As someone who believes in the responsibility of artists and intellectuals to take a stand against tyranny, this news is positive: Indian-administered Kashmir’s first major literature festival has been cancelled after local writers and artists said it would give the false impression that basic freedoms are allowed in the troubled region. The Harud literary festival…
Showing all posts in June 2019
Book reviews can save lives
A fascinating piece of history written by Australian academic Scott Burchill: In August 2004 I was asked by The Age to review [Australian journalist] John Martinkus’ new book ‘Travels in American Iraq‘ (Black Inc, 2004). It was a very good account of life after the invasion and Martinkus was clearly more sympathetic to the occupied…
When you say “liberating” Afghanistan, you mean privatising the lot?
The future of warfare, led by America and the West, is fueled by unaccountable corporations: At least one in every six dollars of U.S. spending for contracts and grants in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade, or more than $30 billion, has been wasted. And at least that much could again turn into waste…
Hello, my name is the IDF and I love to protect interlopers
In case you need any reminding that the role of the IDF is to protect the colonists illegally living on Palestinian land: The IDF has conducted detailed work to determine a “red line” for each settlement in the West Bank, which will determine when soldiers will be ordered to shoot at the feet of Palestinian…
Who would like to provide PR for a brutal, US-backed dictatorship?
PR Watch has the news: Bahrian’s Sunni-led monarchy has hired the Washington, D.C. PR firm Qorvis Communications at a rate of $40,000/month to help improve its image after the Bahraini government, struggling to suppress a Shia-led protest movement, attacked the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (DWB). The group offers medical care to injured protesters who…
Sydney radio on BDS, Palestine and slamming faux anti-Semitism claims
I was interviewed this week by 2SER’s The Wire on why boycotting Israel is a legitimate tactic in the face of Zionist occupation and calling these actions anti-Semitic, as many in the political and media elites do, simply demeans the word’s real meaning.
From Wikileaks to the world
A glorious tweet: Dear governments, if you don’t want your filth exposed, then stop acting like pigs. Simple.
This is Australia’s past and future?
My following book review appeared in last Sunday’s Sydney Sun Herald newspaper: The Protectors Stephen Gray (Allen & Unwin, $29.99) “Mainstream Australia is equivocal about the apology [to the stolen generations] at best.” It’s a provocative start to a work that aims to understand the motives of the farmers, politicians and public figures who took…
Climate change linked to rising violence and private firms will benefit
People will be insecure and demand “security”. Private firms will provide this, for the rich, of course. Climate change will barely be addressed, wild weather will only worsen but gated communities will become far more common in the Western world. Democracy Now reports: A new study has found that war is associated with global climate.…
At what point will the Murdoch press realise they are cheapening real anti-Semitism?
Probably never. Their Zionist love knows no bounds. See today’s outrageous letter, once again complaining that BDS is akin to Nazi Germany. They cheapen the memory of the Holocaust by printing such garbage: If Bob Brown can’t control Lee Rhiannon (“Senator stands by Israel boycott“, 29/8) it’s up to somebody with a bit more clout…