US military action in Syria would cause a spike in oil prices and slow the […]
In Shadow of Syria Strike: August US Drone Strikes in Yemen highest in 16 Months (Searle)
Jack Searle writes at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism One strike in Pakistan ends 34-day stretch without an attack. Yemen sees more strikes in a month than any time since March 2012. Yemen A terror alert centred on Yemen gripped the US in August leading to six confirmed drone strikes. The US closed 21 diplomatic […]
Syrian and Middle Eastern Christians Condemn US Strike Plans
Syria and Lebanon are multicultural societies, but the American discourse about Syria tends to focus on the Muslim majority and to ignore the substantial Christian minorities. It is interesting that these Eastern Christians are solidly against an American missile strike on Syria. Many US congressional representatives discussing the possibility of military action against that country […]
Obama’s Syria Strike Part of ‘Broader Strategy’ (Germanos)
Andrea Germanos writes at Commondreams As the Obama administration continues its "flood the zone" campaign to win congressional support for military force against Syria, a statement by the president Tuesday indicates its plan is to go beyond punitive strikes against Assad and to pursue a "broader strategy." President Barack Obama meets with his National Security […]